Facts About Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, is a vital program administered by the Social Security Administration that provides modest cash assistance to people who can no longer work enough to meet their basic needs, due to age, disability or both.

SSI keeps people out of deep poverty, prevents homelessness, and provides some stability for those who would otherwise have little to no income. SSI can help people experiencing homelessness get and stay housed, and enable low-income people to cover rent, utilities, property taxes, food, and other basics.

SSI by the Numbers

• 7.4 million people receive SSI
• 2.5 million are older adults, many of whom earned low wages throughout their lives and need SSI to supplement meager Social Security benefits.
• 63% of the older adults receiving SSI are women because women live longer, are more likely to have worked part time low-wage jobs or spend time out of the workforce caring for families, jeopardizing their future financial security.
• The average monthly benefit for older adults is just $575 a month, far below the federal poverty line and far from what people need to live on, but the people who rely on it have no other options.

Outdated SSI Rules Keep People in Poverty

Many SSI rules haven’t been updated in over 40 years and make life nearly impossible for people who rely on it.

• The Savings Penalty means people lose benefits if they save more than $2,000 ($3,000 for a couple) for emergencies like a medical bill, car repair, or home modification.
• The Marriage Penalty means a married couple receives almost $500 less than they would as two single recipients.
• Income rules require that individuals receiving more than $20 a month from sources other than work, including Social Security retirement benefits, require a dollar-for-dollar reduction in SSI benefits.
• Work Penalties mean that earning more than $65 a month decreases benefits, discouraging work for those who can.

Common Sense Updates to Reflect Today’s Economy

• Raise the asset limit to $10,000 for an individual and $20,000 for a couple and stop penalizing people for saving.
• End the marriage penalty so people don’t have to choose between marriage and financial stability.
• Raise the income limit so people can work and receive Social Security without hurting their finances.
• Increase benefits to 100% of the federal poverty level.