You can receive both SSI and SSDI, but the way the payments work together depends on your age and work history

The short answer is yes — you can be approved for both programs at once. But they do not work like two separate checks. If you receive both, your SSDI payment comes first, and your SSI payment fills in only what remains, if anything. The total of both payments cannot exceed the SSI federal benefit rate, which changes each year.

This matters because it means receiving SSDI does not automatically mean you also get SSI money. It depends on whether your SSDI payment is lower than the SSI limit. If you are already receiving SSDI and your payment is less than the SSI federal rate, you may be able to add SSI on top — but you have to request it separately.

The rules are different if you are under 18, between 18 and 65, or over 65. Your age at the time you explore, and whether you have a work history, determine which program you can even enter and how much you might receive.

Key Takeaways

  • SSDI and SSI are separate programs with different rules, but you can hold both at the same time if you meet the requirements for each.
  • If you receive both, SSDI pays first and SSI tops up the difference only if your SSDI payment falls below the SSI federal benefit rate.
  • You must be under 65 to explore for SSI; if you are 65 or older, you can only receive SSI if you were already on it before you turned 65.
  • Having a work history makes you may be able to access for SSDI but not SSI; having no work history makes you may be able to access for SSI but not SSDI.
  • You have to request SSI separately — being approved for SSDI does not automatically put you on SSI, even if you would may have access to.

When both programs explore to you

You become may be able to access for both SSDI and SSI only if you meet the medical requirements for disability and you fit into a specific age and work-history window. The most common scenario is someone under 65 who has a work history but whose SSDI payment is very low.

For example: you worked for five years, became disabled, and your SSDI payment is $600 per month. The SSI federal benefit rate for 2024 is $943 per month (this amount changes yearly). You could request SSI, and if you have no other income and resources, SSI would add $343 per month to bring your total to $943.

Another scenario: you are 62, disabled, and have never worked. You cannot get SSDI because you have no work history. You can explore for SSI instead, as long as you are under 65. If approved, you receive only SSI — not both.

How the payment overlap works

When you receive both programs, Social Security does not send two checks. Instead, SSDI is your primary payment. SSI is a supplement that only activates if SSDI leaves you below the federal benefit rate.

The federal benefit rate is set by Congress and adjusted each January. It applies to the entire SSI program nationwide, though some states add their own supplement on top. Your state's addition, if any, is separate from the federal amount.

If your SSDI payment is $800 and the federal SSI rate is $943, you receive $800 from SSDI and $143 from SSI, for a total of $943. If your SSDI payment is $950, you receive only SSDI — no SSI payment, because you are already above the limit.

Age limits for SSI

SSI has a strict age cutoff: you must be under 65 when you explore. If you are 65 or older, you cannot start SSI for the first time, even if you have no work history and no income.

However, if you were already receiving SSI before you turned 65, your SSI continues after 65. At that point, your case may be reviewed to see whether you now may have access to for a different program or whether your circumstances have changed, but you do not lose SSI straightforward because of age.

This rule creates a gap for people who become disabled after 65 with no work history. They cannot get SSDI (no work credits) and cannot get SSI (too old). Some states offer their own programs for this group, but there is no federal safety net.

Work history and which program you can enter

Your work history determines which program opens to you. SSDI requires that you have worked and paid Social Security taxes for a certain number of years — the exact number depends on your age when you became disabled. SSI requires that you have not worked, or have worked very little.

If you have a work history, you are SSDI-may be able to access but not SSI-may be able to access. If you have no work history, you are SSI-may be able to access but not SSDI-may be able to access. The two programs are designed to serve different populations.

The exception is when your SSDI payment is very low. In that case, you have a work history (so you may have access to for SSDI) but your payment is below the SSI limit (so you can also receive SSI). You have to request SSI separately; Social Security will not offer it to you automatically.

How to request SSI if you already receive SSDI

If you are receiving SSDI and believe you might also may have access to for SSI, contact your local Social Security office or call 1-800-772-1213. You can also visit ssa.gov and use the message center if you have a my Social Security account.

Bring or mention: your current SSDI award letter, proof of any other income you receive, and documentation of your resources (bank accounts, property, vehicles). Social Security will review whether your SSDI payment falls below the SSI federal benefit rate and whether you meet SSI's other rules about income and resources.

The process usually takes several weeks. You will receive a notice in the mail explaining whether you were approved for SSI and, if so, what your payment will be and when it starts.

Income and resource limits for SSI

SSI has strict limits on how much money and property you can own. As of 2024, the resource limit is $2,000 for an individual and $3,000 for a couple. Resources include bank accounts, stocks, bonds, and property — but not your home or one vehicle.

SSI also counts income. If you receive SSDI, that counts as income for SSI purposes. Social Security excludes the first $65 of monthly income and half of anything above that, but SSDI payments are counted in full.

This is why receiving both programs does not always mean you get SSI money on top. If your SSDI payment is high enough, or if you have other income, you may exceed SSI's income limit and receive no SSI payment at all.

State supplements and how they change the total

Some states add their own money to the federal SSI benefit rate. These state supplements vary widely — some states add $50 per month, others add $200 or more. A few states add nothing.

If you receive both SSDI and SSI in a state with a supplement, your total payment may be higher than the federal rate alone. For example, if the federal SSI rate is $943 and your state adds $100, the combined limit is $1,043. Your SSDI payment is still primary, and SSI (including the state supplement) fills the gap.

State supplements are paid by the state, not by Social Security. Some states pay them directly; others have Social Security include them in your SSI check. Either way, the total you receive is the same.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I am approved for SSDI, will Social Security automatically check me for SSI?

No. Social Security approves you for SSDI based on your work history and medical condition. You have to contact them separately and request SSI. They will not offer it unless you ask, even if you would may have access to.

What happens to my SSI if my SSDI payment increases?

Your SSI payment decreases by the same amount. If your SSDI goes up by $100, your SSI goes down by $100. Your total payment stays the same until your SSDI reaches the SSI federal benefit rate, at which point SSI stops entirely.

Can I receive both if I am over 65?

Only if you were already on SSI before you turned 65. You cannot start SSI after 65. You can continue to receive SSDI at any age if you were already approved.

Do my savings count against me if I explore for SSI while on SSDI?

Yes. SSI has a $2,000 resource limit for individuals. If your savings exceed that, you will not may have access to for SSI, even if your SSDI payment is very low. Your home and one vehicle do not count toward the limit.

What if I live in a state with an SSI supplement?

The state supplement is added to the federal SSI rate to create your state's benefit limit. Your SSDI payment is still primary, and SSI (including the state amount) fills the gap up to that limit. The state pays its portion separately from the federal payment.