A Key Student Benefit: SSI Student Earned Income Exclusion

Who is eligible for the student earned income exclusion?
If you are under age 22 and regularly attending school, SSA does not count up to $1,640 of earned income per month when they figure your SSI payment amount.

The maximum yearly exclusion is $6,600. These amounts are for the year 2011; they are adjusted each year based on the cost-of-living and posted online.

What does “regularly attending school” mean?
“Regularly attending school” means that the person takes one or more courses of study and attends class:
• in a college or university for at least 8 hours per week; or
• in grades 7 through 12 for at least 12 hours per week; or
• in a training course to prepare for employment for at least 12 hours per week (15 hours a week if the course involves shop practice); or
• for less time than indicated above for reasons beyond the student’s control (such as illness).

Remember, the Student Earned Income Exclusion is not automatic. You must ask your Social Security Representative for it!

SSI Student Earned Income Exclusion
The Student Earned Income Exclusion (SEIE) is a work incentive that allows certain SSI recipients who are under age 22 and regularly attending school to exclude a specified amount of gross earned income per month up to a maximum annual exclusion.

The SEIE decreases the amount of countable earned income. This permits SSI recipients to keep more of the SSI check when they work.

In many cases, the SEIE allows students to test their ability to work without experiencing any reduction in the SSI check at all.

CLICK HERE TO CALCULATE YOUR EARNINGS LESS THE SEIE

*ALSO, if a person is on SSI and is blind, expenses needed to earn income that are paid for by the individual (not necessarily related to the disability) can be excluded from the income determination for SSI. For example, transportation to and from work would be deductible. These are called "blind work expenses."