Beneficiaries should expect some major Social Security changes this month as the Social Security Administration (SSA) implements some updates to Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
SSI benefits children and adults living with disabilities who make under a certain amount of money each year. However, specific rules about how benefits are calculated and who qualifies have changed throughout the years.
Starting this month, the SSA will change the policies around its rental subsidy and public assistance household definition. There are also updates to how food is calculated as support for beneficiaries.
Previously, Social Security included food assistance from friends and family as a consideration in calculating benefits. However, this is no longer the case, which could translate to an uptick in $131 for more than 90,000 SSI recipients.
“The changes are overwhelmingly positive for current and potential recipients, as they should increase the number of Americans who qualify and the average monthly payment many receive,” Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek.
He added: “The most significant change comes in the form of not counting food assistance from family, friends, and community resources when calculating benefits. This should translate to a larger benefit check for millions of current recipients and ensure that others who previously wouldn’t qualify for aid do.”
Around 7.5 million depend on SSI each month, and the maximum individual benefit is set at $943. Couples can earn $1,415, but eligibility is based on several factors.
Another update to Social Security concerns the rental subsidy, which will now be more consistent across the country. Due to this change, 41,000 people will get a payment increase of $132 monthly.
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“This adjustment comes as a welcome relief for many, as the SSI system has long been burdened by complex reporting requirements and outdated policies,” Kevin Thompson, a finance expert and founder and CEO of 9i Capital Group, told Newsweek.
Americans will also have an easier time to qualify as public assistance households, which could potentially lead to higher benefits.
“These changes will help more people access crucial SSI benefits,” Martin O’Malley, commissioner of Social Security, said in a statement. “By simplifying and expanding our policies, we are making SSI smarter, removing barriers to accessing payments and reducing the burden on the public and agency staff.”
Newsweek has reached out to the SSA for comment via email.
Seniors and others who receive Social Security benefits will learn their next year’s payment amount on Wednesday, October 10.
The new cost-of-living-adjustment (COLA) will be announced then, with the Seniors Citizen League predicting a boost as low as 2.5 percent.
Each year, the SSA calculates this based on the consumer price index.
In 2025, beneficiaries are predicted to get a far lower COLA because of cooling inflation. The 2024 COLA was 3.2 percent, while seniors saw a boost as high as 8.7 percent in 2023.
While the Social Security updates this month are a welcome addition to many recipients’ monthly checks, they don’t come without pushback, Thompson said.
“While the increased benefits are positive for many in the short term, the bigger concern is the system’s long-term sustainability,” Thompson said. “As a finance professional, I often hear discussions about increasing payouts but less about ensuring that the system can support beneficiaries over the long haul. Without a comprehensive overhaul, the SSI system risks future reductions in benefits, which could undermine the very people it’s meant to support.”