To qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) in Virginia in 2026, you must be age 65 or older, blind, or disabled, have countable resources under $2,000 (individual) or $3,000 (couple), and have countable income below the federal benefit rate of $994 per month for an individual or $1,491 for a couple. Virginia does not pay a general state supplement on top of federal SSI, but it does run an Auxiliary Grant program for SSI recipients living in licensed assisted living facilities or approved adult foster care homes. One rule catches many Virginians off guard: Virginia is a 209(b) state, so getting approved for SSI does not automatically enroll you in Medicaid. You have to file a separate Medicaid application.
Here is exactly what the 2026 numbers are, how Social Security counts your income and assets, and how to file.
2026 SSI Payment Amounts in Virginia
The 2026 cost-of-living adjustment was 2.8 percent, which raised the federal benefit rate (FBR) for everyone, including Virginia residents.
| Category | 2025 Monthly FBR | 2026 Monthly FBR | Annual (2026) |
|---|
| Eligible individual | $967 | $994 | $11,928 |
| Eligible couple (both qualify) | $1,450 | $1,491 | $17,892 |
| Essential person | $484 | $498 | $5,976 |
These are maximums, not guaranteed payments. Social Security subtracts your countable income from the FBR, and the remainder is your check. Someone with $300 in countable income receives roughly $694 rather than the full $994.
Virginia has no statewide cash supplement that adds to the monthly federal check for people living independently. In practice, that means the $994 figure is the ceiling for most Virginia SSI recipients.
Virginia SSI Income Limits for 2026
SSI counts "countable income," not gross income. Social Security applies exclusions first, and those exclusions mean you can earn more than $994 and still qualify.
The standard exclusions:
- $20 general income exclusion applied to almost any income, earned or unearned
- $65 earned income exclusion applied to wages or self-employment
- One-half of remaining earnings are excluded after the $20 and $65
That math produces two very different limits depending on where the money comes from.
| Income type | Approximate 2026 monthly cutoff (individual) | Approximate 2026 monthly cutoff (couple) |
|---|
| Unearned income only (SSDI, pension, unemployment, alimony) | $1,014 | $1,511 |
| Earned income only (wages) | $2,073 | $3,067 |
| Countable income (after exclusions) | $994 | $1,491 |
Example. A Richmond resident earns $1,400 a month at a part-time job and has no other income. Social Security subtracts $20, then $65, leaving $1,315. Half of that is excluded, so countable income is about $657. Her SSI payment would be roughly $994 minus $657, or about $337 a month, and she stays eligible.
Example. A Norfolk applicant receives $1,100 a month in SSDI and nothing else. Social Security subtracts the $20 general exclusion, leaving $1,080 in countable income. That exceeds the $994 FBR, so he is not eligible for SSI even though he is clearly disabled.
In-Kind Support and Maintenance
If someone else pays your rent, mortgage, food, or utilities, Social Security may count part of that as income and reduce your check. As of the 2024 rule change, food provided by others no longer counts as in-kind support and maintenance. Free or discounted housing still can, and the reduction is capped at roughly one-third of the FBR plus $20, about $351 a month in 2026. If you live with family in Virginia and pay your fair share of household expenses, document it. A written rental or room-and-board agreement helps.
Working While on SSI
SSI does not use the SSDI substantial gainful activity test the same way after you are approved, but SGA does matter at the initial disability decision. For 2026, SGA is $1,690 per month for non-blind applicants and $2,830 per month for blind applicants. Earning above that at the time you apply generally means Social Security will find you are not disabled.
Students under 22 who regularly attend school get the Student Earned Income Exclusion: up to $2,410 per month, capped at $9,730 for 2026, is not counted at all.
Virginia SSI Resource Limits for 2026
The resource limit has not changed since 1989 and remains:
| Household | Resource limit |
|---|
| Individual | $2,000 |
| Couple | $3,000 |
Counted resources: cash, checking and savings accounts, stocks, bonds, second vehicles, second properties, life insurance with combined face value over $1,500.
Not counted:
- The home you live in, regardless of value
- One vehicle, regardless of value, if used for transportation
- Household goods and personal effects
- Burial plots for you and immediate family
- Up to $1,500 in burial funds set aside for each of you and a spouse
- ABLE account balances up to $100,000 (Virginia runs ABLEnow, one of the largest ABLE programs in the country)
- Retroactive SSI and Social Security back payments, for 9 months after receipt
The ABLE exclusion matters a lot in Virginia. ABLEnow accounts let a disabled person whose disability began before age 26 save well past the $2,000 limit without losing SSI. Starting in 2026, the ABLE age threshold rises to onset before age 46, expanding who can open one.
Medical and Non-Medical Eligibility
Beyond income and resources, you must meet one of three categorical requirements:
- Age 65 or older, with no disability required
- Blind, meaning vision no better than 20/200 in the better eye with correction, or a visual field of 20 degrees or less
- Disabled, meaning a medically determinable impairment that prevents substantial gainful activity and has lasted or is expected to last at least 12 months or result in death. Children qualify under a marked-and-severe-functional-limitation standard.
