{
  "id": "ssi",
  "version": "f389e1a6d457",
  "status": "published",
  "name": "SSI Calculator",
  "question": "How much SSI can I get?",
  "summary": "Estimates the monthly federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payment for 2026 from your earned and unearned income, for one person or a couple.",
  "category": "finance",
  "subcategory": "retirement",
  "url": "https://www.acalculator.org/finance/ssi-calculator",
  "markdown": "https://www.acalculator.org/finance/ssi-calculator.md",
  "kind": "function",
  "method": "Countable income = (unearned − $20) + (earned − any unused part of the $20 − $65) ÷ 2, each part not below 0; SSI = federal benefit rate − countable income, not below 0.",
  "assumptions": [
    "Federal benefit rate for 2026: $994 for one person, $1,491 for a couple (SSA).",
    "Only the $20 general exclusion and the $65-plus-half earned income exclusion are applied; other exclusions (student earnings, work expenses, a PASS) are left out.",
    "You live in your own home or pay your share of the shelter costs; free shelter from others (in-kind support) lowers SSI and is not included.",
    "Resources (savings and other assets) are within the limit of $2,000 for one person or $3,000 for a couple.",
    "State supplements are not included; many states add a payment.",
    "Income of a spouse or parent who does not get SSI (deeming) is not included.",
    "An estimate only; SSA decides the amount."
  ],
  "inputs": {
    "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
    "type": "object",
    "properties": {
      "household": {
        "title": "Who gets SSI",
        "description": "One eligible person, or an eligible person living with an eligible spouse (a couple).",
        "type": "string",
        "enum": [
          "individual",
          "couple"
        ]
      },
      "unearned": {
        "title": "Unearned income a month",
        "description": "Income that is not from work, per month: Social Security benefits, pensions, unemployment, cash from others. For a couple, both together.",
        "type": "number",
        "x-unit": "USD",
        "minimum": 0,
        "maximum": 1000000
      },
      "earned": {
        "title": "Earned income a month",
        "description": "Gross wages and net self-employment earnings per month. For a couple, both together.",
        "type": "number",
        "x-unit": "USD",
        "minimum": 0,
        "maximum": 1000000
      }
    }
  },
  "outputs": {
    "benefit": {
      "label": "Monthly federal SSI",
      "description": "The federal benefit rate minus countable income, not below 0.",
      "format": "money"
    },
    "perPerson": {
      "label": "Each spouse gets",
      "description": "For a couple, the payment is split equally between the two spouses.",
      "format": "money"
    },
    "yearly": {
      "label": "A year",
      "description": "The monthly payment times 12.",
      "format": "money"
    },
    "countableIncome": {
      "label": "Countable income",
      "description": "Income after the $20 general exclusion and the $65-plus-half earned income exclusion.",
      "format": "money"
    },
    "federalRate": {
      "label": "Federal benefit rate",
      "description": "The 2026 maximum monthly federal SSI payment for one person or a couple.",
      "format": "money"
    },
    "earnedLimit": {
      "label": "Earnings that end the payment",
      "description": "With your unearned income, the monthly earnings at which countable income reaches the federal rate and the payment stops.",
      "format": "money"
    }
  },
  "defaultAnswer": {
    "inputs": {
      "household": "individual",
      "unearned": 300,
      "earned": 0
    },
    "outputs": {
      "benefit": 714,
      "yearly": 8568,
      "countableIncome": 280,
      "federalRate": 994,
      "earnedLimit": 1493
    },
    "text": "With $300.00 of unearned and $0.00 of earned income a month, your federal SSI is about $714.00 a month."
  },
  "examples": [
    {
      "given": {
        "household": "individual",
        "unearned": 300,
        "earned": 0
      },
      "expect": {
        "countableIncome": 280,
        "benefit": 714,
        "yearly": 8568
      },
      "source": "SSA, Understanding SSI: SSI Income, 2026 Edition, Example A: $300 − $20 = $280 countable; $994 − $280 = $714"
    },
    {
      "given": {
        "household": "individual",
        "unearned": 0,
        "earned": 317
      },
      "expect": {
        "countableIncome": 116,
        "benefit": 878
      },
      "source": "SSA, Understanding SSI: SSI Income, 2026 Edition, Example B: ($317 − $20 − $65) ÷ 2 = $116 countable; $994 − $116 = $878"
    },
    {
      "given": {
        "household": "couple",
        "unearned": 1000,
        "earned": 500
      },
      "expect": {
        "countableIncome": 1197.5,
        "benefit": 293.5,
        "perPerson": 146.75,
        "earnedLimit": 1087
      },
      "source": "hand calculation in content.mdx: ($1,000 − $20) + ($500 − $65) ÷ 2 = $1,197.50; $1,491 − $1,197.50 = $293.50"
    },
    {
      "given": {
        "household": "individual",
        "unearned": 0,
        "earned": 0
      },
      "expect": {
        "benefit": 994,
        "earnedLimit": 2073
      },
      "source": "SSA, SSI Federal Payment Amounts for 2026 ($994); hand calculation in content.mdx: 2 × $994 + $20 + $65"
    }
  ],
  "sources": [
    "Social Security Administration, SSI Federal Payment Amounts for 2026: https://www.ssa.gov/oact/cola/SSI.html",
    "Social Security Administration, Understanding SSI: SSI Income, 2026 Edition (exclusions and Examples A and B): https://www.ssa.gov/ssi/text-income-ussi.htm",
    "Social Security Administration, Understanding SSI: SSI Resources (resource limits): https://www.ssa.gov/ssi/text-resources-ussi.htm",
    "Code of Federal Regulations, 20 CFR 416.1112 (earned income exclusions) and 416.1124 (unearned income exclusions): https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-20/chapter-III/part-416/subpart-K"
  ],
  "related": [
    "ssdi",
    "social-security",
    "cola"
  ],
  "changelog": []
}