Work Incentives - Employment Supports
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Special SSI Payments for People Who Work - Section 1619(a)
Simply put......Social Security counts less than half your earned income before adjusting your SSI Check. If you work and get SSI you will almost always have more money to spend each month.
People who receive SSI payments can continue to receive payments even when their gross wages or net earnings for self-employment is at substantial gainful activity.
This does not apply to people who are legally blind because substantial gainful activity has never applied to you under SSI.
In order to qualify for section 1619(a) you must be eligible for SSI payments for at least one month before you begin working at SGA level, still be disabled and meet all other eligibility rules including the income and resource test.
It is not necessary to file a special application or section 1619(a), however, it is important to Social Security up-to-date on your work activity.
Continued Medicaid Eligibility Section 1619(b)
Once a person with the disability has reached the break even point, that is, your earnings are too high in order to receive SSI cash payments you may still be eligible for Medicaid. In Georgia for year 2008 you may earn up to $27,646 gross income per year and continue to receive Medicaid. In order to qualify for Section 1619(b) you must have been eligible one SSI cash payment for at least one month, still be disabled, still meet all other eligibility rules including the resource test, intend to use Medicaid and have gross earned income that is insufficient to replace SSI Medicaid or any publicly funded attendant care.
Impairment Related Work Expenses
Items or services that are necessary in order for a person to work may be excluded from gross earnings to determine countable income. These items or services do not necessarily have to be used only on work days, for example, durable medical equipment, the purchase of a new wheelchair, etc. Other items or services must be counted only on days one works, for example, attendant care, mileage to and from work.
General Income Exclusion
Social Security excludes the first $20 of any unearned income the person may have when determining both SSI eligibility and payment amount.
Earned Income Exclusion
Social Security excludes the first $65 dollars of earned income when determining SSI eligibility and payment amount.
Student Earned Income Exclusion
For the year 2007 if you are under age 22 not married and you are regularly attending school Social Security does not count up to $1550 of earned income per month when figuring your SSI payment amount. However, the maximum that you can put into a student earned income exclusion is $6240 per year.
Blind Work Expenses
Social Security does not count any earned income used as expenses needed to earn that income in deciding SSI eligibility or payment amount. In order to qualify you must be under age 65 for a 65 or older and received SSI payments due to blindness. Some examples of blind work expenses are: guide dog expenses, transportation to and from work, federal state and local income taxes, Social Security taxes, attendant care expenses, visual and sensory aids, translation of materials into Braille, professional association fees, or union dues.
Plan To Achieve Self Support (PASS)
A plan for achieving self support allows a person to set-aside income or resources for a specified period of time in order to reach a work goal. Resources that are set-aside in order for you to reach a work goal are not counted when Social Security determines your initial or continuing eligibility for SSI. A PASS must meet the following minimum criteria:
Be designed especially for you
Be in writing (SSI-545-BK)
Have a specific word goal which is realistic and viable.
Show what money other than your SSI payments you will use to reach or vocational goal.
Show how the money you set aside will be kept separate from other funds.
Be approved by the Social Security Administration.
It can be reviewed by Social Security periodically to ensure that your plan is actually helping you achieve or vocational goal.
Property Essential to Self Support
Some resources that are essential to your means of self support are not counted when Social Security decides your initial or continuing eligibility for SSI. For example, Social Security does not count property that is used in a trade or business, examples would be tools, equipment, inventory, etc.
Social Security does not count up to $6000 of equity value of none business property used for production of goods or services essential to daily activities. For example, livestock for your own consumption. Social Security does not count up to $6000 of equity value of the none business income producing property if that property yields and annual rate of return of at least 6 percent, for example, rental property.
Special Benefits for People Eligibile Under Section 1619 (a) or (b) Who Enter a Medical Treatment Facility
If youre eligible for section 1619 you may receive a SSI cash benefit for up to two months while in a Medicaid facility or a public medical or psychiatric facility. Usually if you enter a Medicaid facility the SSI payment is limited to $30 per month minus countable income, however, if you are eligible under section 1619 your benefit will be figured using the full federal benefit rate for a two months.
Reinstating Eligibility Without a New Application
If you have been eligible for a SSI benefit check for 12 months and lost it for any reason other than medical recovery you may be able to restart your SSI cash payment and continue Medicaid coverage without a new application. If your benefits were suspended because the amount of earnings put your total income over the limit you may be able to start your benefits again even if you stop work within five years.
Continued Payment Under a Vocational Rehabilitation Program
If Social Security determines that you no longer have a disabling impairment due to medical improvement your benefit payments usually stop. However, if you participate in a vocational rehabilitation program, your benefits may continue until the vocational rehabilitation program ends.
To qualify you must be participating in an approved vocational rehabilitation program before your disability ends under their rules and Social Security must review the situation and decide that your continued participation in the vocational rehabilitation program would increase the likelihood of your permanent removal from the disability benefit rolls.
