Many people rely on Reddit to navigate confusing financial and government systems — and the r/SocialSecurity subreddit is no exception. One recent post drew attention for highlighting a common but complicated concern: how Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, benefits may be affected if a recipient moves in with family.
A user wrote about their mother, 48, who recently began receiving Social Security benefits after a successful disability claim. She’s permanently disabled due to a back injury from a car accident in 2008,” the post explained. “My mom swears she was told she cannot live with anyone who has income or she will lose or have her benefits reduced.”
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The poster added that the home is under their father’s name — the mother’s legally separated spouse — and that the poster and their father pay half the mortgage. The mother is hesitant to move in, fearing that Social Security will “look up who owns the house and question why she’s living at her ex-husband’s house,” according to the post. “She’s so paranoid, but is this true?”
The confusion likely stems from how the Social Security Administration treats SSI versus Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI. Several Reddit users pointed this out in the comments.
“If she’s on SSI, the rules are indeed very strict,” one commenter explained. “If SSDI, it doesn’t matter where she lives or what her assets are.”
The distinction is important. SSDI is based on work history and is not income-tested, meaning living with someone who has income — even a family member — usually doesn’t affect your benefits. SSI, on the other hand, is a needs-based program for people with limited income and assets. In SSI cases, help with housing can reduce the benefit amount.
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According to the SSA, your living situation can directly impact your SSI benefit. If someone else — like a child or other family member — provides free shelter or pays your rent, your monthly SSI payment may be reduced by up to one-third of the federal benefit rate.