I am also the representative payee for my 11 yr old son and his amount is $350. Years of research show that asset limits are an impediment to saving and wealth-building, but most major public assistance programs continue to rely on them to determine eligibility. I That way, there is no 10% tax charged to you for unqualified expenses as long as you stay within the guidelines. Nolo's Guide to Social Security Disability. Crucially, it would also index the new limits to inflation. When a Loan Counts as an Asset or Income for SSI Disability. This leaves individuals with disabilities more vulnerable to the economic fallout of COVID-19. %PDF-1.5 %���� The general rule on surviving spouse benefits is that you cannot get them if you remarry before age 60, but if you remarry after age 60, you can. Just want to keep ssi and Medicaid. See this Social Security webpage. Can I receive disability benefits for a learning disability or intellectual disability? I read you could. States that have yet to eliminate these asset limits should act quickly. I have no cat. This Nolo book covers SSI rules and Medicaid rules for seniors and persons with disabilities. 400, Denver, CO 80202. Examples of resources are property, stocks, bonds, and bank accounts. What if my Social Security disability application is denied? For instance, the U.S. Department Health and Human Services’ landing page for TANF states that one of the program’s core goals is “to end the dependency of needy parents on government benefits by promoting job preparation, work, and marriage.” This framing positions autonomy as normative and valuable, and “dependency” as harmful and deviant. It’s worth noting that for any one that receives Medicaid that any substantial money left in an Able account is likely to go back to the state when they pass away. Reviewing prospective and current beneficiaries’ reported assets is administratively burdensome and costly for both the states and the families that must compile this information. Moreover, it would raise the asset limits associated with SSI from $2,000 for individuals and $3,000 for couples to $10,000 and $20,000, respectively, eliminating the marriage penalty. Go with a state that charges either a low fee or no fee. What is the difference between SSDI and SSI? The information on this website does not constitute legal advice. I am 76 years old, and started receiving SSS pension in 2014 for $750. Generally speaking, SSI will only bring you up to that amount, so if you already have income higher than that, you would not be financially eligible for SSI. Do we not qualify for SSI? The ableist myth of self-sufficiency undergirds the stated rationale for asset limits to restrict eligibility. You can find the formula below:https://www.ssa.gov/ssi/text-income-ussi.htm. I would not let the account exceed 2000.00 for even a day. Thank you very much for posting this information. As the COVID-19 pandemic triggers unprecedented economic turmoil, lawmakers, economists, and advocates are renewing calls to eliminate asset tests in public assistance programs. The able account rules require you to only spend that money on qualified expenses. A quick scan of public assistance program websites underscores how ubiquitous this myth is. This web of criminalization and surveillance ensnares people with disabilities, who are overrepresented in the carceral system and more likely to have criminal records or receive a mental illness adjudication, further undermining their economic security. Our aim is not just to change SSI beneficiaries, on the other hand, are no longer eligible for benefits if their resources rise above $2,000. With unemployment spiking because of the coronavirus pandemic, these asset restrictions will prevent many newly unemployed people from obtaining the relief these benefits programs provide. Earning while on SSI and bank account limit. At what point does a deposit of monthly SSI benefits count toward the $2000 asset limit? We call this the resource limit. Phone: 813-444-2889. What Happens if I Go Over? Therefore, the SSI benefit alone is insufficient to lift beneficiaries out of poverty but plays an essential role in keeping recipients from sinking into deep poverty. smith for their guidance, Rejane Frederick for her fact-checking assistance, and Lily Roberts, Jaboa Lake, Areeba Haider, Rebecca Cokley, Ed Chung, Connor Maxwell, Maura Calsyn, Robin Bleiweis, Shilpa Phadke, and CAP’s Editorial team for their contributions. The federal benefit rate for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for an eligible individual is $735 per month in 2017. Alarmingly, this means that people who have participated in benefits programs lack the savings necessary to weather the financial storm triggered by COVID-19. endstream endobj startxref Tip: If your child is on SSI, the resource limit is totally different! My question is does putting the home up for sale allow one to qualify for SSI or must the home actually be sold? Fax: 720-513-9654. The general limit is $2,000 in assets for an individual and $3,000 for a married couple living together. The Center for American Progress is an independent nonpartisan Can I own a home and qualify for Social Security Disability? This pandemic may increase legislative will, at least temporarily, to suspend asset tests for certain programs and raise the asset limits for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients. Once released, formerly incarcerated people face intense economic and political disenfranchisement, leaving them without a safety net. For disabled people, such framing carries real-life consequences. The most recent survey by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation shows that working-age people with disabilities are disproportionately more likely than their nondisabled peers to be unbanked or underbanked. If your son has a disability, he could qualify for SSI. However, the stringent asset limits associated with SSI undermine this potential benefit. Pages 12-15 of this Social Security document detail the types of income that does not count, which may be helpful to you. Even absent congressional action, states have considerable latitude to raise or eliminate asset tests for SNAP and TANF.