4

Using SSI Work Incentives
Quick Facts
- Not all income counts when calculating the SSI payment.
- The first $20 of unearned income does not count. Any remainder of the $20 can be applied to earned income.
- The SSI program never counts the first $65 and 50 percent of the remaining earned income.
- The Student Earned Income Exclusion lets students up to age 22, who regularly attend school, deduct up to $2,220 of earned income per month with an annual cap of $ 8,950 per year in 2023.
- Workers can deduct Impairment-Related Work Expenses from their countable earned income which can result in an increased SSI payment.
- Workers who are blind can deduct any reasonable cost associated with working from their countable earned income which can result in a much higher SSI payment.