Date of SSI Recipient Status

A person is an SSI recipient beginning the month before the first SSI payment month.

When the person meets SSI criteria in the SSI application month, the first payment will be for the month after the application month.

When SSI eligibility did not start in the SSI application month, but became effective for a later month, the first payment is made for the month after the month the person meets all of the SSI eligibility criteria.

A person who receives a lump sum SSI payment is an SSI recipient the month immediately before the first month for which the lump sum payment is made and for the months covered by the SSI lump sum payment.