SSI Benefits - what do they include and how long does it take

How to prove you are disabled
and win disability benefits

Social Security administers a need based program known as Supplemental Security Income, or, more commonly, as SSI. SSI disability requires that an individual meet certain resource and income limits, before being eligible to receive monetary disability benefits.

What is considered a resource under Supplemental Security Income rules? Vehicles (cars, trucks, boats, motorcycles, etc.), land (other than the land you live on and including any land you own that is connected to the land your home is located upon), cash, jewelry, antiques, stocks, bonds, trusts, etc. Basically a resource is any item that can be converted to cash. What are the asset, or resource, limits for SSI? The resource limits are $2000.00 for an individual and $3000.00 for a couple.

Additionally, the SSI disability program considers the following as income: pensions, veteran’s benefits, rental income, unemployment, long-term disability, short-term disability, and earnings from work. Generally, income limits change yearly.

Now that we have discussed some non-medical qualifying information about SSI disability, what are the benefits of the program? SSI offers monetary benefits to both children and adults, if they are found disabled under Social Security disability rules and guidelines. The medical determination process for Social Security disability and SSI disability are the same.

As with social security disability, SSI claims are sent the state agency responsible for processing Social Security disability medical determinations (usually known as DDS, or disability determination services).

If a claimant’s initial SSI disability claim is denied, they will have to begin the appeal process. Of course, you may be wondering what the SSI appeal process involves? The SSI (and Social Security disability) appeal process begins with the reconsideration appeal level and potentially can be taken through the Federal Court system. However, the appeal process usually ends with a disability hearing conducted by an administrative law judge. Of course, a few individuals who are denied at at a disability hearing take the step of appealing the administrative law judge’s decision. They do this by appealing through the Appeals Council and even Federal Court. However an appeal to Federal Court level is rare.

As you can see, it may take months or even years to receive a SSI disability benefits approval, since not all disability claims are allowed once the appeal process is completed. Some individuals may have to complete the disability appeals process more than once to receive an approval, and some may never receive an approval.

Return to: SSDRC, or the Questions, Answers, Tips, and Advice page

Individual Questions and Answers

The Qualification Criteria for Social Security Disability

How long Does SSI last?

Can you present evidence at a social security disability or SSI hearing?

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SSD and SSI are Federal Programs

The title II Social Security Disability and title 16 SSI Disability programs operate under federal guidelines and, therefore, the program requirements--medical and non-medical--apply to all states:

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

Recent approval and denial statistics for various states can be viewed here:

Social Security Disability, SSI Approval and Denial Statistics by state

Special Section: Disability Lawyers and unnecessary claim denials