Should You Get Supplemental Security Income or Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits?
Reviewed by Nash Managing Attorney Lawrence Mabes, Updated June 2026
If you worked but cannot anymore because of a medical impairment, you could qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. If you have few resources and never worked or worked only a little, you could receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
When bad health keeps you from working, you may feel you have nowhere to turn. As the bills mount up, so too does your anxiety.
There is hope. The Social Security Administration (SSA) runs two programs that provide financial relief to Americans with job-ending disabilities.
They are:
These are great resources when your financial situation is dire, and your health has derailed your ability to earn a livable income.
But what’s the difference between SSI and SSDI?
When it comes to your health problems, there’s little difference. You must have a medical condition that has, or will, prevent you from working for at least a year.
The differences between the two disability benefits programs are in your past work history and your financial circumstances.
And regardless of whether you apply for SSDI or you file for SSI, Social Security doesn’t make it easy. It is a giant government agency that throws up a ton of rules and regulations that you must meet to qualify for assistance.
For people in Chicago, Nash Disability Law can be a fierce champion to win you the benefits you deserve.
We can help you figure out which program—SSDI or SSI—––you may qualify for based on your situation. And we do it at no upfront cost to you.
Nash Disability Law is one of the top disability law firms in the country by the amount of benefits won for clients. We’ve helped thousands of people.
WE’VE HELPED MORE PEOPLE IN THE CHICAGO AREA WIN BENEFITS THAN ANY OTHER LAW FIRM.
How Can I Tell If I Qualify for SSI or SSDI?
The main difference between eligibility for SSDI or SSI comes down to your work history.
- SSDI provides disability benefits to people who have a substantial recent work history and paid Social Security taxes through their paychecks.
You made those payments not only for retirement benefits, but just in case a health crisis like the one you’re now facing should ever pop up.
- SSI is available to people who have not been able to consistently work for a long time, if ever, and have very limited financial resources.
For SSI, money you make from working, along with other sources of income like pensions or other government benefits, can reduce how much you receive from disability benefits. If you have too much other income, it cancels out your SSI benefits.
As of 2026, individuals generally couldn’t earn more than $2,073 from work and still get anything from SSI, according to Social Security. For non-work sources of income, the limit reached $1,014. Qualifying couples can make about 50% more before their SSI disappears.
But Social Security doesn’t count all other sources of income or support against your SSI. Items including tax refunds, food stamps, educational grants, energy assistance, disaster assistance and more don’t count as income to subtract from SSI.
Children under 18 —or 22 if they’re still in school—who have qualifying conditions, and their families meet SSI’s economic requirements, can also be eligible for SSI childhood benefits.
Call Nash Disability Law and find out today if these programs could help you.
In the Benefits You Get, what’s the Difference Between SSDI and SSI?
Similar to how SSDI and SSI have different qualifications for eligibility, they also pay out different amounts of disability benefits.
Because SSDI is based on how long you worked and how much you earned, your disability benefits can vary widely.
Private disability insurance or workers’ compensation benefits may also affect the size of your monthly SSDI disability checks.
The maximum amount a person could receive under SSDI starting in 2026 was $4,152 a month. But that’s really only for the top earners. On average, SSDI pays out closer to $1,700 a month.
SSI generally pays less. In order to qualify, you most likely didn’t pay much into Social Security, so SSI isn’t based on past earnings.
The maximum SSI payment for a qualified individual in 2026 was $994 a month. For a couple it was $1,491 per month. The amounts can be reduced if you have other sources of income, including food and housing provided by others.
You also get help with your health care costs when you qualify for either SSDI or SSI.
With SSDI, you get access to Medicare health coverage after a waiting period. With SSI, you get access to Medicaid immediately.
When you’re in tight financial straits, every dollar and bit of assistance helps.
To work with a Chicago disability lawyer at Nash Disability Law on getting benefits and financial peace, you don’t pay an attorney fee.
Your attorney only gets paid when you do.
Let us help you start a more stable, secure path.
