SSI benefits are closely tied to your living situation and personal or family finances. Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities. Resources are determined at the first of the month. For example, youth participating in programs run by state Vocational Rehabilitation agencies may continue to receive benefits even if they do not meet the adult disability definition. If you are over-income for SSI, you may still be eligible for a partial benefit from the state. Toggle Federal living arrangements subsection, Collateral consequences of warrants, parole, and probation, Overpayments, underpayments, and missed benefits, Recent legislative and regulatory proposals, Understanding Supplemental Security Income SSI Eligibility Requirements -- 2020 Edition. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a benefit program managed by the Social Security Administration that provides monthly payments to older, blind and disabled people facing significant financial challenges. Interim assistance is assistance a State gives to SSI applicants in cash or vendor payments for meeting basic needs while they are awaiting the outcome of the SSI eligibility determination process. Figure 1: SSI Enrollees by Age, April 2021. [97] Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives strongly opposed the proposal, arguing the disability requirements were already strict and the regulation would prevent severely disabled individuals from receiving benefits. One-third of nonelderly adult SSI enrollees qualified based on a mental health disability. "SSI Annual Statistical Report, 2019", Tables 7 and 37, Pamela B. Teaser, Erica F. Wood, Laura P. Sands. People age 65 and older are excluded as they can qualify for SSI based on their age rather than disability status. You are now leaving AARP.org and going to a website that is not operated by AARP. The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program provides monthly payments to adults and children with a disability or blindness who have income and resources below specific financial limits. How Many People Might Lose Medicaid When States Unwind Continuous Enrollment? Not all income is counted when determining an individual's "countable income" for SSI eligibility purposes. [102], Congress has funded two large-scale studies to test ways to improve outcomes among disabled youth on SSI. The Social Security Advisory Board commissioned a study of the Social Security Administration's representative payee program and held a policy forum in 2020 on the topic. In some cases it may be possible that a child has another living arrangement. An SSI individual who begins working and is terminated from SSI cash benefits by the Social Security Administration, but who is being determined for eligibility under the Social Security Act Title 1619(a) or 1619(b), remains eligible as an SSI recipient under the S01 CN coverage group during the SSA determination and appeal process. SSI provides monthly payments to certain eligible, low-income individuals who are 65 or older, blind, or disabled. [49] People wishing to learn whether they might qualify for SSI should contact the Social Security Administration to schedule an appointment for an interview. Unlike general Social Security benefits, which are financed largely from the Social Security taxes most working people pay, SSI payments primarily come out of U.S. Treasury general revenues. January will be the month-of-application for determination purposes, but the first benefit check will be issued in February. To qualify, SSI enrollees must have low income, limited assets, and either be age 65 or older or have an impaired ability to work at a substantial gainful level according to strict federal rules.10 Unlike SSDI (described below), SSI is available to people regardless of their work history. Because payment accuracy is sometimes the result of "program requirements themselves", the agency is seeking ways to simplify the program.[77]. "Selection Processes for Social Security Administration Representative Payees of Adults.". Generally, the amount of the SAGA benefit for those with no income and who have to pay for housing is $219 per month. Blind Being deemed blind consists of meeting the following definition: "central visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye with the use of a correcting lens. Another eligibility test is your financial assets, which cannot exceed $2,000 in value for an individual and $3,000 for a couple. those admitted as Lawfully admitted for permanent residence (LAPR), those granted conditional entry pursuant to section 203(a)(7) of the, those paroled into the US under section 212(d)(5) of the INA for a period of at least one year, those granted asylum under section 208 of the INA, those whose deportation is being withheld under sections 243(h) or 241(b)(3) of the INA, having already been receiving SSI on August 22, 1996, having 40 qualifying credits (using SSI as a supplement to Retirement or Disability Insurance Benefits) when in LAPR status, being a veteran, active-duty member of the U. S. military service, or being the spouse or dependant child of an individual who is, having been lawfully residing in the US on August 22, 1996, and being blind and disabled (excluding aged individuals). [20] The territories of Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are eligible for federal grants to support the "aged, blind, and disabled" but residents are not eligible for SSI. Jump to How To Apply Who is Eligible for SSI? Supplemental Security Income for People with Disabilities: Implications for Medicaid, by nearly 300,000 in the second half of FY 2021, and over 700,000 in FY 2022, compared to FY 2020, ACAs Medicaid expansion or Section 1931 parents, state option to cover people with disabilities up to the federal poverty level, nearly 8.1 million in April 2020 to just under 7.9 million in April 2021, SSI enrollment increased annually from 2000 through 2013, beginning in 2014, annual SSI enrollment has declined slightly each year, Fiscal Implications for Medicaid of Enhanced Federal Funding and Continuous Enrollment, What Does the Recent Literature Say About Medicaid Expansion? 2020. This would occur if both members of a couple meet the categorical requirements of eligibility (for example, both members of the couple are disabled according to the program's definition of disability). "Status of Open Government Accountability Office and Office of the Inspector General Recommendations. Living arrangement B is for an individual that has no rental liability and does not buy their food separately. Medicaid benefits usually begin the first month in which medical and financial requirements are met. Wisconsin's Caretaker Supplement (CTS) is a cash benefit for parents who get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments and who meet the program rules. 25-1560. 