SSI Payment 2026 Calculator and Payment Schedule

By Mustafa Bilgic · Updated 2026-09-25

SSI payments for 2026 are up to $994 a month for an individual and $1,491 for an eligible couple. Countable income reduces the payment dollar for dollar after Social Security's exclusions. Most SSI is paid on the 1st of the month, or on the business day before when the 1st is a weekend or holiday. This SSI payment calculator applies the 2026 federal benefit rate, the $20 and $65 income exclusions, the half-of-earnings rule and the in-kind shelter rules to estimate your monthly SSI. The page also lists every 2026 SSI and Social Security payment date.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is for adults and children with little or no income and little or no resources who have a disability, are blind, or are 65 or older. It is a separate program from Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), and the payment depends on your income, living situation and the things you own.

How SSI Is Calculated in 2026

SSI = federal benefit rate - countable income
Countable income = unearned income - $20 + (earned income - $65 - any unused part of the $20) / 2

Social Security first subtracts income it does not count, which leaves your countable income, and then subtracts countable income from the SSI federal benefit rate. The $20 general exclusion applies first to unearned income such as Social Security benefits. For wages, the first $65 and one half of the rest are not counted. Other income that does not count includes SNAP benefits, income tax refunds, home energy assistance, and small amounts received irregularly or infrequently. It also includes earnings of a student under 22 up to $2,410 a month and $9,730 a year in 2026.

Social Security's Own 2026 Examples

• $300 of Social Security: $300 - $20 = $280 countable, so SSI is $994 - $280 = $714.
• $317 of wages: $317 - $20 - $65 = $232, and half of that is $116 countable, so SSI is $878.
• With a $15 state supplement: the $714 example becomes $729 a month.
• A relative pays your $800 rent: shelter help is counted at no more than $351.33; after the $20 exclusion, SSI falls by $331.33 to $662.67.
• Rent-free house plus $300 of Social Security: $994 - $280 - $351.33 = $362.67.

SSI Payment Dates 2026

Under 20 CFR 416.502, SSI is paid on the first day of each month and is payment for that month. When the 1st falls on a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, SSI is paid on the first earlier day that is not. That is why some months show two deposits, such as July 1 and July 31, 2026: the second one is August's payment, not an extra check.

Social Security and SSDI Payment Dates 2026

Social Security and SSDI benefits are paid on the second, third or fourth Wednesday of the month, based on the insured worker's birth date. If you applied before May 1997, or you receive both Social Security and SSI, Social Security is paid on the 3rd and SSI on the 1st. A payment day that falls on a weekend or federal holiday moves to the day before, which is why the second-Wednesday payment in November 2026 arrives Tuesday, November 10, ahead of Veterans Day.

Living Arrangements and In-Kind Support

Where you live and who pays for your shelter can lower SSI. In-kind support and maintenance is food, shelter or both that someone else provides. Since September 30, 2024, food no longer counts, so the value of food does not reduce SSI. If someone pays your rent, mortgage or utilities, Social Security counts that help, but no more than the presumed maximum value: one-third of the federal benefit rate plus $20, or $351.33 in 2026. If you live in someone else's household and do not pay your share, the one-third reduction can cut the $994 rate by as much as $331.33. Help is not counted if you live alone and pay for your own shelter, or live with others and pay your share. If you are in a hospital or nursing home for the whole month and Medicaid pays more than half the cost, SSI is limited to $30.

When Someone Else's Income Counts

Social Security may count part of another person's income, a process called deeming. It applies when a person eligible for SSI lives with a spouse who is not eligible, and when a child under 18 who is blind or disabled lives with parents and at least one parent does not receive SSI. It also applies when a noncitizen has a sponsor. Deeming stops when you no longer live with the spouse or parent, when the child turns 18, or when the sponsorship ends. If you live in a public shelter for people experiencing homelessness, you can receive up to the maximum SSI payable in your state for up to 6 months out of any 9-month period.

Windfall offset. If you are due Social Security and SSI for the same months, Social Security reduces your retroactive Social Security benefits by the amount of SSI you would not have received if the Social Security had been paid on time.

Resources, Settlements and SSI

SSI also has a resource limit: $2,000 of countable resources for an individual and $3,000 for a couple. Your home, household goods and certain other items do not count. If you are trying to sell property that puts you over the limit, you may be able to get SSI while you try to sell it, but you must pay those benefits back after the sale. A lawsuit settlement or other lump sum can push resources over the limit, so plan it before the money arrives; see how a settlement affects SSDI and SSI. For past-due benefits, our SSDI and SSI back pay calculator covers the start date and installment rules. For disability claims, see our disability calculator.

Tips

• Report changes in income, living arrangement and resources to Social Security promptly; they can change your monthly SSI.
• Keep pay stubs; earned income gets a larger exclusion than unearned income.
• If someone pays part of your rent or utilities, ask how it is counted; paying your share can keep your full SSI.
• Expect two deposits in some months; the early one is the next month's payment.
• Check whether your state adds a supplement and enter it for a complete estimate.

Frequently Asked Questions