Updated October 18, 2026. Quick answer: Form SSA-1020 is the Application for Extra Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs. In 2026 Social Security’s limits for one person are $18,090 in resources and $23,940 in annual income, and $36,100 and $32,460 for a married couple living together. People with Medicare and SSI or Medicaid get Extra Help automatically. The application does not enroll you in a drug plan.
Quick reference
| Item | Figure (Social Security booklet, August 2026) |
|---|---|
| Resource limit, one person | $18,090 |
| Resource limit, married couple living together | $36,100 |
| Annual income limit, one person | $23,940 |
| Annual income limit, married couple living together | $32,460 |
| Estimated worth | About $5,700 per year |
What Extra Help is, and what the application does not do
Social Security describes the benefit as help with “monthly premiums, annual deductibles, and prescription co-payments” for people with limited resources and income, and says “The Extra Help is estimated to be worth about $5,700 per year.”
The application is not an enrollment. The form says you must still “To use the Extra Help, you must enroll in a Medicare prescription drug plan.” If you do not choose, the booklet says the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will pick a plan for you. Our pages on choosing a Part D plan and Part D in 2027 cover the plan side.
The limits
The booklet states the resource limit: “To be eligible for Extra Help, your resources must be limited to $18,090 for a person or $36,100 for a married couple living together.” And the income limit: “To be eligible for Extra Help, your annual income must be limited to $23,940 for a person or $32,460 for a married couple living together.” The booklet adds that income above the limit can still qualify for some help in listed cases, such as supporting family members who live with you, earnings from work, or living in Alaska or Hawaii.
The form’s own question 3 screens on resources with the same two numbers and lists what not to count: “Do NOT count your home, vehicles, personal possessions, life insurance, burial plots, irrevocable burial contracts or back payments from Social Security or SSI.” A yes at that screen means you are not eligible for Extra Help, though the form says your State may still help through a Medicare Savings Program.
Do not apply if you already get it
Two groups can skip the form. The first: “If the answer is YES, do not complete this application because you automatically will get the Extra Help.” That answer is for people who have Medicare and SSI, or Medicare and Medicaid. For people whose state pays their Medicare premiums through a Medicare Savings Program, the form says “If the answer is YES, contact your State Medicaid office for more information.”
Filling it in and where it goes
The form also works as a Medicare Savings Program application: “By completing this form, you can also apply for a Medicare Savings Program through your State.” Rules for filling it in include “Do not use dollar signs when entering money amounts.” and “Cents can be rounded to the nearest whole dollar.” Applicants must “live in one of the 50 States or the District of Columbia.”
The booklet lists three ways to apply: online, by phone at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), or at a local Social Security office.
One inconsistency is worth knowing about. The form’s question 4 says “Do NOT include a back payment from Social Security or SSI received in the last 10 months.” while the August 2026 booklet says “Certain other money you are holding is not counted for nine months, such as:” Ask Social Security which period applies to your back payment before you answer.
The edition read for this page is Form SSA-1020-OCR-SM (01-2026) as the agency served it on 2026-10-18. Check the edition printed on the copy you send, because a later edition can change the questions, the mailing instructions and the evidence asked for.
Common mistakes
- Applying when you already have Medicare plus SSI or Medicaid. The form says you get Extra Help automatically.
- Counting your home, vehicles, life insurance or burial plots when totaling resources. The form says not to.
- Treating the application as plan enrollment. You still have to join a Medicare prescription drug plan to use the help.
- Skipping a Medicare Savings Program because you are over the Extra Help limits. The form says your State may still help.
Related: choosing a Part D plan, the Part D out of pocket cap, the Part D penalty calculator, and Social Security and Medicare forms.
Sources
- Form SSA-1020-OCR-SM (01-2026), Application for Extra Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs: https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ssa-1020-ocr-sm.pdf
- SSA Publication 05-10508 (August 2026), Understanding the Extra Help with Your Medicare Prescription Drug Plan: https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10508.pdf
Read from the Social Security Administration and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services documents linked above on October 18, 2026. General information, not legal or benefits advice. Your own facts decide the outcome, and Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 is the right place to confirm anything consequential.