Reinstating SSI: How Long Does the Process Take?
Supplemental Security Income is a needs-based program administered by the Social Security Administration to assist people with limited income and resources. An interruption in benefit payments can quickly lead to financial hardship for beneficiaries.
Two methods exist to reinstate SSI benefits. Expedited reinstatement applies when your benefits ended because of a specific reason, such as the amount of earned income. The other method generally applies when benefits have been suspended. An example might be an SSI recipient incarcerated after conviction of a crime.
If you want to restore SSI benefits, knowing the reason why they stopped is essential for choosing the method for reinstating them. This article explains the SSI reactivation process to familiarize you with it, and the disability attorneys at American Disability Action Group are available to provide advice and representation.
The SSI program
SSI pays monthly benefits to adults and children who are blind or disabled, as well as to adults 65 and older without a disability or blindness. Applicants must meet financial eligibility guidelines by having little or no income and resources. For instance, the total value of resources that you own cannot exceed $2,000 for individuals or $3,000 for couples.
The amount of the monthly benefit you receive through SSI depends on several factors, including income you receive from other sources. The maximum monthly federal benefit for an individual is $967 and $1,450 for couples in 2025. SSI benefit amounts change yearly. Some states supplement the federal benefit with a state-funded payment.
Money you receive from working, earned income, and money you get from sources other than working, unearned income, reduces your SSI benefits. If your income exceeds your monthly benefit, you cannot receive a payment from SSI.
SSI recipients must meet several other requirements to maintain their eligibility for benefits, including the following:
- Be a resident of one of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, or the Northern Mariana Islands, and not be absent from their place of residence for a full calendar month, or for 30 days or longer.
- Be a citizen of the United States, a U.S. national, or a noncitizen of an alien classification granted by the Department of Homeland Security.
- Cannot be confined to an institution, such as a prison or hospital, paid for by the government.
A person’s SSI benefits could be suspended if they fail to continue meeting the eligibility requirements. For example, incarceration for conviction of a crime or being absent from your residence for more than 30 consecutive days could result in suspension of your benefits because you no longer meet the residency requirement for SSI eligibility.
The best way to learn the cause of a suspension of your benefits is by contacting a local field office of the Social Security Administration. Another option is to contact a disability attorney at American Disability Action Group to handle the matter on your behalf.
Reinstating SSI Benefits And Expedited Reinstatement
Reinstatement allows you to restart disability payments without having to go through the application process again. You generally have 12 months from the date the benefits stopped to request reinstatement without a new application. For example, you cannot receive SSI benefits while in jail or prison. If you are released within 12 months of the suspension of the payments, you can restart them by producing proof of your incarceration date and release dates.
If your SSI benefits are terminated because of work income, you may request expedited reinstatement to have the benefits resume without submitting a new application. Expedited reinstatement is available provided you meet the following criteria:
- Your medical condition prevents you from working at a substantial gainful activity level.
- During the month you request expedited reinstatement, you are unable or become unable to do substantial gainful activity.
- Your current impairment is the same or related to the impairment you had when approved for SSI.
The request for expedited reinstatement must be made within five years from when your benefits terminated. If you fail to request reinstatement within five years, you must submit a new application for disability benefits.
SSI reinstatement time would leave you without SSI benefits, but provisional benefits offer financial assistance. Provisional benefits for up to six months let you avoid a SSI benefit delay while waiting for approval of your reinstatement of benefits.
Provisional benefits include the monthly federal SSI payments and Medicaid coverage. If your benefits are not reinstated, you will not be required to repay the provisional benefits you receive.
Speak To An Experienced Disability Lawyer For Advice
The financial hardship that invariably results from the loss of SSI benefits makes it crucial to restore them as rapidly as possible. The disability professionals at American Disability Action Group have extensive experience and knowledge of the SSI reactivation process, enabling them to identify the most effective path toward restoration of your benefits. Learn more by contacting us for a complimentary consultation and case evaluation.