Eligibility

• In order to be eligible to receive SSI benefits, you must have limited income and resources. You must also be a U.S. citizen or national; if you are an alien, you may be able to receive benefits if you meet certain requirements. You may also be eligible if you receive other financial assistance from the government. As part of the application process, you must give the Social Security Administration permission to contact your financial institution to access request your financial records. Unless you can prove that you are blind or disabled, you may have to wait until the age of 65 to collect benefits.
  
  

Disabled

• According to the Social Security Administration, an individual who is under the age of 18 can be classified as "disabled" if he or she has a physical or mental impairment that is medically determinable. The disability must result in functional limitations or can be expected to result in death. You may also qualify if you have a disability that is expected to last for a year or longer. If you are older than 18 and disabled, you will have to prove that your disability has resulted in the inability to maintain employment.
  
  

Limited Income and Resources

• The Social Security Administration considers income any money you earn from employment or other government benefit. Free food or shelter may be counted as income as well. You must also have limited resources in the form of cash, money in the bank, land or vehicles. If you are applying as a single individual, you must have no more than $2,000 in resources. Married couples are allowed to have a maximum of $3,000 in combined resources.
  
  

Citizenship

• In order to be eligible for SSI, you must be a citizen or a national of the United States. If you are a non-citizen, you must meet the alien eligibility criteria. There are a number of non-citizenship categories that have been established by the Department of Homeland Security (see Resources).