Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP)
Free, unbiased Medicare counseling in Iowa. Trained counselors go through your costs and choices with you, and they don't sell plans.
Income and Social Security
Iowa SSI supplement
Iowa's State Supplementary Assistance pays for special needs that SSI doesn't cover, mainly for people who support a dependent relative at home or live in a family life home or residential care facility.
Most older people living on their own get no Iowa supplement. If you support a dependent relative in your home, it may be up to $518 a month in 2026.
How to apply in Iowa
Applying is free. Nobody should charge you to apply.
Apply on the official siteWho may qualify in Iowa
| SSI | Get SSI, or would get SSI except for income |
|---|---|
| Savings limit | $2,000 for one person, $3,000 for a married couple living together |
| Where you live | Iowa resident |
Source: Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (source 2)
What you may get
| Monthly supplement, one person living on their own (January 2026) | None for people living on their own |
|---|---|
| Monthly supplement, one older person who supports a dependent relative at home (January 2026) | Up to $518 a month Source: Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (source 2) |
| Monthly supplement, one older person in a licensed family life home or boarding home (January 2026) | $142 a month |
| Monthly supplement, older couple in a licensed family life home or boarding home (January 2026) | $801 a month |
| Residential care facility payment (January 2026) | The state pays a daily rate (a flat $17.86 a day, or up to $38.47 a day based on the facility's costs), and you keep $130 a month for personal needs Source: Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (source 2) |
How Iowa is different
Where Iowa's rules differ from the federal rules for State SSI supplements.
- The dependent-relative and family-life-home amounts are paid in the same check as your SSI; residential care and in-home care payments come from the state
- Apply with Iowa HHS, online or on a paper application
Sources: Social Security Administration (POMS) (source 1), Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (source 2)
Good to know
- Iowa's program has six parts: a blind allowance, a dependent person allowance, family life home help, in-home health-related care, residential care facility help, and a supplement for people eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid.
- Medical services covered under this program follow the same rules as regular Iowa Medicaid.
Source: Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (source 2)
Free help
Free help with this in Iowa
Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, Aging Services
Your local Area Agency on Aging can help with meals, rides, help at home, caregiver support and applying for benefits.
More help in Iowa
State SSI supplement in another state
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
Sources
- Social Security Administration (POMS), SI 01415.058 Federally Administered Optional Supplementary Payment Programs for January 2026 (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, State Supplementary Assistance (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
Was this page helpful?
Report an error on this page
Newsletter
Get an email when the rules change
Benefit figures, deadlines and rules change every year. We'll tell you what changed and what to check, about twice a month.
- Free, about twice a month
- One-click unsubscribe in every email
- We never sell or share your email