To avoid losing Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, promptly report income, resource, and living arrangement changes to the Social Security Administration (SSA) within 10 days. Maintain resources below $ 2 , 000 $ 2 , 0 0 0 (individual) or $ 3 , 000 $ 3 , 0 0 0 (couple), use ABLE accounts for savings, and avoid in-kind support and maintenance (ISM) by paying fair share for rent.
SSI (Supplemental Security Income) benefits stop due to financial changes like earning too much or having excess resources, medical recovery or improvement in your disability, moving out of the U.S., failing to cooperate with the Social Security Administration (SSA), or being incarcerated for over 30 days, as SSI is a needs-based program that stops when you no longer meet its strict income, resource, or disability criteria.
Golden State Grant (GSG) and SSI/SSP Recipients
Recent California legislation authorized a one-time supplemental SSP payment in the amount of $600 to SSI/SSP recipients to provide relief from hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Payments in the amount of $600 were automatically mailed out in 2021.
Additional work will increase your retirement benefits. Each year you work will replace a zero or low earnings year in your Social Security benefit calculation, which could help to increase your benefit amount.
Make a work or business plan. A Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) lets you set aside money to get a new job or start a business. The money you save doesn't count toward your SSI resource limit, and you may be eligible for a higher income limit to help you save.
The extra $144 added to Social Security usually comes from the Medicare Part B Giveback benefit, offered by some Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans, which pays back some or all your Part B premium, showing up as extra money in your check if it's deducted from your Social Security. To qualify, you need Original Medicare (Parts A & B), pay your own Part B premium, live in a plan's service area, and enroll in a specific Medicare Advantage plan that offers this "rebate," with the amount varying by plan and location.
SSI payments cannot be levied or garnished. Treasury's Financial Management Service can also offset, or reduce, your Social Security benefits to collect delinquent debts owed to other Federal agencies, such as student loans owed to the Department of Education.
Qualification for the $1,400 stimulus check (the third Economic Impact Payment) in 2021 depended on your 2021 Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) and filing status, with full amounts for single filers earning up to $75,000 (phasing out at $80,000) and joint filers up to $150,000 (phasing out at $160,000), plus $1,400 per dependent; you needed a valid Social Security Number and had to claim it as the Recovery Rebate Credit on your 2021 tax return if you missed the payment, with deadlines typically in April 2025.
SSI (Supplemental Security Income) benefits stop due to financial changes like earning too much or having excess resources, medical recovery or improvement in your disability, moving out of the U.S., failing to cooperate with the Social Security Administration (SSA), or being incarcerated for over 30 days, as SSI is a needs-based program that stops when you no longer meet its strict income, resource, or disability criteria.
We call this review a Continuing Disability Review (CDR). The law requires us to perform a medical CDR at least once every three years, however, if you have a medical condition that is not expected to improve, we will still review your case, once every five to seven years.
If your SSI benefits were stopped because of earnings from work exceeding the limit, you may request they be restarted without a new application if this occurs within five years. Generally, SSI benefits can be reinstated within 12 consecutive months without requiring a new application.
There was no Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payment in November because the payment for November 2025 was sent early on Friday, October 31, since November 1st fell on a Saturday, and the Social Security Administration (SSA) pays on the preceding business day for weekend/holiday dates. Recipients still receive 12 payments annually, with the December payment arriving on December 1st, and the January 2026 payment arriving on December 31, 2025, creating two payments close together in late December.
Stimulus payments
The IRS is sending out stimulus checks to taxpayers who did not claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2021 tax return.
Yes, it is too late to claim any COVID-19 stimulus money, as the final deadline to claim the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit (the third stimulus payment) passed on April 15, 2025, and earlier deadlines for the first two payments also expired. The IRS only allows a three-year window to file for refunds and credits, meaning you can no longer claim these missed payments by filing old tax returns.
Reasons You Might Lose SSI or SSDI Benefits
The short answer: ✅ Yes—SSA can and does check your bank account if you receive SSI. 💡 They don't monitor it every day, but they can request records at any time, especially during a redetermination or if they suspect you went over the asset limit.
Section 1024 of the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 (Public Law 105-30) authorizes the IRS to levy up to 15% of each Social Security payment for overdue Federal tax debts until the tax debt is paid.
If Social Security isn't enough, you should supplement your income through other savings (401k, IRAs, brokerage accounts), explore government aid like SSI, SNAP, and Medicaid, consider working part-time, use programs like NCOA's BenefitsCheckUp to find assistance, potentially delay claiming benefits for a higher monthly payout, or look into annuities for guaranteed income.