In-Kind Support and Maintenance (ISM)

In-kind support and maintenance (ISM) is shelter someone else provides to an SSI recipient for free or at below-market cost, and SSA counts it as unearned income that can reduce the monthly SSI payment. Common examples include living rent-free in a relative's home or having someone else pay your mortgage, rent, or utility bills.

Under a rule change effective in 2024, food is no longer counted as ISM; the analysis now centers on shelter expenses. ISM is typically valued under a formula that can reduce the federal benefit by up to about one-third. Paying your fair share of household expenses, and documenting it, or having a formal rental agreement can eliminate an ISM reduction.