You must also be a U.S. citizen or a qualified non-citizen, reside in one of the 50 states, and not be absent from the country for a full calendar month. Disability determinations for Virginia applicants are made by Virginia Disability Determination Services (DDS), a state agency under the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services that reviews medical evidence on Social Security's behalf.
The 209(b) Rule: Why Virginia SSI Does Not Automatically Mean Medicaid
In most states, an SSI approval automatically enrolls you in Medicaid. Virginia is one of a small group of 209(b) states, along with Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, and North Dakota, that use eligibility criteria more restrictive than SSI for at least one element.
What this means for you:
- Being approved for SSI does not automatically open a Medicaid case in Virginia
- You must file a separate application with your local Department of Social Services or through Cover Virginia
- Virginia must allow a medical expense spend-down, so if your income is slightly too high, you can subtract incurred medical bills to get under the limit
Virginia's Aged, Blind, or Disabled (ABD) Medicaid category is the pathway most SSI recipients use. Virginia also runs Medicaid Works, a buy-in program for disabled workers age 16 to 64 that allows substantially higher income and asset levels while keeping full Medicaid. If you are on SSI and working, ask about it.
Do not assume coverage. Apply for Medicaid separately, and apply the same week you file for SSI.
How to Apply for SSI in Virginia
Step 1: Gather documents. Social Security card or number, birth certificate, proof of citizenship or immigration status, pay stubs and tax returns, bank statements for all accounts, information about your home and vehicle, life insurance policies, and names, addresses, and phone numbers of every doctor, clinic, and hospital that treated you along with dates of visits and a list of medications.
Step 2: Start the application. Adults age 18 to 64 applying on the basis of disability can start online at ssa.gov/apply/ssi. Applicants who are 65 or older, blind, or applying for a child usually need a phone or in-person appointment. Call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., to schedule. You can also make an appointment at a Virginia field office in Richmond, Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Roanoke, Arlington, Charlottesville, Lynchburg, Fredericksburg, Bristol, and other cities.
Step 3: Complete the disability paperwork. If you are applying as disabled or blind, you will fill out the Adult Disability Report or Child Disability Report and sign medical release forms (SSA-827). Virginia DDS then requests your records. If your records are thin, DDS may send you to a consultative exam at no cost.
Step 4: File your Virginia Medicaid application separately. Apply through coverva.dmas.virginia.gov, call Cover Virginia at 1-855-242-8282, use CommonHelp at commonhelp.virginia.gov, or visit your local DSS office.
Step 5: Respond fast to every request. Missing a DDS questionnaire or a consultative exam is one of the most common reasons Virginia claims get denied.
Timelines and Appeals
Initial disability decisions in Virginia typically take about 6 to 8 months. Age-65 and blindness claims move faster because there is no medical development.
If you are denied, you have 60 days from the date on the notice to appeal. Virginia is a standard four-level appeal state:
- Reconsideration, a fresh review by a different DDS examiner
- Hearing before an Administrative Law Judge, where approval rates rise substantially
- Appeals Council review
- Federal district court
Most people who eventually win do so at the hearing level. Appeal, do not reapply. Reapplying resets your clock and can cost you back pay.
SSI benefits start the month after you file, so there is no five-month waiting period like SSDI. Large back payments are usually paid in up to three installments.
For more Virginia-specific program information, see our Virginia benefits guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the maximum SSI payment in Virginia for 2026?
$994 per month for an eligible individual and $1,491 for an eligible couple. Virginia does not add a general state supplement, so most recipients living independently top out at the federal amount.
Does Virginia pay a state supplement to SSI?
Not for people living on their own. Virginia's Auxiliary Grant program supplements income for SSI recipients and other aged, blind, or disabled residents who live in a licensed assisted living facility or an approved adult foster care home. The maximum AG rate rose to approximately $2,130 per month statewide effective January 2026, with a higher rate in Northern Virginia. That total combines your own income with the grant to cover the facility's rate.
Do I get Medicaid automatically when I am approved for SSI in Virginia?
No. Virginia is a 209(b) state, so an SSI approval does not automatically create a Medicaid case. File a separate application with Cover Virginia or your local Department of Social Services. Virginia does allow a medical expense spend-down if your income is slightly above the Medicaid limit.
How much can I earn and still get SSI in Virginia?
An individual with only wages can generally earn up to roughly $2,073 a month before SSI stops, because Social Security excludes $20, then $65, then half of what is left. If your income is unearned, such as SSDI or a pension, the cutoff drops to about $1,014 a month.
Can I get SSI and SSDI at the same time in Virginia?
Yes. This is called a concurrent claim. If your SSDI check is less than $994, SSI can top you up to that level after the $20 general exclusion is applied.
Will my savings disqualify me?
If your countable resources exceed $2,000 (individual) or $3,000 (couple), yes. Your home, one vehicle, household goods, and up to $100,000 in an ABLEnow account do not count.
How long does it take to get approved in Virginia?
Roughly 6 to 8 months for an initial disability decision, longer if you have to appeal. Applicants who are 65 or older and not applying on disability grounds are usually decided in a few weeks once documents are verified.
