Supplemental Security Income Attorney
Supplemental Security Income
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a federal supplement program that provides monetary assistance to individuals who are blind, disabled, elderly, and others who have insufficient income or resources in order to help them obtain necessary items such as food, clothes, and housing.
Eligibility
To be eligible for SSI payments, a person must meet the following criteria:
- You are blind, disabled, or 65 years of age or older
- You legally live in one of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Northern Mariana Islands
- You are a child of military parent(s) assigned to continuing service abroad
- You are a student (some limitations apply) who is presently overseas for a finite period of time
- You are a foreigner who is currently legally residing in the U.S. and meet additional criteria
- Your financial situation and support resources are deficient within set limitations
Disability
For program qualification purposes, the Social Security Administration (SSA) defines disability as:
"... inability to engage in any SGA [substantial gainful activity] by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death, or has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months."
Income
Income limitations for qualifying for SSI vary by an individual's living arrangements, the number of people in their household, the amount of income generated by those in that household, and the state where the person lives.
Resources
To qualify for SSI, an individual's monetary resources must be below:
- $2,000 for a single individual
- $3,000 for a couple (regardless of whether the spouse is eligible for SSI)
- $4,000 for a child applicant with one parent living in the household
- $5,000 for a child applicant with two parents living in the household.
There are exceptions to the fiscal limitations though. These may include if a considerable amount of the resources are deemed non-liquid and cannot be sold or cashed within 20 working days, as long as the individual(s) agree to sell at the current market value within a defined period of time and repay the funds to the SSA after the non-liquid assets are sold.
Benefits
The starting point for SSI benefit amounts is the Federal Benefit Rate (FBR), which for 2011 is $674.00 for an individual and $1,011 for a couple. From there, certain personal circumstances may affect or shift payment amounts. In most states, being eligible for SSI also guarantees important medical coverage under the numerous state Medicaid programs, as well as to Section 8 housing benefits. In certain states, additional payments are made by the state to further supplement the funds through SSI depending on circumstances.
Legal Experience Working for You
There are many stipulations and restrictions for applying and receiving SSI payments. Understanding them in the scope of your situation can be very complex. Page Law can help residents through the SSI entire process and will ensure the process is done correctly, taking all applicable circumstances into consideration. Contact the Social Security benefits lawyers at Page Law at (314) PAGE-LAW (724-3529) for a free consultation on your SSI claim today.
