How to Report Income Changes to SSI

Report income changes to SSI within 10 days of the month the change happens

When your income changes — whether you earn money, receive a pension, get a tax refund, or inherit something — you must tell SSI. The program counts most money coming in, and if you don't report it, SSI may overpay you and then ask for the money back later. You have until the 10th day of the month after the change occurs to report it. If you miss that window, SSI will still want to know, but you may face a delay in your benefits while they investigate.

The fastest way to report is by phone. Call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) and tell them what changed. Have your Social Security number ready. You can also report in person at your local Social Security office, by mail, or through your online my Social Security account if you have one set up. No matter which method you use, keep a record of when you reported and who you spoke with — this protects you if there's ever a question about whether you told them.

Key Takeaways

• You must report income changes to SSI by the 10th day of the month after the change, or SSI may overpay you and demand repayment later.
• Call 1-800-772-1213 to report — it's the fastest method and creates a record of your report.
• SSI counts most money coming in, including wages, pensions, gifts over $20 per month, and one-time payments like tax refunds or inheritances.
• Some money does not count toward SSI limits, such as food, shelter paid directly to a landlord, or the first $65 of monthly earnings plus half of anything above that.
• If you report late, tell SSI immediately anyway — the sooner you report, the sooner they can correct your payment.

What counts as income SSI needs to know about

SSI counts money you earn from work, but it also counts money that comes to you in other ways. A pension, annuity, or regular payment from a trust counts. A one-time payment — like a tax refund, inheritance, insurance settlement, or back pay from a job — counts. Gifts count if they add up to more than $20 in a single month. Money from a roommate for rent or utilities counts. Even money you receive for selling something counts as income in the month you receive it.

Some money does not count. Food and shelter you receive directly (not cash) do not count — for example, if someone pays your landlord on your behalf, that does not reduce your SSI. The first $65 of your monthly earnings do not count, and SSI does not count half of anything you earn above $65. So if you earn $200 a month, SSI counts only $67.50 of it ($200 minus $65, divided by 2, equals $67.50). Student income has its own rules and may not count at all, depending on your age and how much you earn.

How to report by phone, mail, or online

Calling is usually fastest. Dial 1-800-772-1213 Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. your local time. Have your Social Security number, the date the change happened, and details about the income ready. The representative will ask you questions, record your answers, and give you a confirmation number. Write down that number and the date you called. If you are deaf or hard of hearing, call the TTY line at 1-800-325-0778.

If you prefer to report by mail, send a letter to your local Social Security office. Include your name, Social Security number, the date of the change, and what changed. Mail it to the address on your SSI notice or find your local office at ssa.gov/locator. Reporting by mail takes longer — allow two to three weeks for SSI to receive and process it.

If you have a my Social Security account, you can log in and look for a way to report a change. Not all changes can be reported online yet, so if you don't see an option for your specific change, call instead. You can create a my Social Security account at ssa.gov if you don't have one.

What happens after you report

SSI will review the information you gave them and decide whether your benefit amount should change. If your income went up, your SSI payment may go down or stop. If your income went down, your SSI payment may go up. SSI will send you a notice in the mail explaining the change and when it takes effect. Read that notice carefully — it will tell you the new amount you'll receive starting in a specific month.

Changes usually take effect the month after SSI processes your report, but sometimes there is a delay. If you reported late (after the 10th of the month), SSI may take longer to make the change, and your payment might be wrong for a month or two while they sort it out. That's why reporting on time matters — it keeps your payment accurate from the start.

If you reported late or think you made a mistake

If you missed the 10th-day deadline, report the change as soon as you realize it. Call 1-800-772-1213 and explain what happened and when. Tell them you're reporting late and give them the actual date the change occurred. SSI will still process it, though there may be a delay in correcting your payment. Do not wait — the sooner you report, the sooner SSI can fix any overpayment.

If you reported something but now think you gave SSI wrong information, call them back and correct it. For example, if you said you earned $300 but it was actually $250, call and tell them the correct amount. SSI can update their records, and if the mistake resulted in an overpayment, correcting it quickly may reduce what you owe back.

How overpayments happen and what to do

An overpayment occurs when SSI pays you more than you should have received because your income was higher than they thought. This happens most often when someone doesn't report income on time. SSI will send you a notice saying you owe money back. The notice will explain how much and why. Do not ignore it — SSI will keep sending notices, and they may take money from your future SSI payments to recover what you owe.

If you receive an overpayment notice and think SSI made a mistake, you can ask them to reconsider. Call 1-800-772-1213 and explain why you think the overpayment is wrong. You can also request a hearing before an administrative law judge if you disagree with SSI's decision. A hearing request must be made within 60 days of the notice. Ask SSI for the form to request a hearing, or find it at ssa.gov.

Reporting changes that happen every month

If your income changes every month — for example, you work part-time and your hours vary — you still need to report. Some people report once a month on a set day, like the first of the month, telling SSI what they earned the previous month. Others report only when the amount changes significantly. Ask SSI what they prefer. Some local offices have a reporting system where you call a specific number and leave a message with your earnings each month — ask if yours does.

If you work, keep a record of your pay stubs or earnings. When you report to SSI, you may need to show proof of what you earned. Having that documentation ready makes the process faster and gives you proof of what you reported if there's ever a question later.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I get a one-time payment like a tax refund or inheritance?

Report it in the month you receive it. One-time payments count as income in that single month. If the amount is large, it may reduce or stop your SSI for that month or the next, depending on how SSI counts it. Call 1-800-772-1213 and tell them the exact date you received it and the amount.

Do I have to report money someone gives me as a gift?

Gifts under $20 in a month do not count. Gifts of $20 or more in a single month count as income. If your mother gives you $50 in January, report it. If she gives you $10 in January and $10 in February, you don't have to report either one because each month is under $20.

What if I start working and forget to report my first paycheck?

Report it as soon as you remember. Call 1-800-772-1213 and explain when you started working and what you've earned so far. SSI will process the report, and your payment may be adjusted for the months you worked. Reporting late may cause an overpayment, but reporting it at all is better than SSI finding out on their own later.

Can I report income changes through my representative payee?

If you have a representative payee (someone SSI appointed to manage your benefits), they can report changes on your behalf. However, you can also report directly yourself. If you're unsure whether you have a payee, call 1-800-772-1213 and ask. Either way, the report needs to happen by the 10th of the month after the change.

What if SSI says I owe money back but I don't think I did anything wrong?

You have the right to disagree. Call 1-800-772-1213 and ask SSI to explain the overpayment in detail. If you still disagree after they explain, you can request a hearing. You have 60 days from the date of the overpayment notice to ask for a hearing. SSI will send you the form or tell you how to request one.