Social Security: Will I Get Less Money Each Month If I Move to Another State?
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Josephine Nesbit
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Daria Uhlig
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Some programs require you to reapply if you move out of state, but not the Social Security program. Social Security retirement benefits, Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) are operated directly by the federal government. This means you won’t experience any benefit changes just because you cross state lines.
But there are exceptions, such as moving in with someone, which could affect your SSI benefits. SSI considers where you live, who lives with you and what income you receive. So, for example, if you are living alone and paying for everything by yourself in one state, but you move to a different state and live with someone who pays half of the bills, your SSI benefit could be reduced.
However, changing your living arrangements won’t change your Social Security retirement or SSDI payments because they’re not based on your current income and expenses — they’re based only on your work and income history.
No matter which type of benefits you receive, you must report your change of address to the SSA. And if you receive SSI, the SSA says you must report a change of address no later than 10 days after the end of the month in which the change occurred. If you don’t report changes timely and accurately, you could be underpaid and not receive the benefits owed to you, or you could be overpaid and have to pay some back.
You can report a change of address by visiting the SSA website, located here, to make the change on your Social Security profile or find an office where you can report the change in person.
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