Direct answer
SSI and child support
Yes — child support is counted as unearned income to the child, but SSA excludes one-third of court-ordered child support paid to a disabled child under 18.
For an SSI child, only two-thirds of received child support counts as income. Child support paid out by an SSI recipient does not reduce their SSI. Foster care payments follow separate rules.
Sourced from ssa.gov — see citations below.
Direct answer: Yes — child support is counted as unearned income to the child, but SSA excludes one-third of court-ordered child support paid to a disabled child under 18.
Does child support count as income for SSI?
For an SSI child, only two-thirds of received child support counts as income. Child support paid out by an SSI recipient does not reduce their SSI. Foster care payments follow separate rules.
Where does this rule live in SSA's regulations?
SSA publishes the SSI eligibility rules in the SSI Eligibility page on ssa.gov and the annual 2026 SSI figures at ssa.gov/oact/cola/SSI.html. When SSA's public page and this article differ, ssa.gov controls.
What if I'm not sure I qualify?
Apply anyway. SSA determines eligibility on the facts of your case, and application itself protects the earliest possible filing date. There is no penalty for applying and being denied.
Topics
- ssi
- SSI vs SSDI
- eligibility
Sources
Every figure and rule on this page is drawn from official SSA publications. Verify at the links below.
- SSA — Understanding SSI Eligibility (ssa.gov)
- SSA — 2026 SSI Federal Payment Amounts (ssa.gov)
- SSA — SSI Spotlights (ssa.gov)