SSI Resource Limit and Room and Board Agreement Georgia

The $2,000 Limit That Trips Up Georgia Families

Supplemental Security Income has a strict countable resource limit: $2,000 for an individual, $3,000 for a couple. Having countable resources above the limit can make the individual ineligible for SSI; because Georgia automatically links Medicaid to SSI, it can also put automatic Medicaid coverage at risk. No grace period, no warning — just a notice in the mail that benefits stopped.

"Resources" means anything the individual owns that could be converted to cash. Bank accounts, stocks, bonds, savings accounts, cash on hand, life insurance with cash value above $1,500, and certain property all count. The limit has not been adjusted for inflation since 1989, making it a particularly restrictive threshold. It is one of the most punishing eligibility traps in the federal benefits system.

What Does Not Count as a Resource

Understanding the exclusions is more useful than memorizing the limit. These items do not count toward the $2,000:

• The home the person lives in (regardless of value) and the land it sits on
• One vehicle used for transportation (no value limit)
• Household goods and personal effects (furniture, clothing, appliances)
• Burial funds up to $1,500 set aside in a designated account
• Life insurance policies with a combined face value of $1,500 or less
• ABLE/STABLE account balances up to $100,000 (see below)
• Property essential for self-support (tools of the trade, rental property used for income in some circumstances)
• Retroactive SSI or Social Security payments for the first 9 months after receipt

Georgia STABLE Accounts: The $100,000 Workaround

The Georgia STABLE program (available at georgiastable.com) is the most accessible tool for protecting savings. STABLE accounts are tax-advantaged savings accounts available in 2026 to individuals whose disability onset occurred before age 46. Balances up to $100,000 are completely excluded from the SSI resource calculation.

The annual contribution limit for 2026 is $20,000. Employed account holders who do not contribute to an employer retirement plan can contribute an additional $15,650 per year through the ABLE-to-Work provision. Funds can be used for disability-related expenses — housing, transportation, assistive technology, education, health care, and financial management.

If the STABLE balance exceeds $100,000, the excess may count as a resource and SSI may be suspended until the balance drops back below the limit.

For families who need to shelter more than $100,000, a Special Needs Trust (either first-party or third-party) provides unlimited asset protection but requires an attorney to establish and a trustee to administer.

Room and Board Agreements: Why They Matter for SSI

When an adult SSI recipient lives in their parent's home — which is the case for most Georgia adults with IDD — the living arrangement directly affects their SSI payment amount. SSA applies a set of rules called "in-kind support and maintenance" (ISM) to determine whether the person is receiving free food or shelter.

If your adult child lives with you and does not pay their fair share of household expenses, SSA applies the "Value of the One-Third Reduction" (VTR) rule. This reduces the SSI payment by one-third of the Federal Benefit Rate — roughly $331 per month in 2026. That is a third of the maximum $994 monthly benefit.

A room and board agreement is a written contract between the SSI recipient and the household (usually the parents) that documents a fair-market payment for the individual's share of shelter and food. When the SSI recipient pays their share according to the agreement, SSA does not apply the VTR reduction — the individual receives their full SSI benefit.

How to Structure a Room and Board Agreement

The agreement should be a written document that includes:

1. The parties — the SSI recipient and the household providing food and shelter
2. The monthly payment amount — this must reflect a reasonable share of actual household costs (rent/mortgage, utilities, food). SSA does not publish a formula, but the amount should be defensible — typically one person's pro-rata share of total shelter and food expenses.
3. What is covered — specify that the payment covers the individual's share of rent or mortgage, utilities, and food
4. Payment method — document how payment is made (transfer from the individual's bank account, check, etc.)
5. Effective date and signatures from both parties

The critical detail: the agreement only works if the payments are actually made. SSA can request bank statements showing the transfers. If the individual is not actually paying, SSA may treat the arrangement as ineffective and recalculate the living-arrangement reduction, potentially creating an overpayment.

Many families set up an automatic monthly transfer from the SSI recipient's bank account to a household account on the day SSI deposits. This creates a clear paper trail.

Avoiding Common Mistakes

Do not let the bank balance spike. A lump-sum retroactive SSI payment, a birthday gift check, or a tax refund can push the account over $2,000 on the first of the month. Move excess funds into a STABLE account before the first of the next month.

Report changes immediately. If your adult child receives an inheritance, a gift, a settlement, or any other one-time payment, contact SSA promptly. Failing to report can create overpayments that SSA will recover from future checks.

Keep the room and board agreement current. If household expenses change (rent goes up, a roommate moves out), update the agreement and the payment amount.

The Georgia SSI at 18 & Adult Disability Benefits Guide includes a Room and Board Agreement template, a Georgia STABLE Account Tracker, and monthly resource-monitoring worksheets to keep your adult child's benefits protected.

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