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Money topics:
Social Security disability benefits are monthly cash payments for people with disabilities.
Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, is for people who have low income and don't own many things. Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, is for people who have worked and paid Social Security taxes.
You can apply for SSI at any time. There's no need to wait for a certain age or time of the year. If you're approved, Social Security will pay you for benefits going all the way back to the date you applied. That's why it's important to apply as soon as you can.
Create a my Social Security account to check the status of your application, estimate future benefits or manage the benefits you already receive. It is free to create an account and you’ll get interactive and secure access to many Social Security online services.
To qualify for SSI, you must:
If you get SSI, Social Security will check periodically to make sure you still have a disability.
In 2023, the maximum SSI benefit is $914 a month for a single person. Your benefit may be less, depending on how much other income you have and if you pay for your food and housing.
There are three ways to apply for SSI:
With SSI, you'll always have more money when you work. That's because Social Security has special rules called work incentives that help you:
Your income from work may affect your SSI benefit, but less than half of your earnings will be counted when determining how much to reduce your SSI check.
Most people who qualify for SSI also qualify for Medical Assistance, or MA. Medical Assistance covers most health care costs plus some specialized services, such as personal care attendant and home care services.
Learn more about Medical Assistance under Top Topics > Health > Medical Assistance >>
Many people who qualify for SSI also qualify for Minnesota Supplemental Aid, or MSA. MSA gives you more money when you're on SSI. You can get details on MSA from Disability Benefits 101.
If you're on SSI, you'll need to tell Social Security if you:
Read your mail and respond to requests from Social Security right away. It doesn't help to ignore Social Security. If you don't understand what they need, ask for an explanation.
See frequently asked questions about SSI under Top Topics > Money > Social Security >>
You can apply for SSDI at any time. There's no need to wait for a certain age or time of the year. If you're approved, Social Security will pay you for benefits going all the way back to the date you applied. That's why it's important to apply as soon as you can.
Create a my Social Security account to check the status of your application, estimate future benefits or manage the benefits you already receive. It is free to create an account and you’ll get interactive and secure access to many Social Security online services.
To qualify for SSDI, you must:
If you get SSDI, Social Security will check periodically to make sure you still have a disability.
Your SSDI benefit depends on how much you've worked, earned and paid into the Social Security trust fund through your Social Security taxes. To see an estimate of your benefit, create a my Social Security account.
There are three ways to apply for SSDI:
With SSDI, you can have more money when you work. That's because Social Security has special rules called work incentives that help you:
Your income from work may affect your SSDI benefit. The key is to make a plan so you know ahead of time what will happen with your SSDI benefits.
See frequently asked questions about SSDI under Top Topics > Money > Social Security >>
If you're on SSDI, you'll need to tell Social Security if you:
Read your mail and respond to requests from Social Security right away. It doesn't help to ignore Social Security. If you don't understand what they need, ask for an explanation.