The Student Earned Income Exclusion (SEIE) is a powerful work incentive for young people on SSI. It lets students keep significantly more of their earnings without affecting their benefits.
In this article, we'll cover:
- What SEIE is
- Who qualifies
- How much you can exclude
- How to use SEIE effectively
1. What SEIE Is
The basics:
- Excludes student earnings from SSI calculation
- Up to $2,290/month (2026)
- Up to $9,230/year (2026)
- Allows students to work and keep more money
How it helps:
- Regular SSI rules: Earnings reduce benefits
- With SEIE: First $2,290/month doesn't count
- Can work substantially while studying
- Keep more of what you earn
Example without SEIE:
- Earn $1,000/month
- After exclusions, ~$457 counts
- SSI reduced by ~$457
Example with SEIE:
- Earn $1,000/month
- SEIE excludes $1,000
- $0 counts against SSI
- Keep full earnings AND full SSI
2. Who Qualifies
Age requirements:
- Under age 22
- Must meet age requirement each month
- Ends when you turn 22
- Regardless of school status
School requirements:
- Regularly attending school
- Grades 7-12, OR
- College or university, OR
- Vocational/technical training
What counts as "regularly attending":
- At least 8 hours/week (grades 7-12)
- At least 12 hours/week (college)
- Home schooling may count
- GED programs may count
Must be on SSI:
- Receiving SSI due to disability
- Under age 22
- Attending school
- Working and earning money
Important: You must meet all requirements: under 22, on SSI, and regularly attending school.
3. How Much You Can Exclude
2026 limits:
- Monthly: $2,290
- Yearly: $9,230
- Adjusted annually for inflation
- Once yearly limit is reached, regular rules apply
How it applies:
- First $2,290/month excluded
- Tracks toward yearly limit
- After $9,230/year, SEIE is used up
- Regular earned income rules then apply
Example across a year:
- Work summer job, earn $2,000/month x 3 months = $6,000
- $6,000 excluded via SEIE
- $3,230 of SEIE remains for school year
- Work part-time during school, use remaining SEIE
After SEIE is exhausted:
- Regular earned income exclusion ($65)
- Then 1-for-2 reduction
- Still better than without any exclusion
- Plan work around SEIE availability
4. How to Use SEIE Effectively
Plan your work:
- Know your monthly and annual limits
- Track how much SEIE you've used
- Consider when to work most
- Maximize the benefit
Strategic timing:
- Work more in early part of year
- Use SEIE while available
- Reduce work after SEIE exhausted (if beneficial)
- Or continue working with regular rules
Combine with other exclusions:
- SEIE applies first
- Then other earned income exclusions
- May stack benefits
- Understand the order
Report earnings:
- Tell SSA about your work
- Report that you're a student
- Ensure SEIE is applied
- Verify your SSI calculation
Keep school records:
- Proof of enrollment
- Class schedule
- Attendance records
- May be requested by SSA
After Age 22
What changes:
- SEIE no longer available
- Regular earned income rules apply
- First $65 excluded
- Then 1-for-2 reduction
Planning ahead:
- Build skills while SEIE applies
- Consider career path
- Use Ticket to Work when older
- Other work incentives available
Other work incentives:
- PASS (Plan to Achieve Self-Support)
- IRWE (Impairment-Related Work Expenses)
- Blind Work Expenses
- Ticket to Work
Special Situations
Summer jobs:
- Still must meet school requirement
- May count if enrolled for fall
- Check with SSA
- Document enrollment
Online school:
- May qualify
- Must meet hour requirements
- Be prepared to prove enrollment
- Contact SSA to verify
Part-time enrollment:
- May not meet "regularly attending" threshold
- 8 hours/week minimum (7-12)
- 12 hours/week minimum (college)
- Check your hours
How Purple Helps
- Track earnings and benefits
- Monitor resource limits
- See how work affects SSI
- Plan finances effectively
- Build good money habits