SSI (Supplemental [Social] Security Income): A Welfare Program Under Title XVI

Many SSI Title XVI claimant’s either forget or do not fully understand that SSI is “welfare”. Of course you must be found disabled but economic and household income rules apply. The definition of income comes in four (4) categories:

“Earned Income”: is wages, earnings from self–employment, certain royalties and honoraria, and sheltered workshop payments.

“Unearned Income”: is all income that is not earned, such as Social Security benefits, pensions, State disability payments, unemployment benefits, interest income, and cash from friends and relatives.

“In–Kind Income”: is food or shelter that you get for free or less than its fair market value.

“Deemed Income”: is the part of the income of your spouse with whom you live, your parent(s) with whom you live, or your sponsor (if you are an alien), which we use to compute your SSI benefit amount.

Income is anything you receive during a calendar month and use to meet your needs for food, clothing, or shelter. It may be in cash or in kind. In-kind income is not cash; it is food, clothing, shelter, or something you can use to get food, clothing, or shelter.

“Countable Income” definition: Countable income is the amount left over after:

1. Eliminating from consideration all items that are not income; and
2. Applying all appropriate exclusions to the items that are income.

For example, things that will effect your benefit amount or the qualification for SSI benefits are any and all bank accounts, retirement accounts, IRA’s, CD’s, etc., any payments from workers’ compensation, personal injury settlements and any other cash payments will be considered for benefit reduction and/or exclusion form the SSI Program.

Unlike Social Security Disability Title II Insurance Benefits, SSI Title XVI benefits are not based on your prior work or a family member’s prior work.

SSI is financed by general funds of the U.S. Treasury–personal income taxes, corporation taxes and other taxes. Social Security taxes withheld under the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) do not fund the SSI program.

In Florida, SSI beneficiaries with minor uninsured children can also get Medicaid (medical assistance) to pay for hospital stays, doctor bills, prescription drugs, and other health costs.

SSI beneficiaries may also be eligible for food stamps in every State except California. In some States, an application for SSI benefits also serves as an application for food assistance.

To get SSI benefits, you must be disabled, blind, or at least 65 years old and have “limited” income and resources as mentioned above.

In addition, to get SSI benefits, you must:

––be a resident of the United States, and
––not be absent from the country for more than 30 days;
and
––be either a U.S. citizen or national, or in one of certain
categories of eligible non–citizens.

SSI benefits are paid on the first of the month for the entire month.

The medical standards for disability are the same in both Title II and Title XVI programs for individuals age 18 or older. For more information and to review the exceptions to the aforesaid income rules please call us at 813-657-9175 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            813-657-9175     end_of_the_skype_highlighting and visit http://www.socialsecurity.gov/ssi/text- … ng-ssi.htm and www.ssa.gov.