Wisconsin pays a state supplement on top of federal Supplemental Security Income, and it went up for the first time in more than 30 years. As of May 1, 2026, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services adds $92.16 a month to an eligible individual's federal SSI payment and $145.26 a month for an eligible couple. Combined with the 2026 federal benefit rate, that brings the maximum monthly SSI payment in Wisconsin to $1,086.16 for an individual and $1,636.26 for a couple living independently. Two additional payments stack on top for people who qualify: the Exceptional Expense Supplement (SSI-E), worth up to $105.59 a month, and the Caretaker Supplement, worth $275 for the first child and $165 for each additional child.
You do not apply separately for the basic state supplement. If the Social Security Administration approves you for a federal SSI payment of any amount, Wisconsin automatically pays you the maximum state supplement.
What the Wisconsin SSI State Supplement Actually Is
Wisconsin's supplement is state-administered, not federally administered. That distinction matters. In states with a federally administered supplement, the Social Security Administration folds the state money into one check. In Wisconsin, the Department of Health Services runs the program itself and issues the state portion separately. DHS says you receive both payments during the first week of each month.
The state supplement is tied entirely to your federal SSI eligibility. If you lose your federal SSI payment, the state payment stops with it. There is one narrow exception: a small group of members grandfathered in from December 1995, when Wisconsin took over administration of the program and ended state-only eligibility for new applicants.
A monthly Wisconsin SSI payment can include as many as three separate components:
- The basic state SSI payment, paid automatically to everyone who qualifies for federal SSI
- The Exceptional Expense Supplement (SSI-E), for people in certain care settings or needing substantial long-term support
- The Caretaker Supplement (CTS), for SSI parents raising minor children
Only the first is automatic. The other two require a separate application or a county assessment.
2026 Wisconsin SSI Payment Amounts by Living Arrangement
The Social Security Administration set the 2026 federal benefit rate at $994 a month for an individual and $1,491 for a couple, following a 2.8 percent cost-of-living adjustment. Wisconsin's state supplement is added to those figures. These are maximums. Your actual federal payment can be lower if you have countable income such as Social Security retirement or SSDI, but the state supplement is paid at the maximum regardless.
Independent Living (as of May 2026)
| Family type | Federal SSI | Wisconsin state payment | Total monthly |
|---|
| Eligible individual | $994.00 | $92.16 | $1,086.16 |
| Eligible couple | $1,491.00 | $145.26 | $1,636.26 |
| Couple, one spouse eligible | $994.00 | $143.47 | $1,137.47 |
Living in the Household of Another (as of May 2026)
If you live in someone else's home and do not pay your fair share of food and shelter costs, Social Security reduces the federal payment by one third. Wisconsin's state supplement does not shrink with it.
| Family type | Federal SSI | Wisconsin state payment | Total monthly |
|---|
| Eligible individual | $662.67 | $92.16 | $754.83 |
| Eligible couple | $994.00 | $145.26 | $1,139.26 |
| Couple, one spouse eligible | $662.67 | $148.56 | $811.23 |
Residential or Substitute Care With SSI-E (as of May 2026)
| Family type | Federal SSI | Wisconsin state payment | Total monthly |
|---|
| Eligible individual | $994.00 | $197.75 | $1,191.75 |
| Eligible couple | $1,491.00 | $525.16 | $2,016.16 |
The state payment in this table is the basic supplement plus the SSI-E amount. For an individual that is $92.16 plus $105.59. For a couple where both members are certified, the SSI-E portion is $379.90 combined, not twice the individual amount.
The May 2026 Increase: What Changed
DHS issued operations memo 26-12 on April 9, 2026, announcing a 10 percent increase to all SSI state supplementary payments and SSI-E payments effective May 1, 2026. Before that date, the individual supplement had been $83.78 a month. According to disability advocates who tracked the program, this was the first increase to Wisconsin's SSI state supplement since 1994.
| Payment component | Through April 30, 2026 | From May 1, 2026 |
|---|
| State supplement, eligible individual | $83.78 | $92.16 |
| State supplement, eligible couple | $132.05 | $145.26 |
| Couple/one eligible, independent living | $130.43 | $143.47 |
| Couple/one eligible, household of another | $135.05 | $148.56 |
| SSI-E, individual | $95.99 | $105.59 |
| SSI-E, couple | $345.36 | $379.90 |
For an individual receiving both the basic supplement and SSI-E, the increase is worth about $18 a month, or roughly $216 over a full year. Nobody had to file anything to get it. DHS applied the new levels automatically.
SSI-E: The Exceptional Expense Supplement
SSI-E adds up to $105.59 a month to the state SSI payment for members certified by a county agency. It is meant for people whose care costs run well above what the ordinary SSI payment covers.
You may qualify for SSI-E if you receive SSI and either:
You live in one of these licensed or certified settings and your expenses exceed the SSI-E payment level:
- Foster home for children
- Group home for children
- Licensed or certified adult family home or adult foster home
- Community based residential facility (CBRF) with 20 beds or fewer
- Certified residential care apartment complex (RCAC)
Or you live in your own household or another person's household, pay your share of household expenses, and need at least 40 hours of primary long-term support services each month.
That 40-hour threshold is the one most people miss. If you live in your own apartment or with family and receive substantial personal care, supportive home care, or similar long-term support, you may qualify without living in a facility at all.
