Several important changes to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) went into effect in September 2024. This blog may be a little delayed in covering them, but I believe it is never too late to try and simplify complex policies. My goal here is to break down the updates into plain language and explain them with everyday examples. Whether you are a parent, caregiver, or someone navigating SSI yourself, I hope this post makes things a little easier to understand.

If you have a loved one on SSI, or if you receive SSI yourself, you know how stressful it can be to follow all the rules. One small mistake can lead to reduced benefits, and that’s the last thing any family needs.

But here’s some good news. The Social Security Administration announced a few important changes that will make life a bit easier for SSI recipients and their families. Here’s what’s new, and why it matters.

Renting from a Parent or Child Just Got Simpler

In most states, when an SSI recipient rents from a parent or adult child, the SSA usually steps in to ask if the rent is “fair.” If they decide it’s below market value, they can cut the monthly SSI benefit by up to $334.33 in 2024.

Under the new rule, if the recipient pays at least $334.33 in rent, the SSA will treat it as a legitimate business arrangement. No more digging into whether the rent is “too low.” No risk of a benefit reduction. This is great news for families who support each other while following the rules.

Example

Ana receives SSI and lives in an in-law apartment attached to her parents’ home. She pays $350 a month in rent. Under the new rule, because Ana pays more than $334.33, SSA will treat this as a business arrangement. Ana doesn’t have to worry about her SSI check being reduced.

Important tips:

Even if the parent is generous and doesn’t really want the money, it’s smart to accept the rent payment formally (then they can gift it back if they want separately).
If SSA ever asks, you have proof it’s a real, arms-length arrangement.

Food No Longer Counted When Determining Benefits

One of the most meaningful changes involves how SSA treats food support from others. Until recently, food given to an SSI recipient by family, friends, or a community group was considered “in-kind support and maintenance,” or ISM. Starting in September, the Social Security Administration will no longer count food received from others such as family, friends, or community programs as in-kind support and maintenance when determining eligibility or benefit amounts for Supplemental Security Income. This important policy change is designed to reduce the burden on SSI applicants and recipients, many of whom have seen their benefits reduced simply for accepting groceries or meals from loved ones. Although the agency will continue to consider shelter-related assistance like rent, mortgage, and utility payments, food will no longer be treated as unearned income. This change is expected to simplify reporting, provide more consistent monthly benefits, and remove a significant barrier to accessing SSI.

Example

Maria is a 25-year-old woman with a disability who lives on her own but often struggles to afford groceries. Her mother occasionally brings her home-cooked meals or buys her groceries during the month. Under the old SSI rules, this kind of support was considered in-kind support and maintenance (ISM) and could reduce Maria’s monthly SSI payment. Starting in September, however, this food assistance will no longer be counted as unearned income. As a result, Maria will be able to accept meals and groceries from her mother without it negatively impacting her SSI benefits.

SNAP Now Counts as Public Assistance

Previously, the SNAP program (formerly known as food stamps) didn’t count as a public assistance benefit for SSI purposes. That meant if others in the household received SNAP, SSA might still assume they were helping the SSI recipient, which could reduce their benefit.

The rule has changed. Now, SNAP is officially considered public assistance, just like SSI and TANF. If someone in the household gets SNAP, SSA will assume everyone is using their income for their own needs, and won’t reduce the SSI recipient’s benefit.

In addition, when SSA looks at household income for deeming purposes, they will no longer count income that has already been factored into SNAP eligibility. This helps avoid penalizing families twice for the same income.

Example

Sarah lives with her adult brother, David, who receives SNAP but not SSI. Sarah is applying for SSI. Under the new rule, SSA will consider this a public assistance household. They won’t assume David is supporting Sarah just because they live together, and they won’t reduce her SSI benefit because of that. Also, the income David used to qualify for SNAP won’t be counted again when SSA reviews household income for Sarah’s eligibility.

One Person on Public Assistance Is Now Enough

Before this change, all members of a household had to be receiving public assistance for the SSI recipient to be protected from benefit reductions tied to “in-kind support.”

Now, only one household member needs to receive a qualifying benefit such as SSI, TANF, or SNAP. That means more SSI recipients will be able to avoid unnecessary scrutiny and keep more of their benefits.

Example

Jason is an SSI recipient who lives with his sister and her child. His sister receives SNAP, but Jason is the only one on SSI. Under the old rule, this would not be considered a public assistance household, and SSA might try to reduce Jason’s SSI benefit, assuming he’s getting help from his sister. Now, since one household member (his sister) receives SNAP, the entire household qualifies. SSA will not reduce Jason’s benefit based on “in-kind support.”

What This Means for Your Family

These updates are meant to simplify the system and reduce the chances of benefits being reduced unfairly. Families who provide reasonable support won’t be penalized. Renting from a loved one can now be handled more straightforwardly. And public benefits like SNAP will now offer broader protections.

If these changes affect you and you’d like help understanding how to apply them to your situation, feel free to reach out. With the right guidance, you can protect what matters and avoid unnecessary stress.