What You Can Expect From Florida SSI Benefits

If you live in Florida and you are disabled, you may be interested in pursuing disability benefits from the Social Security Administration. One of the two types of disability benefits offered by Social Security is Supplemental Security Income. If you are considering pursuing this type of benefit, it can be helpful to understand what the program is, what is required for eligibility, and how much you might receive. Let’s take a closer look at the law together.

What is Supplemental Security Income?

The Supplemental Security Income program is run by the Social Security Administration. Millions of individuals across the United States receive these benefits each year, and they can be tremendously helpful in providing financial support and stability in the midst of a difficult situation. SSI benefits are intended for individuals with low income and resource levels who are either over the age of 65 or who have a disability.

Income and Resource Limits

Those who are over 65 and who meet the income and resource limits required for SSI eligibility will qualify for benefits regardless of whether or not they are disabled. In 2025, to meet the income limit for SSI, an applicant’s total income must be less than $987 per month. This sum includes work-related income and income from non-work sources like veteran’s benefits, unemployment benefits, or pensions. In addition, an applicant seeking SSI benefits must have total resources below $2,000, or $3,00 per couple. The income and resource limits to be SSI-eligible often change from year to year in accordance with cost-of-living adjustments and other factors. As a result, consulting with an attorney regarding your particular circumstances is essential.

Disability

Those who are under the age of 65 and who are disabled may also qualify for SSI benefits if they also meet the required income and resource limits. To the Social Security Administration, being “disabled” for the purpose of receiving benefits essentially means two things:

• You have a qualifying medical condition: In order to determine if a medical condition is a qualifying disability, the Social Security Administration will often consult its listing of impairments, which is otherwise known as the Blue Book. The Blue Book is a guide containing a variety of medical conditions and their accompanying symptoms. If you can establish that you have a condition in the Blue Book, you increase your chances of being approved for benefits, although it is not strictly necessary to have a condition included in the guide. If you have a condition that is not included, you may simply need to present additional medical proof regarding your particular condition and the disabling effect it has on your life.
• That condition has rendered you disabled for one continuous calendar year or more. This requirement is fairly straightforward. In order to receive SSI benefits if you are under the age of 65, your medical condition must have rendered you disabled and unable to work for at least one continuous calendar year or more. Those who have conditions that resolve in a shorter amount of time may qualify for short-term disability benefits of some kind but will not be eligible for SSI disability benefits.

Those who meet the necessary conditions for eligibility may want to consider pursuing a claim for SSI benefits. In addition to knowing the conditions required for eligibility, it is also important to understand that there is a maximum amount you can receive in benefits each month if approved. The maximum monthly SSI payment for 2025 is $967 for an eligible individual and $1,450 per month for an eligible couple. This amount often increases annually based on cost-of-living adjustments.

Does Florida Supplement SSI Benefits?

Unlike some other states, Florida does not offer a supplement to SSI benefits. This means that the maximum monthly benefit amount for individuals in Florida is the same as the federal monthly maximum amount. Although Florida doesn’t offer a supplement to SSI benefits, it does offer a SUNCAP food stamps program to assist low-income individuals with paying for food, as well as an Optional State Supplementation (OSS) program. The OOS program provides monthly cash payments to elderly or disabled low-income individuals in Florida who live in residential treatment facilities.

Understandably, all of this information may seem confusing and overwhelming. The good news is that you don’t have to navigate this process alone. At Disability Experts Florida, we’re here to help.

Call Disability Experts Florida Today

At Disability Experts Florida, we are passionate about helping our clients fight for the disability benefits they need and deserve. If you live in Florida and you find yourself needing expert legal guidance and a team that knows and understands the law concerning disability benefits, you need the team at Disability Experts Florida. We will always pursue the best legal strategies on your behalf, and we’ll keep you informed and involved in your case each step of the way. If you’re ready to get started, give us a call today. We look forward to speaking with you soon.