How to Get Certified for SSI-E
- Contact your county agency or Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) and ask for an SSI-E assessment. This is not something Social Security handles. It runs through Wisconsin's local agencies.
- If you are already in a long-term care program, ask your managed care organization (MCO) or your IRIS consultant agency (ICA) for help with the request. They deal with SSI-E routinely.
- Complete the assessment. The agency reviews your living situation, your expenses, and the number of long-term support hours you need each month.
- Wait for the written decision. If you are approved, DHS increases your state SSI payment. There is no separate check.
- Appeal if you are denied or your benefit is reduced. Send a hearing request to the Division of Hearings and Appeals, PO Box 7875, Madison, WI 53707-7875.
Caretaker Supplement: $275 for the First Child
The Caretaker Supplement is a separate Wisconsin cash benefit for parents who receive SSI and are raising minor children at home. It is paid as part of your monthly state SSI benefit.
| Children | Monthly amount |
|---|
| First eligible child | $275 |
| Each additional eligible child | $165 |
| Example: SSI parent with 3 eligible children | $605 |
Requirements:
- You must be receiving a Wisconsin SSI payment
- You must be living with and caring for your minor children
- Your children must meet income and asset limits, including assets at or below $1,000
- Each child must continue to receive Medicaid
- If both parents live in the household, both parents must be receiving SSI
- You must cooperate with the county child support agency so any absent parent pays support
- You cannot get CTS for any child who receives SSI in their own right
If your SSI benefits end, your Caretaker Supplement ends too.
Applying for CTS, unlike the basic supplement, requires a real application. You can apply four ways:
- Online through ACCESS
- By phone to your local or Tribal agency
- By mail, using the Caretaker Supplement Application, form F-22571
- In person at your local or Tribal agency
DHS notes that CTS will not affect your health care benefits, though it can reduce your FoodShare amount. The agency says the Caretaker Supplement will still be larger than any FoodShare decrease it causes.
How to Get the Wisconsin State Supplement
For the basic state supplement, the only step is qualifying for federal SSI:
- Apply for SSI with the Social Security Administration. Start at ssa.gov or call 1-800-772-1213. Wisconsin DHS does not take SSI applications.
- Provide proof of income, resources, citizenship or qualifying immigration status, and, if applying on disability, medical records. Adults under 65 must show a physical or mental condition expected to last at least a year or result in death, and must not be working above the substantial gainful activity level.
- Wait for the SSA decision. Initial SSI disability decisions in Wisconsin commonly take several months. If you are denied, request reconsideration within 60 days.
- Once approved, the state payment starts automatically. No separate Wisconsin application, no separate form.
- Then pursue the add-ons. Ask your county agency or ADRC about SSI-E. Apply through ACCESS for the Caretaker Supplement if you have minor children at home.
Approval for SSI also opens other doors in Wisconsin. SSI recipients automatically qualify for Medicaid, sometimes called SSI Medicaid, Medical Assistance, or Title 19, with no separate application. If you also have Medicare, the state pays your Medicare premiums, deductibles, and copayments. Most SSI recipients also qualify for FoodShare, Wisconsin's SNAP program.
For a broader look at what else you may qualify for in the state, see our Wisconsin benefits guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the Wisconsin SSI state supplement in 2026?
$92.16 a month for an eligible individual and $145.26 for an eligible couple, effective May 1, 2026. Before that date the amounts were $83.78 and $132.05. Added to the 2026 federal benefit rate, the maximum total is $1,086.16 a month for an individual living independently.
Do I have to apply for the Wisconsin state SSI payment?
No. Everyone who qualifies for a federal SSI payment of any amount automatically qualifies for the maximum state SSI payment. You apply once, with Social Security. SSI-E and the Caretaker Supplement are the exceptions and do require separate requests.
Who pays the Wisconsin state supplement, DHS or Social Security?
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services administers and pays the state supplement. Social Security pays only the federal portion. DHS says both arrive during the first week of each month.
Can I get SSI-E if I live in my own apartment?
Yes. You do not have to live in a licensed facility. If you live in your own household or someone else's, pay your share of household expenses, and need at least 40 hours of primary long-term support services per month, you can be certified for SSI-E by your county agency.
Does the state supplement go down if I live in someone else's home?
No. The federal payment drops by one third if you live in another person's household without paying your fair share, from $994 to $662.67 for an individual. The Wisconsin state supplement stays at $92.16.
Can I get both SSI-E and the Caretaker Supplement?
Yes, if you meet the requirements for each. They are separate components of the same monthly state SSI payment and are not mutually exclusive. A parent in a supported living arrangement with minor children at home could receive the basic supplement, SSI-E, and CTS together.
Does the Caretaker Supplement count against my child's benefits?
You cannot receive CTS for a child who receives SSI in their own right. Children must also remain enrolled in Medicaid to stay eligible. CTS does not reduce health care benefits, but it can slightly reduce a household's FoodShare allotment.
Was the 2026 increase permanent?
The 10 percent increase took effect May 1, 2026 under DHS operations memo 26-12 and applies going forward. Wisconsin's state supplement is not indexed to inflation the way the federal benefit rate is, so it does not automatically rise each January. The previous increase was in 1994.
