Supplemental Security Income (SSI), the federal program that provides payments to people with limited income and resources who are age 65 or older, blind, or have a qualifying disability is gearing up to deliver the next round of payments in the month of July.
Because the first of the month is a Monday in July, there should not be any reason why these payments should be delayed or changed, so beneficiaries of the program should see the money in their account or their check in the mail without needing to wait.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) tries, and rarely fails, to ensure that payments are prompt and delivered on time regardless of the situation or time of the year, which is why the rules for what happens when the dates fall on national holidays or weekends exist and are followed. The problem is not even with the SSA, but neither banks nor postal workers work on weekends or national holidays, which could severely disrupt families’ economies if the money is not in the accounts.
This year the money has already been sent out early in January and in June (January is a regular occurrence since New Year’s comes at the same time every year), and it will happen again in September and in December.
These checks are so important because they are being delivered to some of the most vulnerable people in society, with limited income, resources, and oftentimes possibilities to improve their situation without this extra help. And sometimes the payments are not even that big. In 2024 the maximum Federal benefit rate is $943 for an individual and $1,415 for a couple. For those who provide care for beneficiaries already receiving SSI, the maximum monthly payment from the program is $472.
Not everyone will be entitled to these maximum payments, in fact, most people will not receive anywhere near that amount, but every cent counts when poverty is that close to your doorstep.
States that offer additional SSI benefits
Luckily for some, these are just federal payments we are talking about. Some states will supplement payments with their own funds or have compatible programs that eligible beneficiaries can apply for to make their living conditions better.
Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming pay and administer their own supplemental payments while California, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Iowa, Michigan, Montana, Nevada New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont have their extra supplemental support managed by the SSA.
The only states that do not offer any kind of additional support are Arizona, Northern Mariana Islands, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, West Virginia and North Dakota.
SSI payments and benefits have been issued by the SSA since January 1974 and have continued on and receiving cost-of-living adjustments since 1975. They have helped countless individuals and families make ends meet for just over 50 years and they may be just as endangered as regular Social Security payments for retirees if the SSA does not get a better funding structure soon.
Since these benefits are so heavily regulated to ensure that they reach the neediest, it is important to know that there are a multitude of factors that can affect them, like gifts form family members, rent payments by someone else or even getting married. The SSA is trying to streamline the rules to make sure benefits are not taken away from people in need, but for now remain vigilant and try to accurately report your earnings and any other benefits you may be privy to.
