Social Security Administration (SSA)/Supplemental Security Income (SSI) 101

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a need-based cash benefit for children and adults with disabilities who have very low household income, or anyone over the age of 65 with low income.

SSI is not dependent on prior work history credits, meaning that it might be available to people who don’t qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or retirement benefits due to insufficient work history.

In many states, a person who receives SSI is automatically eligible for Medicaid health coverage. For example, if you're a California resident who qualifies for SSI, you can receive full-scope Medi-Cal, meaning you’re not expected to pay for a share of the cost for provided services each month.

Some other programs may be available to SSI recipients, including discounts on public utilities like electricity, gas, water, and phone service. (You may want to check even if you are not an SSI recipient because some utility companies have special discount programs for households where a family member has a disability.)

Who is eligible for SSI under age 18?

There must be limited income and resources in the household. For children under age 18, SSI will look at the entire household's income and resources. You can use this tool on ssa.gov to determine if your child is likely to qualify based on the financial criteria for your household size.

Children younger than age 18 are considered to have an eligible disability if they have “a medically determinable physical or mental impairment or combination of impairments that causes marked and severe functional limitations.” The child’s disability needs to have lasted or be expected to last for at least 12 months, or is expected to shorten the child’s life span.

SSI may also be available to children who reside in institutions (which includes a child undergoing a months-long hospitalization), but it can affect the benefit rate, provided it’s not a permanent placement.

Do you have to renew SSI?

SSI can schedule a redetermination every one to six years to review a child’s non-medical and medical eligibility. Redeterminations can be done via phone, in person, or through the mail. If any qualifying circumstances in your family change, such as the birth of a new child, moving, a new job, or an update to your disability status, you should let the local SSI agency know no later than 10 days after the change.

If your child receives SSI, they will likely be reevaluated for eligibility when they turn 18 to see if they still qualify under the more restrictive adult criteria. If your child is already receiving SSI and has an IEP, they should continue to receive SSI benefits after 18 as long as they remain in special education. (You will need to provide the SSA with a copy of their IEP to ensure benefits are given.)

To qualify for SSI, adults ages 18 and up need to be deemed unable to engage in “substantial gainful activity” (SGA) due to their physical or intellectual disability. SGA refers to the income amount that an individual is expected to earn. A person may be eligible for SSI if they’re unable to participate in enough work to earn that expected amount of money. The maximum federal dollar amount for SGA increases each year; as of 2026, it's $1,690 per month for non-blind individuals or $2,830 per month for blind individuals.

The disability has to be expected to last for at least 12 months or is expected to shorten the individual’s life span.

Learn more about SSI benefits for young adults in our article Supplemental Security Income (SSI) in the Transition to Adulthood, which goes into detail about what to expect from monthly benefits, how employment affects benefits, and what the asset limits are for adults.

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is commonly confused with Supplemental Security Income (SSI). In general, an individual needs to have accumulated enough work credits from Social Security payroll taxes to be able to claim monthly payments through SSDI. SSI, on the other hand, is not dependent on your child's work history but on their disability and their income.

Like SSI, to qualify for SSDI an individual needs to be unable to engage in substantial gainful activity due to a significant disability that lasts for more than 12 months.

Children may qualify for Social Security benefits based on their parents’ work history and benefits. You can learn more about cash benefits in SSA’s guide to services for children with disabilities.

Dependent or survivor benefits

If you, your child’s other parent, or your child’s legal guardian receives Social Security retirement or disability (SSDI) benefits, then all of your minor children (whether or not they have a disability) may be eligible for dependent benefits, also called family benefits. A child’s benefit is up to half of their parent’s retirement or disability benefits, up to a maximum per family. Here’s how to apply.

If your child’s other parent or guardian has passed away and they had sufficient work history under SSA rules or were receiving SSDI, then all minor children (whether or not they have a disability) may be eligible for survivor benefits. Survivor benefits are typically 75 percent of the deceased adult’s retirement or disability benefits, up to a maximum per family.

If a child is receiving dependent or survivor benefits and their household income is still under the threshold to qualify for SSI, they may receive both kinds of benefits.

Dependent and survivor benefits end at age 18 (or up to age 19 if they are still in high school), unless your child has a disability that meets Social Security criteria. If so, they can be assessed to see if they are eligible for continued benefits.

Disabled adult child (DAC)

Dependent or survivor benefits may continue into adulthood if your child remains eligible due to their disability. These are also known as disabled adult child benefits (DAC). These benefits typically end if your adult child gets married, unless their spouse is also a recipient of DAC, SSDI, or Social Security retirement benefits. You can learn more with this toolkit on Marriage Equity by DREDF.

Your adult child may be able to receive both DAC and SSI if their income from DAC benefits remains below the SSI eligibility threshold and they meet the disability criteria. They can also qualify for Medicare after two years of receiving DAC benefits. There are a few exceptions that waive the 24-month wait, such as a diagnosis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).