70,000 people lose Social Security benefits annually

Many Americans rely on Social Security benefits, but certain actions can lead to losing them. Each year, about 70,000 beneficiaries lose their benefits due to income or resource limits, marital status changes, or incarceration. Income limits vary for different programs. For Supplemental Security Income (SSI), individuals must earn less than $1,971 monthly. For Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), beneficiaries can earn up to $1,110 during a nine-month trial period without losing benefits. Resource limits also apply to SSI, with a cap of $2,000 for individuals. Proposed legislation aims to raise this limit, but no changes have been enacted yet. Additionally, divorce and incarceration can affect benefit eligibility and payments.