05-11000. Total beneficiaries as of 2019: 8,076,867[83]. [79] "Fault" can be the failure to furnish information which the individual knew or should have known was incorrect, making an incorrect statement they knew to be incorrect, or not returning a payment they knew or could have been expected to know was incorrect.[80]. The Social Security Administration (SSA) indicates that their "greatest payment accuracy challenges occur within the SSI program." Washington: July 1-20. Payments for SSI are made on the first day of the month unless that day is on a weekend or legal holiday, in which case the payment is made on the first day prior that is not a weekend or legal holiday. The definition of functional disability here includes people who report serious difficulty with hearing, vision, cognitive functioning (concentrating, remembering, or making decisions), mobility (walking or climbing stairs), self-care (dressing or bathing), or independent living (doing errands, such as visiting a doctors office or shopping, alone).30 Nonelderly adults with disabilities who do not receive SSI can qualify for Medicaid through other eligibility pathways including those based solely on their low income, such as the ACAs Medicaid expansion or Section 1931 parents, or those based on disability, such as the state option to cover people with disabilities up to the federal poverty level or a home and community-based services waiver.31, Figure 5: Disability and SSI Status of Nonelderly Adults with Medicaid, 2019, A notable share of initial decisions denying SSI eligibility are reversed on appeal (Figure 6). Calling SSA's national toll-free number (1-800-772-1213). [41] Details of the accounts, which officially came into effect once the Treasury Department issued enabling regulations and states passed legislation regarding account administration, are:[42], SSI benefits are not paid solely to US citizens, but may also be paid to aliens legally residing in the United States. Over one-quarter are seniors, and the remainder are children. To avoid overpayment, when an individual knows they will surpass a resource or income threshold for a given month, they should proactively report this to the Social Security Administration. What Is Supplemental Security Income? [7] President Nixon signed the Social Security Amendments of 1972 on October 30, 1972, which created the SSI Program. Some states and counties have representative payee agencies (also called substitute payee programs) which receive the benefits on behalf of the disabled person's social worker, and disburse the benefits per the social worker's instructions. 'Social Security Administration (SSA)'. Social Security's Funding Shortfall Overview Social Security provides monthly cash benefits to retired or disabled workers, their family members, and family members of deceased workers. No online application for SSI is currently available; however, one may apply for Social Security Disability or Retirement benefits online and add the application for SSI via a telephone-scheduled interview. [54][55] For others, the presence of a warrant did not necessarily mean that an individual was "fleeing," or that the individual had violated probation or parole. 2019. Calls placed on the last day of the month, where the interview is scheduled for the second week of the following month, will result in SSI eligibility being retroactive to the month in which the call was made to set up the appointment, although the first check will not be received until the next month. Eligibility for both programs is determined by SSA using federal criteria. Some major possessions, such as your home and your car, do not count against that cap. Supplemental Security Income and State Supplemental Payment AARP Essential Rewards Mastercard from Barclays, 3% cash back on gas station and eligible drug store purchases, Savings on eye exams and eyewear at national retailers, Find out how much you will need to retire when and how you want, AARP Online Fitness powered by LIFT session, Customized workouts designed around your goals and schedule, SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS. Among its recommendations, the authors of the study concluded SSA needed additional staff to effectively run the payee program. ", Kathleen Romig and Guillermo Herrera. Schieber, Sylvester J. '"[29], Substantial gainful activity (SGA), for 2021, is the ability to earn $1,310 gross income in a month's period for most disabled individuals. Under current resource limits, to qualify for SSI, individuals must have resources below $2,000 and married couples must have resources below $3,000. Further, the agency notes administering "the SSI program is complicated by the statutory requirement for us to determine SSI eligibility and calculate SSI payments on a monthly basis." How are benefits calculated? [19], Although there are some exceptions, generally individuals must reside in one of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, or the Northern Mariana Islands to receive SSI benefits. [96] The proposed regulation was withdrawn by the Biden administration. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) | SSA [13] In 2020, African Americans made up about 28 percent [14] of the adult SSI population (about 13.4 percent [15] of the overall U.S. population is African American). [60], SSI takes the income and resources of the applicant or recipient into consideration when calculating their benefit amount. . In general, the income limit for SSI is the federal benefit rate (FBR), which is $914 per month for an individual and $1,371 per month for a couple in 2023. The administration's proposal would increase these to about $4,300 and $8,600 in 2021 (reflecting price growth since 1989 and setting the couple rate at twice that of an individual). Disabled youth transitioning to adulthood have been a focus of policymakers. ", "5 Social Security Secrets You Should Know", "Benefits Planner: Retirement | Retirement Age and Benefit Reduction | SSA", "What are the statutory resources limits? [8], In order to receive SSI benefits, individuals must apply for benefits and meet the following requirements:[23]. Tax-free withdrawals can be made for "qualified disability expenses", including but not limited to education, housing, transportation, employment-related expenses, assistive technology, and healthcare. [45] Several restrictions apply to the eligibility of aliens however. "Trump, House Republican Cuts to SSI Would Harm Children With Disabilities", Federal Register. [52], Individuals who are fleeing to avoid prosecution or incarceration for a felony or violating probation or parole are statutorily prohibited from receiving SSI or Title II Social Security benefits. The School Attendance Improves Lives (SAIL) Act in 2015 proposed reducing SSI benefits for children ages 1617 if they were not attending school.