Can I Collect Both Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income?

Written & Reviewed By

President & CEO, Quikaid

NADR MemberMember of the National Association of Disability Representatives · Leading Quikaid since 2010

· Reviewed for accuracy against SSA guidance · [Updated 06/17/2026]

The short answer

Yes — you can collect SSDI and SSI at the same time. This is called a concurrent benefit. It happens when your SSDI payment (based on your work record) is low enough that you also qualify for Supplemental Security Income, which tops your monthly total up toward the SSI federal benefit rate. In 2026 that rate is $994 per month for an individual, so if your SSDI check is below roughly $1,014 a month and you meet SSI’s income and resource limits, you may be able to draw from both programs.

$994
2026 SSI federal benefit rate (individual) — the target your combined benefit is brought up to.

$1,491
2026 SSI federal benefit rate for an eligible couple.

Both
Concurrent claimants can receive Medicare and Medicaid, plus back pay from each program.

If you are new to the two programs, our guide to SSDI vs. SSI explains how they differ. This article covers what happens when you qualify for both at once. (Note: the numbers below are updated for 2026 — older guides that cite an SSI rate of $733 are quoting a figure from about a decade ago.)

When can you receive both SSDI and SSI?

SSDI and SSI answer two different questions. SSDI is based on your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) — how much you earned and paid into Social Security over your career. SSI is a need-based program with strict income and asset limits. You qualify for both when your SSDI benefit is low — because you have a limited or interrupted work history — and you also fall under SSI’s limits. To receive SSI in 2026 you generally must have countable income below the $994 federal benefit rate and countable resources under $2,000 (individual) or $3,000 (couple), excluding your home and one vehicle.

How the SSI “top-up” works (2026 example)

When you receive both, SSI does not simply add $994 on top of your SSDI. Instead, SSI treats your SSDI as unearned income, subtracts a $20 general income exclusion, and pays the difference needed to reach the federal benefit rate. Because of that $20 exclusion, a concurrent beneficiary’s total generally lands at about $1,014 per month (individual) while SSI eligibility lasts. Here is how it works at a few SSDI levels:

Your SSDI benefit	SSI adds	Total / month
$300	$714	$1,014
$600	$414	$1,014
$900	$114	$1,014
$1,014 or more	$0 (no SSI)	SSDI only

Illustrative individual example using the 2026 federal benefit rate of $994 and the $20 general income exclusion. State supplements, living arrangements, and other income can change the exact figures. Source: SSA, SSI Federal Payment Amounts for 2026 (ssa.gov/oact/cola/SSI.html).

2026 SSI figures at a glance

SSI amount (monthly)	2026	2025
Federal benefit rate — individual	$994	$967
Federal benefit rate — couple	$1,491	$1,450
Resource limit (individual / couple)	$2,000 / $3,000	$2,000 / $3,000
2026 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA)	2.8%	—

Source: SSA 2026 COLA Fact Sheet and SSI Federal Payment Amounts for 2026 (ssa.gov). Resource limits are set by statute and have not changed since 1989.

Two big advantages of a concurrent claim

1. You can get both Medicaid and Medicare. SSI recipients usually qualify for Medicaid right away in most states, while SSDI leads to Medicare — but only after a 24-month waiting period from your SSDI entitlement date. A concurrent claim means Medicaid can cover you during that Medicare waiting period, so you are not left without health coverage while you wait.

2. You can receive back pay from both programs. SSDI back pay can reach up to 12 months before your application date, minus a five-month waiting period. SSI past-due benefits accrue from your application date (SSI has no five-month wait). When SSI back pay is large, it is generally released in up to three installments spaced six months apart, rather than a single lump sum.

When are concurrent payments made?

Payment dates differ by program, and people who receive both follow a specific schedule:

Benefit	When it arrives
SSI	The 1st of the month (paid earlier if the 1st is a weekend or holiday).
SSDI when you also receive SSI	The 3rd of the month (the schedule used for concurrent beneficiaries).

All federal benefits are paid electronically by direct deposit or Direct Express card. Source: SSA Schedule of Social Security Benefit Payments 2026 (ssa.gov/pubs/calendar.htm).

Frequently asked questions

Can you really get SSDI and SSI at the same time?
Yes. It is called a concurrent claim. It applies when your SSDI benefit is low enough that you also meet SSI’s income and resource limits, and SSI supplements your monthly total up toward the $994 (2026) federal benefit rate.

Will receiving SSI reduce my SSDI?
No. Your SSDI amount is fixed by your earnings record and does not go down. SSI simply fills the gap between your SSDI benefit and the federal benefit rate, so your total goes up, not down.

What is the income cutoff to get both in 2026?
As a rough guide for an individual, if your SSDI benefit is below about $1,014 per month (the $994 rate plus the $20 income exclusion) and you meet the resource limits, you may qualify for at least some SSI. Above that, you would receive SSDI only.

Can you get back pay from both SSDI and SSI?
Yes. A concurrent claim can generate past-due benefits from each program, calculated under each program’s own rules (SSDI with its 12-month retroactive window and five-month waiting period; SSI from your application date).

Concurrent claims can be more complicated than a single application, because the two programs interact and the SSI portion has to be calculated around your SSDI amount and any other income. If you think your SSDI benefit may be low enough to also qualify for SSI, Quikaid can review your situation, file the concurrent claim, and make sure you receive everything you are owed from both programs — with no fee unless you win benefits.

Figures reflect Social Security Administration data current as of 2026: the 2026 SSI federal benefit rate ($994 individual / $1,491 couple); the 2.8% 2026 COLA; SSI resource limits; and 2026 payment schedules. Sources: SSA 2026 COLA Fact Sheet; SSI Federal Payment Amounts for 2026 (ssa.gov/oact/cola/SSI.html); SSA Schedule of Social Security Benefit Payments 2026; SSA SSI resources page.

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