How to Manage SSI and Keep Benefits
What Can Cause Your Social Security Disability Benefits to Stop?
https://www.disabilitysecrets.com/social-security-disability-benefits-stop.html AI summary
Changes in your income, health, or living arrangement can lead to a termination of your Social Security disability or SSI benefits.
The most common reason for someone to lose SSI benefits is having too much income—whether through working or some other source.
Going Above the SSI Income or Asset Limits
If you’re receiving SSI and, for any reason, your income or assets rise above the SSI eligibility limit, Social Security will stop your benefits. In 2025, the individual income limit for SSI is $967 per month, and the asset limit is $2,000. While you should be aware of these limits, determining whether you’re over the SSI income limit can be a complex issue due to a number of factors.
Increase in income. If you begin receiving an income from any source (for example, a private pension or alimony payments) that puts you over the income limit, your SSI benefits could stop (or get reduced). But not all income is counted in the same way. Social Security treats “earned income” (from working) and “unearned income” (from things like alimony or unemployment benefits) differently.
For example, more than half of your earnings from work won’t count toward the SSI limit. For the details, see our article on what Social Security counts as income.
Free room and board. Social Security considers free housing that’s provided to you by someone else as income (called “in-kind income.”) If you begin to receive housing from someone else for free, Social Security will count it as income. This in-kind income can reduce your SSI payment by one-third. Learn more about how in-kind income affects your SSI benefits.
Your spouse’s income. A portion of a spouse’s income is considered to be “deemed” to SSI recipients—meaning it’s counted as income when determining SSI eligibility. This could mean that, if you’re granted SSI benefits while you’re unmarried, your benefits could stop if you marry someone who’s earning an income.
The same is true if you were approved for SSI while your spouse wasn’t working (or was earning very little). If your spouse later starts working or has an increase in income, your SSI benefits could be stopped. Learn more about how your spouse’s income affects your SSI eligibility.
Your parents’ income. When a child collects SSI benefits, if one or both of the child’s parents has income, some of that income is deemed to the child. If the parents earn too much, the child could lose SSI eligibility. To learn more, see our article on family income deeming. Above 18, parent’s income not considered.
Increase in assets. Receiving resources, such as an extra vehicle or a small gift of cash, can be risky. If you see an increase in the total amount of your assets that brings you above the resource limit ($2,000), your SSI benefits could end.
Again, determining your assets can be complex because some resources don’t count toward the SSI asset limit. For instance, your home and, in most cases, one vehicle aren’t counted as assets.
If you became disabled before the age of 26, you or your parents can put money into an ABLE account, where it won’t be counted as an asset for SSI purposes. For more information, read our article on ABLE accounts.
How Returning to Work Affects SSI Benefits
Your SSI benefits will stop if you return to work and Social Security finds you’re no longer disabled. Note that trial work periods aren’t available under the SSI program, but SSI does have a Ticket to Work Program with work incentives. Learn more about SSI’s Ticket to Work program.
When Children Receiving SSI Turn 18
Children who are getting SSI will have their condition reevaluated at age 18 to determine whether they’re still eligible for disability benefits. This redetermination is based on Social Security’s adult SSI disability standards.
The way Social Security assesses disability in children and adults is similar, but there are some significant differences. Sometimes this can cause a child’s benefits to stop after turning 18. Learn more about age 18 redeterminations for children getting SSI.
Changes in Living Situation and Your SSI Benefits
Changes in your living situation—that is, whom you live with and where you live—can affect your SSI eligibility. For instance, if you enter or leave an institution such as a nursing home or halfway house, this will affect your eligibility for SSI benefits.
If you move in with friends or relatives and they pay for your room and board, your SSI payments will be lowered. And, if you leave the U.S. for 30 days or more, your SSI benefits will stop. Learn more about how living abroad affects your Social Security benefits.
Medical Improvement Can Stop Both SSDI and SSI
Social Security’s rules regarding the effect of medical improvement on your disability benefits are the same for SSDI and SSI.
If your disabling medical or mental/psychiatric condition(s) improve, Social Security can find that you’re no longer disabled and stop paying your benefits. You can expect Social Security to periodically review your case (usually every three or seven years) to determine whether you’re still disabled.
Social Security must meet tough standards in these “continuing disability reviews” if they determine that you’ve improved enough to return to work. Most disability beneficiaries (about 85%) continue to receive benefits after a review. Learn more about continuing disability reviews.
Failure to Respond Can Stop Social Security Benefits
To continue receiving SSDI or SSI disability benefits, Social Security must be able to reach you, and you must respond to the SSA’s requests. For instance, if Social Security asks for additional medical (or other) evidence and you fail to respond or fail to provide the requested documents, your disability benefits could be suspended.
Likewise, your SSDI or SSI benefits will be stopped if:
- Social Security can’t locate you, and
- your benefit checks have been returned by the United States Postal Service (USPS).
Your benefit payments might be reinstated if you provide Social Security with a valid, new address. But, if your disability benefits are suspended for 12 consecutive months because you failed to comply with Social Security’s request for information or otherwise failed to cooperate, your SSDI or SSI will be terminated.
Also, if Social Security learns that you’ve knowingly withheld information or misrepresented the facts regarding your disability claim, you could lose your disability benefits.
Learn more about getting Social Security disability benefits—including how to apply for SSDI and SSI and what to do if your benefits are stopped or denied.
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Read and follow the rules for SSI to keep it or to avoid reduction of services.
These two sites are helpful in understanding the rules. The 2025 SSI auditor used Disabilitysecrets.com to help clarify the rules.
Written Rent Contract a Must:
Free room and board = Income/called “in-kind income.” Social Security considers free housing that’s provided to you by someone else as income If you begin to receive housing from someone else for free, Social Security will count it as income. This in-kind income can reduce your SSI payment by one-third. Learn more about how in-kind income affects your SSI benefits.
The SSI processor will ask if the person requesting SSI is paying rent already or owes money for paying rent. However, the processor told us that a rental agreement would have to be supplied after my son was receiving money to be able to pay rent. The month after SSI is received send in or go in with a rental agreement. Make a copy first.
Most people have been told to do “room and board” but then you do not qualify for food stamps. Board refers to food cost. Instead do “Room and Utilities” Rent Contract.
The contract letter includes the landlord (parent, guardian, etc.) and landlord address and contact information, social security number of applicant and states, “room and utilities” are being charged effective on date for the amount of $—. Sign and date by the landlord and the SSI renter. Sample letters can be searched on the web.
Room and utilities are figured out by the [amount of mortgage+utilities/# living in house] or the current room rate in the neighborhood. The current room rate which is fixed rent could be considered taxable so ask your accountant first what is best for you.
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