A home owned by a person with disabilities or their special needs trust does not disqualify the individual from SSI benefits. Furthermore, purchases of some household goods are not considered shelter.
Can I Buy A House On SSDI Or SSI? Yes, people on Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Insurance (SSI) can use their benefits to help qualify for a home loan.
In short, assets do not affect eligibility for Social Security disability insurance.
Does Social Security Prohibit Disability Recipients From Buying a House? Social Security doesn't prohibit individuals who receive disability benefits—under either the SSDI or SSI program—from purchasing a home or using their monthly disability payments to fund the purchase of a house.
A home owned by a person with disabilities or their special needs trust does not disqualify the individual from SSI benefits. Furthermore, purchases of some household goods are not considered shelter.
WHAT IS THE RESOURCE LIMIT? The limit for countable resources is $2,000 for an individual and $3,000 for a couple.
Exclusion of the home includes land on which the shelter is located. For purposes of excluding “the land on which the shelter is located” (see SI 01130.100A. 1), it is not necessary that the individual own the shelter itself.
Social Security excludes the first $65 in earnings and one-half of all earnings over $65 in a month. The earned income exclusions mean that in 2021 a person can earn about $1,650/month and still qualify for SSI (though the monthly payment is reduced when you have countable income). This is how this works.
The major exclusions are: The SSI claimant's home (the principal place of residence), no limit on value. One automobile, no limit on value. Household goods (furniture, etc.), no limit on value.
To verify applicants' assets, the SSI program and state Medicaid programs use electronic data sources. For example, state Medicaid programs generally have systems to gather applicants' financial information from banks and other financial institutions.
If you receive benefits through the federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, the Social Security Administration (SSA) can check your bank account. They do this to verify that you still meet the program requirements.
A special note about SSI payments
We don't count all resources. However, some items you buy could cause the recipient to lose their SSI payments. Any money you don't spend could also count as a resource.
If you live in a house or apartment that you own, and you pay your own food and shelter costs, then you will get the full amount of SSI benefit. If you live in a place owned by someone else, you'll still get the maximum amount as long as you pay your own food and shelter costs.
Money in a savings account, however, is a countable resource. That means you could be ineligible for SSI if your account contains more than $2,000 ($3,000 for a couple), or if it contains less but your total countable assets, including the savings, exceed those figures.
The maximum benefit depends on the age you retire. For example, if you retire at full retirement age in 2022, your maximum benefit would be $3,345. However, if you retire at age 62 in 2022, your maximum benefit would be $2,364. If you retire at age 70 in 2022, your maximum benefit would be $4,194.
SSI and Social Security Benefits
They are not means-tested. If you pay into these programs, you are eligible to receive benefits. Income from working at a job or other source could affect Social Security and SSDI benefits. However, receiving an inheritance won't affect Social Security and SSDI benefits.
You are indeed allowed to own a vehicle when you are receiving SSI. You may own one vehicle, regardless of its value. It is possible to own a second vehicle when collecting SSI benefits as long as the amount of equity that you have in that vehicle falls within the asset restrictions that have been set forth by the SSA.
The SSA is not concerned with the value of the vehicle. Owning one $20,000 car won't count hurt you. However, owning two cars that are valued at just over $1,000 will count against you. While that may seem odd, keep in mind that they are looking at this as if you could sell excess assets in order to pay bills, etc.
Lottery winnings do not affect Social Security disability income (SSDI), but it can reduce or eliminate any Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Some states have laws in place that remove people from public assistance programs such as food stamps or other welfare programs if they win the lottery.
The SSDI program does not limit the amount of cash, assets, or resources an applicant owns. An SSDI applicant can own two houses, five cars, and have $1,000,000 in the bank. And the SSDI program doesn't have a limit to the amount of unearned income someone can bring in; for instance, dividends from investments.
We redetermine eligibility and benefit amounts of most recipients once every 1 to 6 years. When you report a change that affects eligibility or payment (for example, marriage), we may review your income, resources, and living arrangements.
While you can use your SSI benefits for virtually anything that's legal, you must be wary of using the money in ways that can increase your resources. For example, purchasing luxury items is not prohibited, but it can increase your assets and may push your resources past the limit.