SSI benefits are available to everyone who meets maximum income and asset requirements and is one of the following:

• Disabled (see the next section for definition for SSI purposes).
• Blind (see below for definition for SSI purposes).
• Over age 65.
• Lives in a private or public institution. (see below for information).

Lives in the U.S. or the Northern Mariana Islands and is a member of a described category relating to citizenship or immigration status.

The definition of "disabled" differs between adults and children.

Adults

To be considered disabled for SSI purposes you must have a physical or mental impairment that keeps you from performing any "substantial" work and the condition is expected to last 12 months or result in death. The definition for total disability for an adult matches that used for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). To learn more, see Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), the section on Disability. Note that the concept of "date last insured" which is a part of SSDI is not relevant for SSI purposes.

Children

For children under age 18, a physical or mental impairment must result in "marked and severe functional limitations" and must be expected to last 12 months or result in death.

No young person who engages in substantial gainful activity (earning more than $1,000 in 2010) can be considered disabled. However, children who are students are permitted to exclude earned wages of up to $1,640 per month to a maximum of $6,600 per year from countable income.

To be considered blind for SSI purposes you must have:

• Corrected vision of 20/200 or less in your best eye
• Field of vision less than 20 degrees

If you live in a city or county rest home, halfway house, or other public institution, you may be able to qualify for SSI.

If this applies to you, check the rules at www.ssa.gov/pubs/11000.html .

To be eligible, the person also must:

• Be a member of one of the following categories relating to citizenship or immigration status:

• U.S. citizen or national.
• Lawful permanent resident with 40 work credits (1 work credit equals 3 months work).
• Non-citizen with a described military service connection, or their spouse or unmarried dependent child.
• Non-citizen lawfully residing in the U.S. who is blind or disabled, or who was receiving SSI on August 22, 1996.
• Amerasian immigrant, Cuban/Haitian entrant, refugee, people here for asylum, or individuals whose deportation or removal has been withheld may be eligible seven years after the date their immigration status was granted.

SSI applicants and recipients, as a condition of SSI eligibility, must grant Social Security permission to obtain information from all financial institutions with which the person has dealings. The same permission must also be given by any other person whose income and resources are considered in determining whether a person is eligible for SSI.