SSI is generally for individuals who don't earn more than $2,019 from work each month.
If your only income is SSI and the money you make from your job, we don't count the first $85 of your monthly gross earnings. Each month, we reduce your SSI benefits 50 cents for every dollar that you earn over $85.
Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA)
The SGA amount for persons with disabilities other than blindness is $1,470 per month in 2023. For persons who are blind, the amount of earnings that indicate SGA is $2,460 per month in 2023.
For 2023, the maximum limit on earnings for withholding of Social Security (old-age, survivors, and disability insurance) tax is $160,200.00. The Social Security tax rate remains at 6.2 percent. The resulting maximum Social Security tax for 2023 is $9,932.40.
Generally, the more countable income you have, the less your SSI benefit will be. If your countable income is over the allowable limit, you cannot receive SSI benefits. Some of your income may not count as income for the SSI program.
If you're younger than full retirement age, there is a limit to how much you can earn and still receive full Social Security benefits. If you're younger than full retirement age during all of 2025, we must deduct $1 from your benefits for each $2 you earn above $23,400.
For example, if someone pays an individual's medical bills, or offers free medical care, or if the individual receives money from a social services agency that is a repayment of an amount he/she previously spent, that value is not considered income to the individual.
Where the overpayment is $2,000 or less and you file a request for reconsideration or waiver, Social Security will waive any collection of the over-payment (unless you were at fault in creating the overpayment). This is known as the SSI $1,000 Rule.
Generally, the SSA permits up to 45 hours of work per month, which translates to approximately 10 hours per week. However, this allowance is not solely based on the number of hours worked. The SSA also evaluates whether you are the sole proprietor or the only individual working for your business.
The maximum monthly SSI payment for 2025 is $967 for an individual and $1,450 for a couple. Your amount may be lower based on your income, certain family members' income, your living situation, and other factors.
How We Deduct Earnings From Benefits. In 2025, if you're under full retirement age, the annual earnings limit is $23,400. If you will reach full retirement age in 2025, the limit on your earnings for the months before full retirement age is $62,160.
Have you heard about the Social Security $16,728 yearly bonus? There's really no “bonus” that retirees can collect. The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses a specific formula based on your lifetime earnings to determine your benefit amount.
If your spouse dies, do you get both Social Security benefits? You cannot claim your deceased spouse's benefits in addition to your own retirement benefits. Social Security only will pay one—survivor or retirement. If you qualify for both survivor and retirement benefits, you will receive whichever amount is higher.
Receiving SSI and SSDI while working
But the benefit amount you receive may be reduced depending on how much money you earn from your job. As of 2024, you may stop receiving SSDI benefits if you earn over $1,550 a month.
You can get Social Security retirement benefits and work at the same time before your full retirement age. However, your benefits will be reduced if you earn more than the yearly earnings limits.
The basic monthly SSI payment for 2025 is the same nationwide. It is: — $967 for one person. — $1,450 for a couple.
If the value of your resources that we count is over the allowable limit at the beginning of the month, you cannot receive SSI for that month. If you decide to sell the excess resources for what they are worth, you may receive SSI beginning the month after you sell the excess resources.
It may be possible for you to save money and be able to keep your SSI payments and waiver services. The four most common ways to save money and not lose benefits are with an ABLE account, a Special Needs Trust, an Individual Development Account, and a PASS account.
You should contact Social Security for other resource exclusions. What is the income limit? To be eligible for Extra Help, your annual income must be limited to $22,590 for a person or $30,660 for a married couple living together.
If you're eyeing retirement in 2023, knowing your Social Security earnings limit is key. This limit, set by the Social Security Administration, dictates how much income you can earn without impacting your social security benefits. The annual earnings limit for individuals not yet at full retirement age is $21,240.
Social Security can potentially be subject to tax regardless of your age. While you may have heard at some point that Social Security is no longer taxable after 70 or some other age, this isn't the case. In reality, Social Security is taxed at any age if your income exceeds a certain level.
Copy link. In 2024, SSDI beneficiaries can earn up to $1,550 a month ($2,590 for blind workers) as long as they are able to work, with no loss in benefits — which could double the income of a beneficiary receiving the average benefit of $1,538.