The most anyone gets from federal SSI in 2027 is $1,029 a month, or $1,544 for a married couple who are both eligible. Most people get less, because Social Security takes almost every dollar of your other income off that number. Put in what you live on now and the calculator shows what’s left for SSI to pay.
Those amounts include the 3.6% cost-of-living increase the Social Security Administration announced on October 14, 2026. In 2026 the maximums were $994 and $1,491.
What single adults get at different incomes
| Other income each month | Countable income | 2027 SSI check |
|---|---|---|
| None | $0 | $1,029 |
| $600 Social Security | $580 | $449 |
| $900 Social Security | $880 | $149 |
| $800 in wages | $357.50 | $671.50 |
| $1,500 in wages | $707.50 | $321.50 |
| $500 Social Security and $600 in wages | $747.50 | $281.50 |
Look at the $900 Social Security row next to the $1,500 wage row. The person working brings home more and still keeps a bigger SSI check. That gap is on purpose. SSI cuts your check dollar for dollar for money you didn’t work for, but only about 50 cents for each dollar you earn.
How the math works
SSA ignores the first $20 of income in a month. It comes off unearned income first, things like a Social Security check, a pension or unemployment. Whatever is left of that counts in full.
Wages get a second break. SSA ignores $65 more, then counts half of what remains. If you have no unearned income at all, the $20 moves over to your paycheck, so the first $85 you earn doesn’t count. The calculator does that shift for you.
Add the two countable amounts together and subtract them from $1,029. That’s your federal payment. With wages and nothing else, the check doesn’t reach zero until you earn $2,143 a month. With only Social Security, it stops at $1,049.
Living in someone else’s home
If you live with family or friends and they pay your share of rent and food, SSA treats that as income too and cuts the maximum by a third. For 2027 that leaves $686 for one person and $1,029.33 for a couple. Paying your fair share of the household costs avoids the cut, which is why SSA will ask how the bills get split. The second dropdown handles this case. A smaller reduction applies if someone covers only part of your shelter, and the calculator doesn’t model that one.
Questions people type in
Can I get SSI and Social Security at the same time?
Yes, if your Social Security is small. SSA pays both, and the SSI part tops you up toward $1,029. Your Social Security, less $20, comes straight off the SSI check, so a $700 benefit leaves $349 in SSI. Once your benefit passes $1,049, the SSI part ends. Use the full benefit amount in the calculator, not the deposit after Medicare, since SSA counts the amount before anything is taken out.
Does SNAP or a tax refund lower my SSI?
No. Food stamps, most home energy help and tax refunds aren’t counted as income. Leave them out of the calculator. Small gifts that come now and then, up to $60 in a quarter, are also ignored.
How much money can I have in the bank?
$2,000 for one person and $3,000 for a couple, checked on the first of each month. Your home and one car don’t count. These limits haven’t moved since 1989, and going over them for a month can stop that month’s check even if your income is low.
When does the 2027 amount start?
SSI pays on the first of the month, moved earlier when the first lands on a weekend or holiday. January 1, 2027 is a holiday, so the January payment at the new rate comes on December 31, 2026. That isn’t an extra check. There won’t be another one on January 1.
For four worked examples and the rules on irregular income, see How Much Is SSI in 2027, and Why Most Checks Are Smaller. If you get Social Security or SSDI, the Social Security increase calculator shows your 2027 raise. SSA lists every exclusion on its Understanding SSI income page.
An estimate of the federal payment. Your award letter from SSA shows the real amount, and the state you live in may add to it.