Income Requirements for SSDI vs. SSI

There are differences in how income is counted for SSDI and SSI, and understanding these distinctions is crucial for determining eligibility:

• SSDI: Social Security Disability Insurance is based on your work history. To qualify, you must have worked and paid into the Social Security system for a certain number of years. For SSDI, the focus is on whether you are currently engaging in substantial gainful activity (SGA), which refers to the amount of income you are earning from working.
• SSI: Supplemental Security Income is a needs-based program that helps individuals with limited income and resources. The focus for SSI is not just on your work history, but also on your current income, financial resources, and household income.

What Income Is Counted for SSDI?

For SSDI, the SSA evaluates your work activity rather than your overall income. The key factors include:

• Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA): To qualify for SSDI, you cannot be earning more than a certain amount of income from working. For 2025, the SGA limit is $1,470 per month for non-blind individuals. If you are earning more than this amount, you may be disqualified from receiving SSDI benefits, regardless of the severity of your disability.
• Unearned Income: Income that does not come from work, such as investments, pensions, or rental income, is not counted toward SSDI eligibility unless it impacts your overall ability to work. However, if your unearned income is large enough to provide for basic living expenses, it may influence your eligibility.
• Trial Work Period (TWP): SSDI allows individuals to test their ability to work through a Trial Work Period (TWP), where you can earn above the SGA limit for a limited time without losing your benefits. The TWP provides an opportunity to gradually return to work while still receiving SSDI benefits.

What Income Is Counted for SSI?

For SSI, the SSA evaluates your total income and resources to determine eligibility. Unlike SSDI, SSI is a needs-based program, so the following types of income are counted:

• Earned Income: This includes wages or net earnings from self-employment. If you are working and earning income, it will count against your SSI eligibility. However, the SSA does provide an earned income exclusion, where they will disregard the first $65 per month plus half of the remaining earned income. For example, if you earn $1,000 per month, only $467.50 will count toward your SSI income calculation.
• Unearned Income: This includes income from other sources such as pensions, Social Security benefits (other than SSDI), rental income, child support, alimony, or investments. For SSI, most types of unearned income are counted dollar for dollar. However, the SSA does offer some exclusions, such as the first $20 per month of unearned income.
• In-Kind Income: In-kind income is any goods or services you receive instead of cash. For instance, if someone provides you with food or housing, it may count as income. The SSA has specific rules for how in-kind income is evaluated, but it is often valued as the cost of the items or services received.
• Deemed Income: If you live with a spouse, parent, or someone else who is providing for you, the SSA may “deem” some of their income as yours, which can affect your eligibility. This is most relevant for minors or individuals living with a spouse.

Income Exclusions for SSI

While many types of income are counted for SSI, the SSA does provide some exclusions that may help you qualify for benefits:

• The first $20 per month of income: This applies to any type of income (earned or unearned).
• The first $65 per month of earned income: This is the amount you can earn before the SSA starts counting your wages.
• The value of food or shelter provided by someone else: In some situations, the SSA may not count the value of food or shelter provided by others, depending on your circumstances.

How Does the SSA Calculate Your Total Income?

The SSA uses a detailed process to calculate your total income for both SSDI and SSI eligibility. This process involves adding up all sources of income (both earned and unearned) and applying various exclusions and deductions to determine how much income you are deemed to have. If your income exceeds the program limits, you may not be eligible for benefits.



For SSI, your resources are also taken into account, which includes savings, bank accounts, property, and other assets you own. The limit for resources is generally $2,000 for individuals and $3,000 for couples.