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Selling, Giving Away, or Retaining Property While Applying for SSI

This guide presents selected U.S. government consumer education from Social Security Administration. References to “we” or “us” in the source material refer to the issuing agency. Source dates and links appear below.

Spotlight On Transfers Of Resources

What Is A Resource?

A resource is something you own that you can use (or turn into cash to use) to pay for food and shelter. Examples of resources are cash, property, stocks, bonds, and bank accounts.

Why Are Resources Important In The SSI Program?

To get Supplemental Security Income (SSI), your countable resources must not be worth more than $2,000 for an individual or $3,000 for a couple. We call this the resource limit. Read the SSI Spotlight on Resources, for information about how we count resources.

What Does It Mean To Transfer Resources?

Transferring a resource is giving away or selling a resource. For example, giving away cash to another person is a transfer of resources.

What Happens To My SSI If I Transfer A Resource?

If you, your spouse, or a co–owner give away a resource or sell it for less than it is worth, you may be ineligible for SSI for up to 36 months. How long you are ineligible for SSI depends on the value of the resource you transferred.

What Happens If I Sell A Resource?

If you sell a resource for what it is worth, the 36–month ineligibility period does not apply. But, the money you receive from the sale may make you ineligible if it puts you over the $2,000 resource limit for an individual or $3,000 for a couple.

What Happens If I Put My Resources Into A Trust?

In some cases, we consider putting resources into a trust as a transfer of resources that makes you ineligible for SSI. In other cases, we count the trust itself as a resource. Moreover, the value of the trust could put you over the resource limit. See the SSI Spotlight on Trusts or more information on how trusts affect SSI eligibility.

How Does Transferring A Resource Affect Medicaid Coverage?

Medicaid may not pay for certain health care costs if you or your spouse give away a resource or sell it for less than it is worth.  If you have any questions about how transferring a resource affects Medicaid coverage, please contact the welfare or social services agency that handles Medicaid in your area.  They can answer your questions about how transferring resources affects Medicaid.


THIS INFORMATION IS GENERAL.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL 1–800–772–1213 (TTY 1–800–325–0778),
VISIT OUR WEBSITE (www.ssa.gov) ON THE INTERNET,
OR CONTACT YOUR LOCAL SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE.


Spotlight On Getting SSI Benefits While You Try To Sell Excess Resources

Can I Get SSI If I Have Excess Resources?

To get Supplemental Security Income (SSI), your countable resources must not be worth more than $2,000 for an individual, or $3,000 for a couple. However, you may be able to get conditional payments if you agree to sell some of your countable resources.

What Kinds Of Things Can I Sell?

You can sell the following types of things:

    real property, such as land or a house that you don't live in; or personal property, such as non–excluded vehicles (for example, a second car).

How Does This Work?

    While you are trying to sell real property, you can receive SSI benefits for up to 9 months under certain conditions. While you are trying to sell personal property, you can receive SSI benefits for up to 3 months. We may pay you even longer if you meet certain conditions.

What Do I Have To Do?

    You must be otherwise eligible to receive SSI except for the property that you would be trying to sell. For example, you can’t get conditional benefits if you have bank account balances over the resource limit or if you have countable income that makes you ineligible for SSI. Your conditional benefits cannot begin until after you sign the “agreement to sell property” form and we accept the agreement.  You also have to demonstrate that you are diligently pursuing the sale of the property. The agreement form is available at your local Social Security office.  Ask us for more details.

What Happens After I Sell My Real And/Or Personal Property?

    You will have to pay back some or all of the SSI benefits you received while trying to sell the property. You may continue to get SSI benefits. Contact your local Social Security office to find out if your SSI benefits will continue after the sale.

THIS INFORMATION IS GENERAL.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL 1–800–772–1213 (TTY 1–800–325–0778),
VISIT OUR WEBSITE (www.ssa.gov) ON THE INTERNET,
OR CONTACT YOUR LOCAL SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE.


Spotlight On Property Essential To Self-Support

Why Are Resources Important For SSI?

Resources are things that you own and can turn into cash. To get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, things you own that we count must be worth $2,000 or less for an individual, or $3,000 or less for a couple.

    Not all the things you own count as resources for SSI. It is possible for people who have businesses to get SSI.

Does Property Essential To Self-Support Count As A Resource For SSI?

Some property that you own and you use to support yourself never counts as a resource. For example:

    property that you own and use in a trade or business, such as a gas station, farm, beauty parlor; personal property that you use for work, such as tools, uniforms, or safety equipment; or government permits that allow you to do something to produce income, such as permits for commercial fishing.

Some property may count, but often does not, or we may partly exclude it. For example:

    property you use to produce goods or services that you need in your daily life, such as land, or equipment that you use to grow vegetables or raise livestock that you and your family eat; or non–business property that produces income such as land or real estate or equipment you rent to someone.

Other things that you own may not count for SSI either.


THIS INFORMATION IS GENERAL.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL 1–800–772–1213 (TTY 1–800–325–0778),
VISIT OUR WEBSITE (www.ssa.gov) ON THE INTERNET,
OR CONTACT YOUR LOCAL SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE.


Sources and publication details

The federal agency source text is U.S. government work in the public domain. Fynoptic selected, adapted, and formatted it for this guide. No agency endorsement is implied. Follow the linked sources for current program details and the rules applicable to your circumstances.

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