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SSI Disability Money Requirements

The Social Security Administration (SSA) provides Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to certain low-income individuals who are elderly or disabled. Individuals who receive SSI may elect to have a representative payee or SSA may require a representative payee if SSA determines that an individual is unable to manage his finances. Representative payees must follow strict guidelines for managing SSI funds.

  1. Basic Needs

    • An individual's basic needs expenses must be paid prior to giving the individual personal spending money or money for non-essentials. Basic needs expenses include shelter costs such as rent and utilities, food and medical costs such as prescription co-pays and medical supplies.

    Institutions

    • Individuals living in an institution may request and receive up to $30 per month in personal spending money. This guideline does not apply to individuals who do not reside in an institutional setting. If an individual is living outside of an institutional setting, the individual is not guaranteed any amount of spending money. Typically, a representative payee will determine the amount of spending money that an individual receives based on how much money is left over after all monthly bills are paid. For example, if $100 is left over after bills are paid in a month, the beneficiary may receive up to $100 in personal spending money.

    Past Debts

    • If an individual owes a debt to a representative payee, SSA must be notified prior to SSI funds being used to repay the debt. If approved, the individual's basic needs must still be met prior to repayment of debts.

    Records

    • A representative payee must keep records of all purchases made with the beneficiary's SSI funds. SSA typically audits organizational payees on an annual basis but may audit any representative payee at any time.

    Fees

    • An organizational representative payee may charge a fee not exceeding $37 or five percent of total monthly check amount per month. An individual acting as representative payee may not charge a fee.

    Requirements for Receiving Payments

    • An individual must be age 65 and older or be disabled to receive SSI payments. An individual is determined to be disabled if she has a medical condition that prevents her from being gainfully employed, which typically means being able to work 20 or more hours per week or earn over $1,000 per month. An individual must also have less than $2,000 in resources, which include cash, bank accounts, life insurance policies, IRAs, stocks, bonds, any land or property other than one allowed home and one allowed vehicle, and any other items of significant cash value.

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