Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients in the United States may receive this monthly check in addition to their Social Security retirement check. However, the amount of SSI can vary frequently.
Currently, the maximum amount of this benefit is $943 per month. This means that, although your SSI check may reach that amount, you may not always receive the maximum amount. The amount of the payment depends on factors related to the recipient’s income.
Here’s how to increase your Supplemental Security Income (SSI) check
To increase the amount of your monthly Supplemental Security Income (SSI) check, you need to reduce your monthly income. This means that nothing can be done deliberately to get that increase, since the amount of SSI is directly related to reported income. In general, the higher the monthly income, the lower the SSI payment. Therefore, if income decreases, it is possible that the next month’s SSI check will be higher. In addition, the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will also increase checks, but this will not occur until January 2025.
To qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) checks, two main requirements must be met:
- Be age 65 or have a disability
- Have a low monthly income.
Each SSI application is reviewed individually by Social Security to determine eligibility and benefit amount. Also, more than one member of the same family may be eligible for this monthly check, so if we live with other members of the household, each can apply if they meet the requirements.
Can SSI be combined with retirement?
Americans applying for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) should know that it is also possible to apply for Social Security at the same time. Thus, those who qualify will receive checks from both programs. SSI payments do not affect Social Security retirement or disability payments.
It is important to note that it is not necessary to be retired to receive SSI. Therefore, a citizen over the age of 65 who is not retired or a person with a disability can get an SSI check without applying for Social Security retirement. This allows those who qualify to benefit from both programs simultaneously.
How many days can I be out of the U.S. if I receive SSI?
If you are a U.S. citizen, you can receive your Social Security payments while you are outside the U.S. as long as you are entitled to them and are in a country where we can send payments.
If you are not a U.S. citizen, you must meet one of the payment conditions described in this publication. When we say you are “outside the U.S.,” we mean you are not in one of the 50 states, the District of Columbia (Washington, D. C.), Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, or American Samoa for at least 30 consecutive days.
We consider you to be “outside the U.S.” until you return and stay in the U.S. for at least 30 consecutive days.
If you are not a U.S. citizen or do not meet one of the conditions for continuing to receive your payments, we will stop your payments after you have been outside the U.S. for 6 calendar months.
Once your payments stop, we cannot start your payments again until you return and stay in the U.S. for a full calendar month. You must stay in the U.S. from the first minute of the first day of the month and remain until the last minute of the last day of the same month.
In addition, we may ask you to provide proof that you have been lawfully in the U.S. for an entire calendar month. For more information, contact your Social Security office or the U.S. Federal Benefits Unit. Information about the offices or the Federal Benefits Unit is listed at the end of this publication.
