Maximum rates 2026
The federal benefit rate (FBR) is the maximum monthly SSI payment the federal government will pay before any deductions. For 2026 it is $994 per month for an eligible individual and $1,491 per month for an eligible couple. An essential person — someone who lives with and provides essential care to an SSI recipient — has a 2026 rate of $498 per month. These figures reflect the 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment for 2026.
- 2026 federal maximum: $994 (individual), $1,491 (eligible couple), $498 (essential person).
- The FBR is a ceiling, not a guarantee: your actual payment is the FBR minus your countable income.
- Most states add a supplement; a few add nothing. Your state agency or SSA can tell you the amount.
The 2026 figures in full
| Recipient | 2026 federal maximum | 2025 (for comparison) |
|---|---|---|
| Eligible individual | $994 / month ($11,928 / year) | $967 |
| Eligible couple (both qualify) | $1,491 / month ($17,892 / year) | $1,450 |
| Essential person | $498 / month | $484 |
The couple rate is not double the individual rate — it is about one and a half times it. That gap is sometimes called the SSI marriage penalty: two unmarried recipients living together can each receive up to $994 (a combined $1,988), while a married couple qualifying together receives $1,491. The couples and deeming guide explains why and what else changes when you marry.
State supplements
Most states pay an additional supplement on top of the federal payment. Some states pay it through SSA (so it arrives with your federal payment); others pay it themselves, sometimes on a different schedule. A few states pay no supplement at all, in which case your payment is the federal amount minus countable income and any living-arrangement reduction.
This site deliberately gives no state-by-state table: supplement amounts change, and the rules for who gets them (for example, people living independently versus in care facilities) differ by state. If you want your state's figure, ask SSA or your state agency — they will give you the current amount for your living situation.
When SSI is paid
SSI is normally paid on the 1st of the month. When the 1st falls on a weekend or a federal holiday, the payment arrives on the last business day before it. That is why some months have two SSI payments and the following month has none — you still receive twelve payments for the year, just on a shifted schedule. One useful detail: an early SSI payment is not counted as a resource until the following month, so a double-payment month does not by itself push you over the resource limit.
Sources to check: SSA Red Book, What's New in 2026 (ssa.gov/redbook/newfor2026.htm); SSA, SSI Federal Payment Amounts (ssa.gov/ssi/text-benefits-ussi.htm); SSA, Schedule of Social Security Benefit Payments.