Social Security Benefits

A section of the Social Security Administration’s website tells you how to plan for retirement. It also explains how to apply for retirement benefits.

Use this calculator to estimate your Social Security retirement income. The amount you will get depends on your Social Security wages over the years.

SSI is Supplemental Security Income. It is a cash benefit paid monthly by the Social Security Administration.

You can be eligible for SSI if you have a low income and you are:

• age 65 and older, or
• age 0-65 and blind, or
• age 0-65 and disabled

You also have to live in the United States and be a citizen, or have an immigration status that qualifies you to receive SSI.

How much money does SSI pay?

As of 2024, SSI pays up to $998.68 to an eligible person living independently in Vermont. If you are married and you and your spouse are both eligible for SSI, the most SSI will pay is $1,520.80. These amounts may be less or more depending on whether you live with other people, and if you get other income. See the SSI in Vermont flyer for the total monthly payment for different household types.

What does “disabled” mean?

If you are a child under age 18, disabled means you have medical problems that have a serious effect on your ability to do things same age children do.

If you are an adult, disabled means you have serious medical problems that prevent you from working on a regular basis.

What does “blind” mean?

Blind means you have vision of 20/200 or worse in your better eye (with glasses) or a visual field of 20 degrees or less in your better eye.

What does low income mean?

• It means your countable monthly income must be less than the amount of money SSI pays.
• It also means that you must not have more than $2,000 in countable assets if you are a single person, or $3,000 if you are married and living with your spouse.

Read more about what is required to be eligible on the Social Security website.

Other issues with SSI benefits

Learn how the following items affect your SSI benefits.

• See the SSI in Vermont flyer for payment amounts for different types of households
• Wages and other income affect your SSI
• Marriage may change your benefit amount
• Your living arrangement affects your SSI benefit amount
• Changes in your household
• SSI work incentives
• Disability review determinations
• Other issues with SSI benefits

How is SSI different from SSDI?

SSDI is Social Security Disability Insurance. SSDI pays a monthly cash benefits to adults (18 and over) and people who are disabled and blind. But, you do not have to have a low income to be eligible for SSDI. Instead, you have to have worked and paid Social Security taxes on your pay to be eligible for SSDI. Also, SSDI may pay benefits to family members.

How do I apply for SSI?

To apply for SSI, you can either:

• Call 1-800-772-1213 and Social Security will send you an application and set up an appointment.
• Start the application process online. Then a SSA representative will schedule an appointment to help you apply for benefits.
• Contact the Social Security office nearest you and ask for help. (See contact information below.)

Important rule change in September 2024

Read above on this page about a rule change that might affect you.

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) pays monthly cash benefits to adults (18+) who are unable to work because of a disability. To qualify for Social Security disability benefits:

• you must have worked in a job or jobs covered by Social Security, and
• you must have a medical condition that is expected to last more than a year or lead to death.

You do not have to have a low income to be eligible for SSDI. Go to the Social Security website to find out if you qualify. 

Disability benefits usually continue until you are able to work again on a regular basis. There are also a number of special rules, called “work incentives,” that provide continued benefits and health care coverage to help you make the transition back to work.

If you are receiving Social Security disability benefits when you reach retirement age, your disability benefits will automatically convert to retirement benefits. The amount you get remains the same.

How do I apply for SSDI?

To apply for SSDI, you can either:

• Call 1-800-772-1213 and Social Security will send you an application and set up an appointment.
• Complete and submit a Social Security disability application online.
• Contact the Social Security office nearest you and ask for help. (See contact information below.)

When you start receiving disability benefits, some members of your family also may qualify for benefits on your record. Benefits may be paid to your:

• spouse
• divorced spouse
• children
• disabled child
• adult child disabled before age 22

If any of your qualified family members apply for benefits, Social Security will ask for their Social Security numbers and their birth certificates.

If your spouse applies for benefits, Social Security may also ask for proof of marriage and dates of prior marriages, if any.

To find out more about Social Security disability benefits, look at Social Security’s Disability Planner.

You can appeal almost any decision by SSA. If SSA says you are not disabled you can appeal. If SSA says that your condition has improved and you are no longer disabled, you can appeal. If SSA says you have been overpaid, you can appeal. 

Appeal within 10 days for continuing benefits

If SSA says it is going to terminate or reduce your benefits it is very important to appeal within 10 days so you can keep your benefits during the appeal process. There are some exceptions for this deadline, but not many.

To learn about the appeal process, see our page called Social Security: If You Are Denied Benefits or Benefits Are Terminated or Reduced.

Vermont has three Social Security offices:

Burlington SSA Office
128 Lakeside Ave., Suite 107
Burlington, VT 05401
1-877-840-5776
Fax: 802-652-0936

Montpelier SSA Office
33 School Street
Montpelier, VT 05602
1-877-505-4542
Fax: 802-229-1521

Rutland SSA Office
246 West Street
Rutland, VT 05701
1-866-690-1944
Fax: 802-773-0830

Hours: Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

A representative payee or “rep payee” can be a person or an organization. The Social Security Administration appoints a rep payee to receive the Social Security or SSI benefits for someone who can’t manage their benefits. If you have a rep payee, they will use the benefits to pay for your current and future needs. The rep payee must also properly save any benefits not needed to meet your current needs. See the frequently asked questions about rep payees on the Social Security website.