Getting SSI and Working? What You Need to Know

When you receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and work, reporting your wages to Social Security accurately and on time is important to ensure you receive the payment you are eligible for. Reporting your wages to us helps ensure that your SSI payments are calculated correctly and prevents overpayments or underpayments. Understanding the process and requirements for reporting can help avoid potential payment issues.

SSI payments are based on financial need, and any earned or unearned income can directly impact the monthly payment amounts. Recipients are required to report their wages by the 10th day of the month after they receive them. However, we encourage recipients to report wages by the 6th day of that following month.

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Any other changes, such as starting a new job, getting a pay raise, or leaving a job, must be reported within 10 days after the end of the month in which the change occurred. Not reporting these changes accurately and on time may result in penalties, including a reduction in payments. Following these reporting requirements helps ensure that your SSI payments are correct and uninterrupted.

How to report your wages:

• Wages can be reported to us on your behalf through the Payroll Information Exchange (PIE). For more information, visit: https://www.ssa.gov/ssi/spotlights/spot-pie.htm.
• Use your personal my Social Security account at www.ssa.gov/myaccount.
• Use the SSA Mobile Wage Reporting app, available as a free download from either the Apple or Google Play stores.
• Use our Toll-Free Telephone Wage Reporting System at 1-866-772-0953.

Want a reminder from us to report your wages? Be sure to sign up for monthly SSI wage reporting email or text reminders here.

Want to have your wages reported to us for you? You may not have to report your wages every month if we receive them through PIE. To sign up for this, you can complete and submit the SSA-8240 form online, over the phone, or to the local Social Security office. You must continue to report your wages monthly using another reporting method until you receive a notice that we are receiving your wages through PIE.

Before using any of our automated wage reporting applications, or, if you already use one and you change employers, you must contact us and provide your employer's information and their employer identification number (EIN). You can call us Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) or contact your local Social Security office.

You can get additional information about reporting your wages on our SSI Wage Reporting webpage at www.ssa.gov/ssi/reporting/wages. We also invite you to read our publication, What You Need to Know When You Get Supplemental Security Income, at www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-11011.pdf.

Please share this information with anyone who might need this information!