Update Your Address to Keep SSI Benefits Uninterrupted
Author: Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 2011/01/13 - Updated: 2026/02/04
Publication Type: Informative
Category Topic: Insurance - Related Publications
Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates
Synopsis: This information provides essential guidance for SSI beneficiaries on maintaining continuous benefit payments through proper address notification procedures. The content is authoritative because it draws directly from Social Security Administration requirements and protocols, offering practical steps that directly affect financial security for people with disabilities, seniors, and those receiving supplemental income. Unlike regular Social Security benefits, SSI payments are calculated based on living arrangements and state of residence, making accurate address records critical to preventing underpayments that leave recipients short on needed funds or overpayments that trigger repayment demands with additional penalties. The piece clearly explains the 10-day reporting deadline and provides specific contact methods for SSI recipients who cannot use the standard online address change system - Disabled World (DW).
- Definition: Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
The U.S. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program provides monthly payments to adults and children with a disability or blindness who have income and resources below specific financial limits. SSI payments are also made to people age 65 and older without disabilities who meet the financial qualifications. You may be eligible to receive SSI monthly payments even if you are already receiving Social Security Disability Insurance or retirement benefits.
Introduction
To Ensure Continued SSI Benefits Keep Your Address Up To Date
Direct deposit has made receiving a regular check in the mail a thing of the past for many recipients of Social Security benefits. But just because the Social Security Administration doesn't need your address to send you a check, that doesn't mean you don't need to keep them informed about where you live. That's particularly true for people who receive SSI (Supplemental Security Income) benefits.
Main Content
SSI is determined in part based on where a person lives, their living arrangement (with others or alone), and the number of people in residence. Also, some states make supplemental payments as part of the SSI system, which increases the amount received each month. Thus addresses must be up to date to ensure proper payment from both the state and the Social Security Administration.
While notifying the Social Security Administration of your new address may seem minor, it's essential.
Notification must be made by the tenth day after the month in which the move took place. If notification isn't received on time, it could delay increases in benefits, or it could mean the recipient could be forced to pay back overpayments, including an additional penalty.
The Social Security Administration has a website for reporting changes of addresses, but it is not for use by those who receive SSI benefits. Anyone receiving SSI benefits should call the toll-free number 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) or visit their local Social Security office to report address changes.
Insights, Analysis, and Developments
Editorial Note: While administrative tasks like updating an address might seem straightforward, the consequences of missing the 10-day deadline can create real hardship for people who depend on SSI payments to cover basic living expenses. The distinction between SSI and other Social Security programs isn't always clear to beneficiaries, and many may not realize that the convenient online address change portal doesn't apply to them. This seemingly small administrative requirement reflects a larger reality: navigating government benefit systems often places the burden of compliance on the very people who face the greatest barriers to managing complex paperwork and strict deadlines. For anyone receiving SSI, marking calendar reminders before a move and keeping the toll-free number readily available can prevent months of financial stress - Disabled World (DW).
Author Credentials: Ian is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, a leading resource for news and information on disability issues. With a global perspective shaped by years of travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed proponent of the Social Model of Disability-a transformative framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that emphasizes dismantling societal barriers rather than focusing solely on individual impairments. His work reflects a deep commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.