Millions of Americans rely on the Social Security Administration (SSA) for financial support through retirement or disability benefits. However, confusion often arises around how receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) impacts your regular Social Security payments.

Contrary to popular belief, getting SSI does not increase your Social Security benefits—in fact, the two programs are closely linked and affect each other in specific ways.

In this article, we’ll explain how SSI and Social Security work together, how they impact each other, and what updates are in store for 2025. We’ll also guide you to trusted sources for personalized information and official benefit estimates.

Social Security vs. SSI: Two Different Programs

To begin with, it’s important to understand the distinction between Social Security and SSI.

• Social Security (Retirement or Disability) benefits are earned through work credits. You pay into the system through payroll taxes and eventually collect benefits based on your earnings history.
• SSI, on the other hand, is a needs-based program designed to help aged, blind, or disabled individuals who have limited income and resources. SSI is funded by general tax revenues, not Social Security taxes.

Because these programs are administered by the same agency—the SSA—it’s easy to assume they function as one. But they don’t, and that distinction is critical when calculating benefit amounts.

Do SSI Benefits Increase Social Security Payments?

The short answer: No. Receiving SSI benefits does not increase your Social Security payments.

In fact, your Social Security benefits can reduce your SSI payments. The SSA considers Social Security payments as income when calculating SSI. After the first $20 (known as the general income exclusion), each dollar of Social Security reduces your SSI benefit by one dollar.

Example:

If you receive $500 in monthly Social Security:

• SSA subtracts the $20 exclusion: $500 – $20 = $480.
• Your SSI payment is then reduced by $480.

This interaction ensures that total monthly payments from both sources do not exceed the SSI income limit, which is set to $943 per month in 2025 for individuals (SSA 2025 COLA Update).

What Happens in 2025: A Look at COLA

In 2025, Social Security and SSI beneficiaries will see a 2.5% Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) increase. This bump is designed to help recipients keep up with inflation.

Here’s what this means:

• The maximum SSI monthly payment will increase to $943 for individuals and $1,415 for couples.
• Social Security retirement and disability benefits will also rise by 2.5%, but again, this increase is independent of your SSI eligibility.

Importantly, the interaction between SSI and Social Security remains unchanged. Any increase in Social Security due to COLA may still lower your SSI, dollar for dollar, after the $20 exclusion is applied.

Benefit Coordination: Why It Matters

For those who qualify for both Social Security and SSI, this coordination can be tricky. A small increase in your Social Security check may result in a corresponding decrease in SSI, leaving you with little or no overall financial gain.

This is why it’s essential to:

• Check your benefit breakdown annually through your My Social Security account
• Contact SSA directly if you believe your benefits are miscalculated or improperly reduced
• Use SSA’s Benefit Eligibility Screening Tool for eligibility guidance

Conclusion: Know What to Expect

While it’s reassuring to know both Social Security and SSI benefits are increasing in 2025, it’s equally important to understand how those programs interact. SSI does not increase your Social Security benefits; instead, any rise in Social Security payments will likely reduce your SSI amount.

For low-income individuals relying on both sources, understanding these rules can help avoid surprises and plan monthly budgets more accurately.

This article has been carefully fact-checked by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and eliminate any misleading information. We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity in our content.