Less than two weeks remain until the next Supplemental Security Income (SSI) direct payment, slated for April 1st. Individual filers will receive up to $943. These payments are exclusively reserved for eligible individuals or couples aged 65 or older, those with low incomes, or individuals facing severe debilitating disabilities.
Eligibility Criteria for SSI Direct Payment
To qualify for SSI payments, applicants must be at least partially blind or have a physical or mental condition severely limiting their daily activities for 12 months or more or anticipated to result in death.
General Requirements for Eligibility
SSI direct payment targets working individuals earning less than $1,971 monthly, with income limits subject to adjustments for couples and parents applying for children. Interested parties must meet income and resource limits established by the Social Security Administration (SSA), including common resources such as vehicles and bank accounts. Individual resource limits are set at $2,000, and for couples, it stands at $3,000. In cases where a parent applies for a child, the limit may rise to $2,000.
For individuals aged 65 or older, disability is not a prerequisite. However, those aged 64 and younger with a disability must prove that their monthly income was below $1,550 at the time of application. Additional sources of income like unemployment insurance, pensions, and disability benefits are also taken into account.
The SSA provides an SSI tool to assess eligibility and commence the application process. This streamlined process takes only five to ten minutes, recording your intent to apply and assigning a protective filing date. Upon approval, payments commence from this protective filing date.
Expected SSI Payments for April
April’s SSI payments vary depending on the type of Social Security benefit received, with all payments inclusive of a 3.2% increase attributable to the cost of living adjustment (COLA) enacted on January 1, 2024.
The maximum amounts beneficiaries may receive in April are contingent on the application category: individual, joint, or essential person.
The maximum benefits for the Social Security programs are as follows:
For Supplemental Security Income (SSI):
Individual: $943
Couple: $1,415
Essential person: $472
For Social Security Disability Income (SSDI): $3,822
Applying for SSI and SSDI Benefits Simultaneously
While SSI and SSDI are distinct programs under Disability Insurance (DI), many individuals qualify for both. Applicants can receive benefits from both Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) provided they meet the respective requirements. The latest regulations from the SSA state that separate applications are not necessary.
However, it’s important to note that the maximum SSI payment cannot exceed the combined total of both installments. The SSA evaluates eligibility for both programs concurrently, granting benefits accordingly to individuals who meet criteria for both.
