If you receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI), you should know about the recent changes to your payment plan that were made public by the Social Security Administration (SSA). In the coming months, these changes will affect when you get paid, so it’s important to keep them in mind when making your budget.
SSI is a program in the United States that helps millions of people who are in tough situations by giving them money. Payments are usually sent out on the first of every month. If that date is a weekend or a federal holiday, though, the SSA moves the payment to the working day before. This will happen more than once in the next few months, so it’s important to be ready for these changes.
When will you receive your SSI payments in the coming months?
Here are the updated payment dates to note down for effective financial planning:
- August (September payment): Friday, August 30
- October: Tuesday, October 1
- November: Friday, November 1
- November (December payment): Friday, November 29
- December (January 2025 payment): Tuesday, December 31
It’s very important to remember these times so that you don’t have any problems getting your payments. The SSA says you should wait at least three work days before calling their customer service if you don’t get your payment on the due date. You can also log in to your My Social Security account at this time to see how your benefits are going, download records, and learn more about your payments.
How much can you expect to receive from SSI?
Supplemental Security Income is a program that helps people over 65, people with disabilities, and children in certain financial situations who meet the SSA’s standards for income and resources. The program’s goal is to help people get the money they need to meet their basic wants and, in many cases, stay out of poverty.
The amount of money that each SSI recipient gets depends on their unique situation. The monthly payments are usually around $698, but this amount can go up or down based on the type of application and the person applying.
Some examples of payments made based on the situation of the recipient:
- Individuals applying individually: can receive up to $943 per month.
- Couples applying jointly: can receive up to $1,415 per month.
- Essential Persons (EP): those who qualify under this category may receive an additional payment of $472 monthly.
It is important to remember that the SSA looks at each case on its own. This means that two people in the same situation could get different amounts depending on things like their work experience and past income. Because the review process is so complicated, you should talk to a financial expert or Social Security worker before you send in an application or make changes to an existing one.
Simplifying the SSI application process: updates for December
The Social Security Administration (SSA) will start accepting SSI benefit applications online starting in December. The goal is to make the process easier and faster for candidates. This project, called IClaim Enhancement, is a part of a long-term plan to make the Social Security system easier to use and more efficient, especially for disabled people and older adults who don’t have a lot of money.
What changes will the new online SSI application bring?
The new online process is designed to be user-friendly and accessible to all applicants. Some of the improvements include:
- Pre-populated responses: whenever possible, the system will automatically fill in certain answers based on information previously provided by the applicant.
- Clear and simple questions: the questions will be written in easy-to-understand language, making the application process more straightforward.
- Smooth transitions: the system will guide users step-by-step through the application, making the process more intuitive.
- Reduced processing time: the goal is not only to simplify the application process but also to speed up the time required to make a decision.
People between the ages of 18 and 65 who are single and applying for both Social Security and SSI benefits at the same time will be able to use this first part of the IClaim Enhancement. Everyone who applied will be able to take part in a second phase by the end of 2025.