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SSI Resources - Definition

The amount of a person's resources is used to determine whether he or she is eligible for any given month. If a person's countable resources are within the statutory limit for eligibility, they have no effect on the amount of the SSI payment. A person with too much in resources is not eligible for SSI benefits. However, not everything a person has is a resource and not all resources count.

For SSI purposes, a resource is cash or other liquid assets and any other real or personal property that an individual (or spouse, if any) owns and could convert to cash to obtain support and maintenance. If the individual has the right, authority or power to liquidate the property, it is considered a resource (SSA Handbook, Section 2148.)

Certain assets are not considered resources. See the topic "SSI Resources - Assets Not Resources" for further information.

Other resources are excluded when determining countable resources. See the topic "SSI Resources - Exclusions" for a list and more information.

How resources are counted, when resources are valued, liquid and nonliquid resources, and ownership issues are discussed in the topic "SSI Resources - Valuation and Counting."

In certain situations, other people are expected to share financial responsibility for an individual. In these situations, the resources (and income) of the others are considered in determining the individual's eligibility. (This is called "deeming"; for more information see the topics "Deeming from Spouse" and "Deeming from Parents". Complete information is in section 2166 of the SSA Handbook.)

NOTE: As of March 9, 2005, SSA has changed its resource-counting rules in the SSI program by eliminating the dollar value limit for the exclusion of household goods and personal effects. As a result, SSA will not count household goods and personal effects as resources. For more information see:
http://www.ssa.gov/regulations/articles/rin0960_af84f.htm

ALSO NOTE: As of March 9, 2005, SSA has changed its rules for excluding an automobile in determining the resources of an SSI applicant or recipient. SSA will exclude one automobile (the "first" automobile) from resources if it is used for transportation for the individual or a member of the individual's household, without consideration of its value. For more information see:
http://www.ssa.gov/regulations/articles/rin0960_af84f.htm

FURTHER NOTE: On July 18, 2005, SSA issued Final Rules amending the SSI regulations by making technical revisions to rules on income and resources based on the Social Security Protection Act (SSPA) of 2004 and several other statutory changes. These revisions, among other things, clarify that certain types of income are excluded when determining SSI income and resources. These include income from the following sources:
(1) Any matching funds and any interest earned on these matching funds that are retained in an Individual Development Account (IDA), as provided for by the Community Opportunities, Accountability, and Training and Educational Services Act of 1998. These IDAs are funded by a demonstration project authorized by Public Law 105-285.
(2) Any earnings, TANF matching funds, and accrued interest retained in an IDA, as provided for by section 103 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996.
(3) Any unspent portion of retroactive Title II and Title XVI benefits is excluded from resources for a time period of 9 months.
(4) Any unspent portion of Federal income taxes related to an Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is excluded from resources for a time period of 9 months following the month of receipt.
(5) Any unspent portion of any refund of Federal income taxes relating to the Child Care Tax Credit is excluded from resources for a time period of 9 months following the month of receipt.
For more information see:
http://www.ssa.gov/regulations/articles/rin0960_ae79f.htm

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