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In general, eligibility for SSDI and SSI doesn’t change because you move to another state. Your disability benefits won’t change if you move to another state, except for the Supplemental Security Income state supplement. In addition, changing who you live with when you move may change your SSI benefits.
Pekas Smith: Arizona Disability Attorneys explains what happens to your disability benefits if you move to another state.
If I Move to Arizona, Will My Disability Benefits Change?
Your SSDI disability benefits will not change if you move to Arizona. Someone who receives Social Security Disability in another state may move to Arizona and continue their benefits. Your SSI supplement will stop if you receive one in your current state. Arizona does not offer an SSI state supplement.
If I Move Out of Arizona, Will My Disability Benefits Change?
If you move out of Arizona, your SSDI disability benefits will stay the same. Arizona doesn’t pay an SSI supplement, so you may see your SSI benefits increase if you move from Arizona to a state with a supplement.
Do Disability Benefits Change if You Move Out of State?
- SSDI and SSI are federal programs. Your eligibility doesn’t change depending on the state that you live in.
- Moving from state to state, your SSDI benefits don’t change at all. You must maintain eligibility, but the criteria are the same, and your approval goes with you.
- Some states provide supplements to SSI recipients. If you move from a state that provides a supplement to a state that does not, you lose the extra amount. The difference may be nominal or several hundred dollars per month.
- You must tell Social Security if you move and update your address.
- If the move changes who is in your household, the change may impact your SSI benefits.
SSDI and SSI eligibility are uniform throughout the United States. Claims examiners use the same standards for determining your eligibility for benefits, regardless of the state they work in.
What happens to my SSDI if I move to another state?
Your SSDI will not change if you move to another state unless your eligibility changes for other reasons. SSDI is based on your work history and whether a medical impairment prevents you from performing substantial gainful activity. It is not based on what state you live in, and the rules don’t prevent you from moving.
Will my Social Security benefits decrease if I move to another state?
Base payments for Social Security stay the same if a person moves to another state. SSI benefits may decrease if the person’s living situation changes or if the person moves to a state that offers a lower supplement or no supplement.
Do you have to report a move to another state to Social Security?
Yes, you must always keep your address up to date with Social Security, including reporting any move to another state. You can report the change online or at a local Social Security office. If you receive too much because you fail to report a move, you may have to repay the funds and pay a penalty.
Do you have to reapply for disability benefits if you move to another state?
No. Your disability benefits transfer with you, so you don’t have to reapply if you move to another state. You must continue to maintain eligibility just like you would have done in the state you moved from.
Does disability transfer from state to state?
Disability programs, including SSDI and SSI, transfer from state to state. A person receiving benefits can move to another state without jeopardizing their benefits or having to confirm their eligibility. There may be minor changes in the state supplement or changes relating to household members and SSI pay.
Does Arizona supplement SSI?
Arizona is one of only seven states that do not supplement SSI payments. Regardless of the severity of the disability, the federal monthly maximum SSI amount is the most you can receive in Supplemental Security Income in Arizona.
In states that supplement SSI payments, the supplement may be administered at the state or federal level. You may receive one payment or two separate payments each month, depending on the way the program is administered in your state. When you move, you may go from receiving two payments to one, or one payment to two, or you may not see a change.
Get Legal Help
You can move in or out of Arizona without changes to your SSDI benefits. Your basic SSI payment won’t change, but your supplement may change or stop. Your SSI payment based on household income may change. Be sure to immediately report your change of address.
Pekas Smith: Arizona Disability Attorneys helps people get and keep their disability benefits. If you need legal help, please reach out online, or speak to us directly at 602.962.2818.
