Buying a home on SSI, SSDI, or IHSS — without losing your benefits.
A Placer County Realtor who understands disability income, benefit rules, and what it takes to buy a home when you're raising a child with additional needs. This is the guide I wish every special-needs family had before they started.
You're not starting from zero. You're starting from harder — and that's different.
Most real estate websites won't talk about this. They'll tell you to "get pre-approved" and send you a list of houses. That advice is fine if you have a W-2 and a simple savings account. If your household income includes SSI, SSDI, or IHSS — or if you're saving a down payment while protecting a special-needs child's benefits — you need someone who actually understands the rules before they send you to a lender.
I'm Kayla G. I'm a Placer County Realtor with Real Broker, and I'm also an autism mom. I built my practice around families who've been told no in too many rooms. There's a path here — it just takes the right order of operations.
This page walks you through how disability income qualifies for a mortgage, the four real barriers most families hit, why ABLE accounts and special-needs trusts matter more than lenders usually mention, and the down-payment programs that actually apply in Roseville, Rocklin, Loomis, Lincoln, and Auburn. You'll also meet the local team I partner with. It ends with how to reach me when you're ready to talk.
The Homebuying Roadmap
A walkthrough of how SSI, IHSS, and special-needs homebuying actually works — produced with my lending partner Kristin Cooper at Borrow Smart Home Loans.
SSI, SSDI, and IHSS — three different income sources, three different conversations.
Most lenders lump "disability income" into one category. They shouldn't. Each of these has its own underwriting rules, its own paperwork, and its own implications for the benefits in your household. Here's what you need to know before you walk into any lender's office.
SSI
Supplemental Security Income
SSI is a need-based federal program for low-income individuals who are disabled, blind, or 65+. It has a strict $2,000 resource limit ($3,000 for couples) that has been frozen since 1989.
Lenders can use SSI as qualifying mortgage income. Because it's non-taxable, most conventional programs allow it to be "grossed up" — increasing your effective qualifying income on paper.
SSDI
Social Security Disability Insurance
SSDI is earned through prior work history and Social Security contributions. Unlike SSI, there is no asset limit — SSDI recipients can hold savings, retirement accounts, and down-payment funds freely.
From a mortgage standpoint, SSDI is one of the most straightforward disability incomes to document. Lenders verify it with your Social Security award letter and a recent bank statement showing the deposit.
IHSS
In-Home Supportive Services
If you're a parent providing care to a special-needs child and you receive IHSS payments for that caregiving, that income may count toward a mortgage. It's considered wage income through the California IHSS program.
Lender treatment varies — some are fluent in IHSS, some aren't. Documentation usually includes pay stubs, W-2s or 1099s, and in some cases, a letter from the county Public Authority confirming the caregiving relationship.
It's to build a place your family stays safe in — financially, physically, and legally.
ABLE accounts and special needs trusts — why they're the foundation, not the footnote.
Most buyer guides skip this entirely or mention it once and move on. For special-needs families, these two tools are the difference between "we can't afford to buy" and "we have a real path." Here's the plain-English version of each.
ABLE Account (529A)
A tax-advantaged savings account for individuals whose disability began before age 46. Funds are excluded from SSI asset limits up to $100,000 and excluded from Medicaid indefinitely.
- Annual contribution limit of roughly $20,000 in 2026 (confirm current year with your ABLE provider)
- Funds can be used for housing — including down payment, mortgage payment, and home modifications
- California participates through CalABLE at calable.ca.gov
- Anyone — parent, grandparent, family friend — can contribute to the account
Special Needs Trust (SNT)
A legal structure that holds assets for the benefit of a disabled individual without those assets counting toward means-tested benefits like SSI or Medi-Cal. Must be drafted by a licensed California attorney.
- Third-party SNT: funded by parents, grandparents, or others for the benefit of the disabled person
- First-party (self-settled) SNT: funded with the disabled person's own assets, often from a settlement or inheritance
- Life insurance is often used to fund a third-party SNT after a parent passes — Liz Roldan handles that planning side
- In some cases, a home can be owned by a trust — an estate planning attorney can tell you whether this fits your situation
Programs that work in Placer & Sacramento County.
California has real down payment help — but most of it requires you to use a specific lender and complete homebuyer education first. These are the ones I see actually close in our market.
CalHFA MyHome Assistance
A deferred-payment second mortgage you layer on top of a CalHFA first mortgage. No monthly payment — it's paid back when you sell or refinance.
Up to 3.5% (FHA) or 3% (conventional) of purchase price
First-time buyer, CalHFA-approved lender, and homebuyer education course required. Income limits apply by county.
CalHFA Dream For All
A shared-appreciation loan providing a portion of the purchase price for down payment or closing. Funding opens in waves and applications are lottery-selected — you have to be pre-approved and ready before the window opens.
Up to 20% of purchase price, capped
First-generation homebuyer requirement and California residency required. Program terms change — verify current status with CalHFA.
CalPLUS with ZIP
The ZIP (Zero Interest Program) covers closing costs when paired with a CalPLUS first mortgage. Often stacked with MyHome for a more complete assistance package.
Covers most closing costs as a silent second
Works alongside MyHome. Interest rate is slightly higher than standard CalHFA products to offset the assistance.
