Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments increased in 2026 following the 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment that also applies to Social Security benefits. According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), the maximum federal SSI payment is now $994 per month for an eligible individual.
The maximum amount is not the same for every recipient. The SSA lists three federal maximums for 2026, depending on the recipient’s situation.
Who can receive up to $994 in SSI?
An eligible individual can receive a maximum federal SSI payment of $994 per month in 2026. The SSA also lists a maximum of $1,491 per month for an eligible individual with an eligible spouse and $498 for an essential person.
However, $994 is the maximum federal amount, not a guaranteed payment. The SSA states that the monthly amount is reduced by subtracting the recipient’s countable income. Some states also supplement federal SSI benefits.
How the $994 SSI payment is calculated
The 2026 maximum comes from the annual SSI payment amount after the 2.8% COLA increase. For an eligible individual, the unrounded annual amount increased from $11,604.53 in 2025 to $11,929.46 in 2026.
The SSA then divides the unrounded annual amount by 12 and rounds the result down to the next lower multiple of $1, producing the $994 monthly maximum.
Because countable income is deducted from the monthly payment, an eligible individual with countable income may receive less than $994.
Important
The $994 figure should be understood as the maximum federal payment for an eligible individual, rather than an amount that every SSI recipient automatically receives.