Do I qualify financially for Social Security SSI disability benefits?

In order to qualify for Social Security Supplemental Security Income benefits (SSI), not only do you have to be disabled, you also have to qualify financially.

To be eligible for SSI a person must have $2,000 or less in countable resources. A married couple must have $3,000 or less in countable resources. If you own resources over the SSI limit, you may be able to get SSI benefits while trying to sell the resources.

Not all of your resources count toward the SSI resource limit. For example:

• the home you live in and the land it’s on do not count.
• your personal effects and household goods do not count.
• life insurance policies may not count, depending on their value.
• your car usually does not count.
• burial plots for you and members of your immediate family do not count.
• up to $1,500 in burial funds for you and up to $1,500 in burial funds for your spouse may not count.
• if you are blind or have a disability, some items may not count if you plan to use them to work or earn extra income.

See Understanding SSI and SSI Spotlight for more information.

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