Fannie Mae HomeReady
Not a state program — a Fannie Mae conventional loan with lower mortgage insurance, 3% minimum down payment, and flexibility around non-borrower household income and gift funds.
As little as 3% down, reduced MI
80% area-median-income cap. Homeownership education required for first-time buyers. Often pairs well with disability income scenarios.
Three specialists. One coordinated plan.
A Realtor who gets your family. A lender who actually knows IHSS. A planner who coordinates the trust and insurance side. You don't hire them one at a time — I introduce you when the timing is right, in the order that protects you.
Kayla Graham
Placer County Realtor and autism mom. I start every special-needs family with the same conversation: what's the benefit situation, what's the income picture, and what's the right order of operations so nothing gets broken along the way.
Kristin Cooper
Two decades in mortgage lending, with a deliberate focus on mortgage planning, financial education, and building generational wealth. Kristin produces educational content specifically for SSI, IHSS, and special-needs families.
Liz Roldan
Liz guides families through the long-term planning picture — how to fund a special needs trust, how to structure life insurance for a disabled child's lifetime, and how to think about retirement when your family doesn't look like the textbook.
Estate Planning Attorney — introduced on request
Drafting a Special Needs Trust in California has to be done by a licensed attorney. I have a short list of estate planning attorneys who specialize in SNTs and work comfortably with families in our situation.
Attorney referrals are provided privately by Kayla — no public listing.
I'm a Placer County Realtor. I'm also an autism mom.
When I help a family buy a home, I'm not reading about their life from a script. I'm sitting in the same waiting rooms, filling out the same IEP paperwork, and thinking about the same sensory-environment questions when I walk a house.
That lived experience doesn't replace the licensed professionals you need — it just means I know when to send you to them, in what order, and what questions to ask. I'm the first line of defense against the mistakes that cost special-needs families the most: the wrong lender, the wrong account, the wrong gift, the wrong house layout.
If you've been told the math doesn't work, let's look at it together. It often does — it just takes the right order of operations.
Straight answers to what families actually ask.
Can I really buy a home if my only income is SSI and SSDI?
Often, yes — though it depends on the amount, the home price, and your debt situation. SSI and SSDI are both accepted as qualifying income by major mortgage investors, and because both are typically non-taxable, lenders may "gross up" the income on paper, which increases your purchasing power.
The real question is usually not "does the income count" but "is it enough for the home you want, and what programs can help you bridge the gap." That's a conversation for a lender who knows these products — not a mortgage calculator.
Will buying a home cause my child to lose SSI?
Owning a primary residence does not count against the SSI asset limit — your primary home is an excluded resource, regardless of value. The risk is in how you accumulate the down payment and how gifts or inheritances are handled before and during the transaction.
Families get into trouble when a relative writes a check directly to a child on SSI, or when a tax refund sits in a regular bank account past the first of the month. With an ABLE account or special needs trust structure in place, most of this is manageable — but it has to be set up before the money moves.
How does IHSS income get documented for a mortgage?
IHSS pays the caregiver as a wage earner, which means pay stubs and W-2s (or 1099s in some cases) are the starting point. Lenders typically want to see at least 12 to 24 months of consistent IHSS income, depending on the loan program, along with verification that the caregiving relationship is expected to continue.
For parents caring for a minor child with lifelong disabilities, documenting continuity is usually straightforward — but only when the loan officer understands what they're looking at. This is where lender selection matters most, and why I partner with Kristin.
What's the difference between an ABLE account and a special needs trust?
An ABLE account is a savings vehicle the disabled individual owns and manages, with limits on annual contributions and a $100,000 cap before it affects SSI. It's simple to open and flexible to use. Funds can pay for housing, education, transportation, and more.
A special needs trust is a legal entity drafted by a California attorney that can hold much larger assets — including real estate, in some cases — for the benefit of a disabled person without counting against benefits. Many families use both: an ABLE account for day-to-day and smaller savings, a special needs trust for larger assets or inheritances. Liz Roldan handles the financial planning around funding the trust — the attorney drafts it.
Is Roseville, Rocklin, or Auburn better for our family?
There's no universal right answer — it depends on commute, school district enrollment, proximity to your child's therapy providers, and the sensory profile of the neighborhood itself. Roseville offers more inventory and newer construction in a wider price range. Rocklin has a quieter feel with strong commute access. Loomis and Auburn trade convenience for space, trees, and less density.
When we tour together, I'll walk each home with your family's specific routines in mind — where the bedrooms sit relative to the street, whether the yard is fenceable, how close you are to the providers you're already driving to. That matters more than any list online.
What's the first step if I'm interested but not sure we're ready?
A conversation — not a pre-approval, not a home tour. Text or call me and tell me what your income situation looks like and what you're hoping for. If you're not ready yet, I'll tell you that honestly, and I'll give you a short list of what to set up first: usually an ABLE account, a call with Liz to think through the long-term planning, and a call with Kristin to map the loan side. When those pieces are in place, we talk houses.
If you are ready now, we can start touring. Either way, the call is free and there's no pressure.
When you're ready to talk, I'm ready to listen.
Text or call is usually fastest. Tell me a little about your situation and we'll go from there — no pressure, no hard sell, no being passed off to an assistant.