This is a particularly tough question. I previously wrote about how earning more than the Substantial Gainful Activity amount may cause your benefits to be stopped in Social Security Disability Insurance cases. 

In SSI cases, I just learned that you can earn more than the SGA amount and still keep your SSI benefits.

WARNING: I do not pretend to be a understand SSI benefits calculations. I strongly encourage anyone reading this to check this information with Social Security. Also, any Social Security technicians are more than welcome correct any errors I may make here.

To figure out how much you can earn, I need to introduce the 20-65-1/2 rule. This rule helps us determine the “countable earned income.”

If you are working, and receiving both Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI, DIB) as well as Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

1. Subtract $20 from SSDI amount.
2. Subtract $65 from he amount you earn (before taxes or any deductions) then divide by 2.
3. Add the two amounts together

In other words: (SSDI – $20) + (gross income – $65) / 2 = countable earned income.

Let’s do an example

If you are getting $100 from SSDI and earn $150,

($100 – $20) + (($150 – $65) / 2)

$80 + ($85 / 2)

$80 + $43 (we rounded up)

$123

Now, you take the SSI benefit amount and subtract the number we just got. 

If you were getting $637 in SSI, you subtract the $123, which equals $551. This is the amount you will still get in SSI benefits. 

If you are receiving SSI and also working, you would use this formula

((gross income – (65 + $20)) / 2  

Note: the $20 is the unearned income disregard previously subtracted from the SSDI amount 

(gross income - $85) /2

Using the amount from the previous example:

($150 – $85) / 2 

($65) / 2 

$33

Social Security will subtract the $33 from the current SSI benefit amount. So, even though you earn $150, Social Security will only reduce your SSI benefits by $33.

Based on this formula, in 2009, you can earn just around $1,400 and still qualify for SSI benefits. But, please, if you find yourself in the situation really having to know how much you can make and still keep your Social Security SSI benefits, speak to Social Security. 

Note: if you were reveiving both SSDI and SSI, the $1,400 in income will probably make you lose your SSDI. So, keep in mind the exceptions I discussed in my earlier article.  Many of them apply in SSI cases as well. 

My thanks to Peter Komlos-Hrobsky, Supervising Attorney of the Health/Elder Unit of Colorado Legal Aid in Denver for bringing this to my attention.

Do you want to know how much you would receive in Social Security benefits if you were disabled, retired, or if your spouse died?  

Social Security has online calculators, as well as calculators you can download (Mac versions too), to help you estimate what your Social Security benefits will be. 

If you have problems using these calculators, Social Security also estimates your retirement, disability, and family maximum benefits in the ”Social Security Statement” it mails to you every year before your birthday. Tip: the benefit estimates usually appears in the inner, left page.  

Have you tried Social Security’s benefit calculators?  Were they easy to use, or did you have problems?  Tell us in the comments!

Social Security benefits will be going up in 2009.

Monthly Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits for more than 55 million Americans will increase 5.8 percent in 2009, the Social Security Administration announced today.  The 5.8 percent increase is the largest since 1982.

Social Security Announces Benefit Increase for 2009.

According to Social Security, 6.9 million disabled workers received disability benefits from Social Security in 2007. Another 1.8 million individuals received benefits as dependents of disabled workers.

This is compared to 31 million receiving retirement benefits.

The average monthly disability benefits was $979. Although it should be noted, for those receiving Supplemental Security Income benefits, the maximum amount a SSI recipient could receive in 2007 was $637.

Total payout to disabled workers and dependents in 2007 was 7.2 billion dollars. However, this is only 17% of total benefits paid by Social Security.

Just some quick facts.

Updated: 01/01/12.

Supplemental Security Income, SSI for short, pays up to the Federal Benefit Rate (FBR).

For 2012, for the first time in 3 years, the Federal Benefit rate is increasing to $698 and $1,048 for couples. For most people, this means the maximum SSI benefits you can get in 2011 is $698 per month.

in 2011, the FBR was $674 per month.

In 2010, the FBR was $674 per month

In 2009, the FBR was $674 per month.

In 2008, the FBR was $637 per month.

In 2007, the FBR was $623 per month.

The current FBR rate is listed on the SSA COLA page.