When Does Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Stop?

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a federal program administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA). It provides financial assistance to individuals with limited income and resources who are aged 65 or older, blind, or have a qualifying disability, including children. SSI aims to help recipients meet fundamental needs such as food and shelter through monthly cash payments. Understanding the circumstances under which these benefits may cease is important for recipients to maintain their financial stability.

Changes in Eligibility Criteria

Changes in financial and non-financial circumstances can lead to SSI benefits stopping. Recipients must meet strict income thresholds to qualify for and continue receiving SSI. The SSA considers both earned income, like wages, and unearned income, which includes pensions, Social Security benefits, or unemployment payments. For 2025, the maximum federal benefit rate (FBR) is $967 per month for an individual and $1,450 for a couple, and countable income reduces this amount.

The SSA applies specific rules to determine countable income. A portion of earned income is typically excluded from calculations, allowing recipients to work without immediately losing all benefits. However, most unearned income reduces the SSI payment by nearly one dollar for every dollar received, after a small general exclusion. Additionally, in-kind support and maintenance, which refers to food or shelter provided by others, can also be counted as income and reduce SSI payments. As of September 30, 2024, food is no longer included in in-kind support calculations.

Beyond income, SSI recipients must also adhere to resource limits. Resources include cash, bank accounts, stocks, bonds, and property that can be converted to cash. For 2025, the resource limit is $2,000 for an individual and $3,000 for a couple. Certain assets are generally excluded from this limit, such as the home where the recipient lives, one vehicle used for transportation, and household goods. Exceeding these resource thresholds can result in benefits being suspended or terminated.

Living arrangements also affect SSI eligibility and payment amounts. If a recipient moves into a public institution for a full calendar month, such as a prison or certain hospitals, their SSI benefits will generally cease. Exceptions may apply for residents in publicly operated community residences serving a limited number of individuals or those in public emergency shelters for the homeless, though payments in the latter case are typically limited to six months in a nine-month period.

Residency requirements stipulate that SSI benefits are generally provided to residents of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Leaving the United States for an extended period, typically 30 consecutive days or more, can cause benefits to stop. To regain eligibility, an individual must usually be back in the U.S. for 30 consecutive days.

Medical Improvement or Failure to Cooperate with Reviews

For recipients receiving SSI based on disability or blindness, their medical condition is subject to periodic review by the SSA. These continuing disability reviews (CDRs) assess whether a recipient’s medical condition has improved to the point where they no longer meet the SSA’s definition of disability. If the SSA determines that medical improvement has occurred and the individual can engage in substantial gainful activity, their SSI benefits will stop. The frequency of these reviews depends on the nature and severity of the medical condition.

Cooperation with the SSA’s review process is important for maintaining SSI benefits. Failure to attend scheduled medical examinations requested by the SSA can lead to the suspension or termination of payments. Not providing requested medical information or failing to respond to communications from the SSA regarding one’s disability status can also result in benefits stopping.

In certain situations, if a recipient refuses to follow prescribed medical treatment that could restore their ability to work, their benefits may cease. This rule applies unless there is a good reason for the refusal, such as deeply held religious beliefs or a significant risk to the individual’s health.

Failure to Meet Administrative Requirements

Recipients must actively fulfill various administrative obligations to maintain their SSI payments. A primary requirement is the timely reporting of changes in circumstances. Recipients are mandated to report changes in income, resources, living arrangements, marital status, or work activity to the SSA. Failure to report these changes within the specified timeframe, typically ten days after the end of the month in which the change occurred, can lead to benefit cessation.

Untimely reporting often results in an overpayment, meaning the recipient received more SSI than they were entitled to. If an overpayment occurs, the SSA will seek repayment. Failure to repay an overpayment or cooperate with established repayment arrangements can lead to the suspension or termination of future SSI benefits until the debt is recovered. The SSA may also reduce future monthly payments to recoup the overpaid amount.

Another administrative reason for benefit cessation is the failure to respond to requests for information from the SSA. This includes not completing required forms, such as redeterminations of eligibility that verify income, resources, and living arrangements. Not appearing for scheduled appointments with the SSA can also trigger a suspension or termination of benefits. The SSA relies on this information to ensure ongoing eligibility and accurate payment amounts.

Recipients must provide the SSA with permission to contact financial institutions to verify income and resources. This consent is required when applying for SSI and can be requested at any later time. If a recipient, or anyone whose income and resources are considered available to the recipient, fails to provide this permission, SSI benefits may be jeopardized.

Other Events Leading to Cessation

Certain significant life events directly result in the cessation of SSI benefits. The most straightforward instance is the death of the recipient. SSI payments stop upon the death of the individual. Any SSI payments received after the month of death must be returned to the SSA.

Another common reason for SSI benefits to stop is when a recipient becomes eligible for other government benefits that meet or exceed their SSI federal benefit rate. This often occurs when an SSI recipient qualifies for Social Security retirement or disability benefits (SSDI), or a higher pension. Since SSI is a needs-based program designed to supplement other income, if the amount from these other benefits reaches or surpasses the SSI limit, the SSI payments will cease. The SSA is generally required to provide any Social Security benefit for which an individual is eligible first, and then determine if a reduced SSI benefit is still appropriate.