SSI vs. SSDI: 2 VERY DIFFERENT PROGRAMS

The US Social Security Administration (SSA) operates two basic disability programs--which have some similarities and some differences.

SSDI

• Called "Title 2" because it was created under Title 2 of the Social Security Act.
• SSDI stands for Social Security Disability Insurance (Yes, it is insurance).
• Requires a claimant to have worked and paid FICA taxes for a number of years
• Poses no income or resource restrictions to get a benefit
• Requires that the claimant be medically disabled
• Has a 5-month waiting period (no benefits for the first 5 months of disability)
• Comes with Medicare after 29 months of continuous disability
• Requires a disability lasting at least 12 straight months or expected to end in death.
• Maximum 2020 benefit is $3,011 per month; the average benefit is $1,258 per month.

SSI

• Called Supplemental Security Income
• Also called "Title 16" because it's covered by Title XVI of the Act.
• Does not require any work history to qualify.
• Has severe income and resource restrictions.
• Requires that the claimant be medically disabled or at least age 65.
• Has no waiting period; benefits available the month after the application.
• Comes with Medicaid with no Medicaid waiting period.
• Requires a disability lasting at least 12 straight months or expected to end in death.
• Maximum 2020 benefit is $783 per month (non-blind) but may be less. 
• Living arrangements and household income affect eligibility and benefits.
• *benefits for a blind individual may be higher

You will hear a lot of people talking about getting "a Social Security disability check."  You never know if they are talking about SSDI or SSI.  

I hear people say, "He gets a disability check but he never worked a day in his life."  Of course, that's absolutely impossible with SSDI but could be possible under SSI.

Which do you want to apply for, SSDI or SSI?  

You want SSDI in most cases because it potentially has a much larger monthly benefit.  It also has no financial restrictions.  But if you can't qualify for SSDI because you didn't pay enough in FICA (withholding) taxes, you should try for SSI.  In some cases, a person can get both SSDI and SSI benefits.  This would occur in cases where the combined SSDI and SSI benefits do not exceed $783 per month.

The medical requirement to get SSDI and SSI is exactly the same.  The big differences are in the financial restrictions for SSI and the larger benefit possible under SSDI.