The limit for countable resources is: $2,000 for an individual; and $3,000 for a couple.

For SSI, SSA does not count:

  the home you live in and the land it is on (SSA does not place a lien on your home.)
  household goods and personal property that are not worth more than $2,000
  one wedding ring and one engagement ring.
  burial spaces for you or your immediate family
  burial funds for you and your spouse, each valued at $1,500 or less 
  life insurance policies with a combined face value of $1,500 or less
  one car, regardless of value, if it is:

  necessary for employment or medical treatment; or,
  modified for use or transportation of a disabled person; or,
  necessary because of climate, terrain, distance or similar factors to perform essential daily activities.
  If your use of the car does not meet one of these conditions, then up to $4,500 of its market value is excluded. The remaining value is counted against the resource limit.

  retroactive SSI or Social Security payments for up to nine months after you receive them (including payments received in installments).  This exclusion also applies to federal tax refunds for child tax credits, general tax refunds or employer's advance payments for earned income tax credits.

When an individual is eligible for certain large past-due SSI payments, after Interim Assistance Reimbursement has been paid, these payments must now be made in installments. The installment payments are made in no more than three payments at six month intervals.

There is an exception which allows the amount of the first and second payment to be increased because of certain debts. There are also two exceptions which would permit payment of all unpaid benefits due an individual to be paid in one lump-sum:

  if you have a medical condition that is expected to result in your death within 12 months; or,
  you become ineligible for SSI and are likely to remain ineligible for 12 months.

  property essential to self-support.
  resources that a blind or disabled person needs for an approved plan for achieving self-support. 
  support and maintenance assistance and home energy assistance that we do not count as income.
  cash received for medical or social services that we do not count as income is not a resource for one month.

(EXCEPTION:  Cash reimbursement of expenses already paid for by the person is counted under the regular income and resources rules.)

  state or local relocation assistance payments (are not counted for nine months)
  crime victim's assistance (is not counted for nine months)
  earned income tax credit payment for the month following receipt.
  dedicated accounts for disabled or blind children. 
  disaster relief assistance which we do not count as income.
  cash received for the purpose of replacing an excluded resource (e.g., a house) that is lost, damaged, or stolen.
  property in a trust which meets the requirements for a Medicaid payback trust, or a Medicaid pooled trust. 

If you own real property or other resources that you are trying to sell, you may be able to get SSI while you are trying to sell them. When the resource is sold, you must pay back the SSI payments. These are called "conditional payments."

You must sign a "conditional benefits agreement," and SSA must accept that agreement before a conditional payment period can begin. You can get the agreement form from your local SSA office.