Retirement Social Security

Millions of Seniors Are Missing Out on Up to $994 a Month From This Little-Known Federal Check

Many older Americans qualify for this monthly check and never apply.

By Josh Koebert , Edited by Laura Hohenstein

Updated Sept. 24, 2026

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Making ends meet in retirement isn't easy. If you're living on just Social Security, the monthly check often falls short of rent, groceries, and medical bills. However, there's a federal program intended to help low-income seniors cover that gap. Known as Supplemental Security Income (SSI), the program isn't widely used by many older Americans.

Here's what the Supplemental Security Income program pays, who qualifies, and how to apply.

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What Supplemental Security Income is, and what it pays

SSI is a federal program run by the Social Security Administration and funded by general tax revenue, not payroll taxes. Once you hit 65, your eligibility is determined solely by income and resources.

Millions of low-income seniors skip a monthly federal check they could get. The National Council on Aging (NCOA) estimated 3.6 million older adults were eligible for Supplemental Security Income but not enrolled in 2023. National participation among eligible older adults fell to 39.5% that year, down from 49% in 2018.

The maximum federal payment in 2026 is $994 per month for an individual and $1,491 per month for a couple. Those federal maximums rose 2.8% with the January 2026 cost-of-living adjustment, but most people get less.

In January 2026, the average federally administered SSI payment was $737 overall, and $610 for people 65 and older. The average for the age bracket is lower because many of those recipients also get Social Security, which counts as income after a small exclusion.

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Can you get SSI and Social Security at the same time?

Yes, it's possible to get both monthly payments from SSI and Social Security. In June 2026, 1.428 million people age 65 or older received both. Social Security's own SSI report says 35% of SSI recipients also receive Social Security benefits.

About 7.4 million people received federally administered SSI in December 2025, and 34% of them were 65 or older. Among those receiving SSI, 55% had no income other than their SSI payment.

If your retirement benefit is modest, SSI can fill the gap up to the federal maximum. You still have to meet the resource test. The two programs are separate, and SSA expects you to apply for any other benefits for which you may be eligible.

Why the maximum SSI check is not the income cutoff

For every $2 you earn from work, SSA reduces SSI by about $1. For every $1 from non-work sources, such as a pension or Social Security, SSI is reduced by about $1. SSA's 2026 booklet says a person can have less than $1,014 a month in unearned income and still get SSI, or earn up to $2,073 a month from work and possibly still qualify.

That is why you should not disqualify yourself based on a gross paycheck. If you live in someone else's home and pay less than your share of the housing costs, SSA may reduce your check by up to $351.33 a month.

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SSI Income and resource limits

Countable resources cannot exceed $2,000 for an individual or $3,000 for a couple. Those caps have not been raised with inflation.

Bank accounts count against them, so do stocks and a second car.

SSA excludes the house you live in and the lot it sits on, regardless of value, as well as the furniture, clothes, and engagement rings. One car is exempt at any price as long as someone in the household still drives it. Life insurance is exempt when the policies together have a face value of $1,500 or less. A cemetery plot is exempt too, plus $1,500 set aside for a funeral and another $1,500 for a spouse.

State supplements and how SSI can open Medicaid coverage

Some states add a cash supplement to the federal amount. That extra payment does not reduce your federal SSI. For example, a California resident's 2026 monthly payment could be $1,233.94, well above the federal $994.

Getting SSI usually gets you Medicaid too, which covers doctor visits, hospital stays, and prescriptions. In most states, being approved for SSI automatically enrolls you. For a lot of people, the coverage ends up mattering more than the monthly payment.

How to apply for SSI, even if you think you earn too much

To start the process, go to the SSA's application portal, call 1-800-772-1213 to schedule an appointment, or visit your local Social Security office. An appointment is not required, but calling ahead can cut the time you spend waiting.

If you think you earn too much, check anyway. Only part of your income counts; your house and one car usually do not, and a small Social Security benefit can sit alongside SSI. The people who miss it are often the ones who never asked.

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Bottom line

SSI is not the Social Security you earned at work. It is a separate federal check for people 65 and older with limited income and savings, and in 2026 it pays up to $994 per month for an individual and $1,491 per month for a couple. Most people who qualify get less than the maximum. Plenty more never apply at all, because they assume a Social Security check or a paid-off house rules them out.

The NCOA reported an average missed SSI benefit of $715 per month, or $8,574 per year, for eligible older adults who were never enrolled in SSI. That is a year's worth of groceries, rent help, or copays sitting on the table if you qualify and never file. If you want to maximize your senior benefits, start with the one you may already be eligible for.

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