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The Social Security Administration (SSA) detailed on its official website all the changes that recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) must report mandatorily.

According to the specification, there are circumstances in a beneficiary’s living conditions that can directly affect their eligibility for the benefit and the amount they are receiving.

“By reporting these changes to Social Security as soon as they occur, you help ensure that your payment remains correct and avoid overpayments, underpayments, or penalties,” the statement says.

The list of “life changes” that SSI recipients must report

Any applicant or recipient of SSI must report:

Changes in income

  • Wages
  • Pensions
  • Unemployment benefits

Changes in resources

  • Changes related to bank accounts, vehicles, or property

Changes in employment status

  • Starting, leaving, or changing jobs

Changes of address

  • Moving must be reported so that communications can be maintained

Changes in living arrangements

  • Entering a nursing home/correctional institution
  • Leaving a nursing home/correctional institution
  • Someone moving into or out of the household

Status changes

  • Any change in immigration status
  • Changes with citizenship

Changes in marital status

  • Marriage
  • Divorce
  • Separation

Other changes

  • In eligibility for other benefits or payments
  • Entering or leaving another institution
  • Changes in school attendance, if under 22 years old
  • Trips outside the United States during a full calendar month or 30 consecutive days or more
  • Having a pending felony conviction or an arrest warrant for evading justice

Although there are different ways to report these events, one of the simplest when it comes to wages is to use the personal my Social Security account. For changes that are not related to wages, the instruction is to contact the local SSA office or call -800-772-1213.

Important information for people with disabilities who receive SSI

In these cases, the instruction is to report:

  • Any improvement in medical condition
  • Changes related to work and wages
  • Changes in Ticket to Work status
  • Changes in expenses under the Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS)

When any of the changes on the list must be reported

The official instruction is to report any of these changes before the tenth day of the month following the month in which they occur. For example, those who move in October must report it before November 10.

When what must be reported is a change in wages, the advice is to report it before the sixth day of the month of payment to avoid overpayments.

Penalties for failing to declare changes on time

The federal agency details that failing to report changes on time has consequences such as:

  • Reduced payments and a delay in crediting the correct amount
  • Overpayments that must be returned
  • Penalties, where the SSI payment is reduced by between 25 and 100 dollars each time a change is not reported or is not reported on time.

Those who intentionally make false statements may face sanctions that involve withholding of payments and, in some cases, criminal penalties.