Wisconsin SSI Income Limit 2026: Federal Rates, State Supplement, and SSI-E

2026 Federal SSI Benefit Rates

The Social Security Administration sets the federal SSI payment amount each year based on the cost-of-living adjustment. For 2026:

• Individual: $994.00 per month
• Eligible couple: $1,491.00 per month

These are maximum amounts. Countable income reduces the SSI payment under SSI income-counting rules; specific exclusions and disregards apply.

The individual resource limit remains $2,000. For an eligible couple, it is $3,000. Countable resources include bank accounts, cash, stocks, and bonds. Excluded: the primary home, one vehicle, household goods, burial funds up to $1,500, and ABLE account balances up to $100,000.

Wisconsin's State Supplementary Payment

Wisconsin is one of the states that adds a mandatory state supplement on top of the federal SSI amount. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services administers this payment — it is funded by the state, not SSA.

For 2026, following the 10% increase under DHS Memo 26-12 (the first SSI supplement increase since 1994):

The "household of another" rate applies when someone lives in another person's home and does not pay their fair share of food and shelter costs. The federal portion drops by one-third under the Value of One-Third Reduction rule. The state supplement stays the same regardless of living arrangement.

To qualify for any state supplement, you must receive at least $1.00 of federal SSI. If federal SSI is reduced to zero — by earned income, unearned income, or in-kind support — the state supplement also terminates.

The SSI-E Exceptional Expense Supplement

Wisconsin provides an additional state-funded payment for individuals whose living situation involves higher care costs. The Exceptional Expense Supplement (SSI-E) adds $105.59 per month to the state payment, bringing the total state portion to $197.75.

For an eligible couple in a certified setting, the combined state supplement reaches $525.16 per month — bringing the total benefit to $2,016.16.

To qualify for SSI-E, the individual must:

• Live in a licensed adult family home or community-based residential facility (CBRF), or
• Require at least 40 hours per month of supportive home care
• Be formally certified by the county or tribal agency

SSI-E is not automatic. The county agency must certify that the individual meets the care-hours or facility threshold. If your adult child lives at home and requires extensive care, document the hours carefully — 40 hours per month is roughly 10 hours per week.

Medicaid Income and Asset Limits

Wisconsin's Medicaid thresholds for adults with disabilities track closely with SSI:

• EBD Medicaid (categorically needy): $1,086.16 monthly income, $2,000 assets
• EBD Medicaid (medically needy/spenddown): $1,330.00 monthly income, $2,000 assets
• Long-term care waiver income (Family Care/IRIS): $2,982.00 per month (300% of federal SSI rate)

The spenddown pathway allows individuals whose income exceeds the standard to qualify by applying qualifying medical expenses to the excess income. The 2026 medically needy income standard is $1,330.00 per month; the county determines the applicable spenddown calculation.

Work Incentives and Higher Thresholds

For adults who work, several exclusions raise the effective income ceiling:

• Earned income exclusion: SSI generally excludes the first $65 of monthly earned income plus half of the remainder; the separate $20 general income exclusion is applied first to unearned income, and any unused portion can apply to earnings
• Student Earned Income Exclusion: Under-22 students exclude up to $2,410 per month ($9,730 annual maximum)
• Section 1619(b): Former SSI recipients may keep Medicaid if they meet the program's requirements; Wisconsin's 2026 threshold amount is $51,711 per year
• Substantial Gainful Activity: $1,690 per month (non-blind), $2,830 per month (blind); this is generally used to evaluate disability, not as a simple post-entitlement SSI earnings cutoff

These thresholds mean that many working adults with disabilities remain eligible for Medicaid well above the basic SSI income limit.

The Wisconsin SSI at 18 & Adult Disability Benefits Guide includes a benefit calculation worksheet that maps out exactly how income, the state supplement, and SSI-E interact for your specific living arrangement.

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