Originally Posted by theking

"Straight social security" as you called it is SSA and it is SSA that pays for those that are age eligible to retire or are retired from a permanent disability and one must have a minimum of 40 quarters paid into the system to qualify for SSA and the amount of payment is based upon what you paid into the system...thus different people receive different amounts.

SSI is paid by the Social Security Dept. and is paid to those that do not have a minimum of 40 quarters paid into the system (are not qualified for SSA) and eligibility is based upon monthly income...or being age eligible...and can be paid for either a temporary disability or a permanent disability. The amount paid is a low fixed amount based upon income. I think the max is $485 per month but some States will add additional money to this amount...but not all States.

Some people that are SSA qualified were low income earners and receive such a low amount of SSA that they are subsidized with SSI up to the federal maximum which as I stated is somewhere around $485 per month and once again some States will add addional money to the amount of the SSA and SSI...but not all States. In other words if you have income that exceeds more that $485 per month you would not be eligible for SSI and what ever income you may have up to the max $485 will be deducted from the $485.