Our Quick Guide on the Differences Between SSDI vs. SSI
| SSDI | SSI | |
| Work History | You must have worked recently, paid into Social Security, and earned enough work credits to be eligible. | You don’t need to show you have a recent work record. |
| Financial Resources | You cannot be currently working and earning more than a strict Social Security limit, but you can have any amount in savings, investments and other financial resources not tied to wages. | SSI is need-based, so Social Security will want to see all resources available to you. You cannot have more than $2,000 as an individual or $3,000 as a couple to your name. Some assets, such as a primary residence and one car, don’t count. |
| Benefit Limits | Your monthly benefits are based on your past earnings. They are often higher than SSI, but they vary greatly from person to person. | SSI has a maximum for individuals and couples. It’s lower than the average SSDI payment. Your amount can be lowered from the maximum depending on other income, assets or assistance you receive. |
| Health Coverage | Medicare is available to SSDI recipients after a waiting period, even when you aren’t at the usual Medicare age yet. | Medicaid coverage starts as soon as you’re approved for SSI. |
| Maintaining Eligibility | You must continue to show your health prevents you from working a significant amount. | SSI follows the same health and work limits as SSDI, but you also must stay under the special SSI asset limits. |
Understanding your work history, financial situation, and health outlook help you know which type of Social Security Disability benefit you are likely to get.
A Disability Lawyer for Chicago, Illinois and Indiana Helps You Answer: SSDI or SSI?
You can take the guesswork out of the disability benefits process, which program to apply for, and which benefit you are likely to receive.
A disability attorney can look at your case, especially your work history and financial situation, and tell you if you will more likely qualify for SSDI or SSI, based on which disability program you’re more likely to qualify for in Illinois.
And if you go with a lawyer who knows Chicago and our region, you have an added advantage.
The people who first evaluate your case aren’t necessarily in a faraway office in Washington, D.C. They’re often right here in our states. In fact, they work for either Illinois’ or Indiana’s Disability Determination Services offices.
The team at Nash Disability Law has 40 years of experience with the Social Security Disability process as it works in Chicagoland and surrounding states.
We can help you. We’re easy to find.
If you’re downtown, our Michigan Avenue office is blocks from Millenium Park and the lakeshore. Or see us in Palos Hills. We’re at the corner of South Roberts Road and West 107th Street, right next to the Social Security office.
While we are happy to meet you, you don’t have to come into one of our Chicago-area offices. For much of your case, we can work with you by phone and online.
Nash Disability Law is devoted to helping local people get the type of disability benefits that is right for them and eases the stress of health and financial struggles.
Have More Questions About the Differences Between SSDI and SSI?
Here are answers to some common questions our Chicago disability lawyers hear about SSDI vs. SSI:
What Are the Approval Rates for SSDI and SSI Disability Benefits?
In general, for both SSDI and SSI, you have a one-in-three chance of successfully securing benefits in the first round, and even lower on a reconsideration appeal. So it helps to have a strong application and correct eligibility. Your chances are better if your case goes to a hearing, but that only occurs after two denials, and it’s not guaranteed.
How Long Do I Have to Wait to Receive Disability Benefits?
SSDI disability benefits have a five-month mandatory waiting period, but your wait to be approved in the first place, and to appeal a denial, will likely more than cover the required wait.
SSI benefits cover you from the month after you filed for benefits or the month Social Security found your disability began, whichever is later.
Can I Work at All While Receiving SSDI or SSI Benefits?
The short answer is it depends, but you always have to be careful about working because working is a sign to Social Security that you might not need assistance, and it threatens your disability benefits.
Under SSDI, if you work less than the substantial gainful activity (SGA) limit set by Social Security, you can still receive benefits. SSI also requires you to stay under the SGA limit. But SSI is also need-based, not just work-based, so any income you earn will reduce your benefits.
Can I Qualify for SSDI and SSI at the Same Time?
Yes. If your SSDI payment, calculated using your past income, turns out less than the maximum SSI payment, then SSI can fill in the gap in your disability benefits, and you can receive both.
How Much Does a Disability Lawyer Cost?
There is no up-front charge to work with a Social Security Disability lawyer regardless of whether you seek or receive SSDI or SSI. You pay no attorney fees until you win disability benefits.
