To qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), you must:

• Be a U.S. citizen or qualified alien
• Have a disability or be 65 years old or older, and
• Have low resources and low income.

This article looks in detail at SSI’s rules for adults ages 18 through 64.

Learn more about the rules for children under 18 in DB101’s Benefits for Young People article.

Requirements for Noncitizens

To get SSI, you have to be a U.S. citizen or qualified alien. Examples of qualified aliens include people who are:

• Lawfully Admitted for Permanent Residence (LAPR) in the U.S.
• Refugees admitted to the U.S. under Section 207 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA)
• Granted asylum under Section 208 of the INA

To get SSI, qualified aliens must also meet certain other conditions. For more details about the rules for noncitizens, contact your local Social Security office.

How to Apply

You can apply for SSI:

• Online (which starts the application process immediately)
• By calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or 1-800-325-0778 (TTY) to make an appointment to apply either:
  • Over the phone, or
  • In person at your local Social Security office.

Note: Due to COVID-19, there may be limits on in-person services. Contact your agency by phone to ask about this.

Note: If you are approved, you will get SSI benefits for the entire time since the date you applied. That’s why you should apply as soon as possible. If you don’t have everything ready for your application, that’s OK — you can still apply and submit any missing information as quickly as possible.

Getting Your Application Ready

When you apply for SSI, you’ll need to give Social Security:

1. Basic facts, like your name, date of birth, and address

2. Documentation of your medical condition

3. Documentation of your income

4. Documentation of your resources

Social Security provides a detailed checklist of the information you need to complete the application process.

Apply for Other Benefits While Your SSI Application Is Reviewed

The SSI application can take four months or longer. While you wait for your SSI benefits to begin, apply for other benefits, such as:

• AHCCCS, free health coverage for people with low to moderate income. You will automatically get AHCCCS coverage if you qualify for SSI, but you should apply for it separately if you don't get SSI benefits yet, so that you have coverage until SSI begins. Learn more in DB101’s AHCCCS article.
• Nutrition Assistance (formerly Food Stamps), a monthly cash benefit for people with low income that helps pay for food. Learn more in DB101's Nutrition Assistance article.
• TANF Cash Assistance, a monthly cash benefit for families with children that also helps parents find work. Learn more in DB101's TANF Cash Assistance article.
• Emergency cash assistance and housing, if you need them.

To apply for these benefits:

• Fill out the combined application form and submit it to your DES/Family Assistance Administration office, or
• Apply online.

You should also look into:

• The Arizona Telecommunications Equipment Distribution Program for a phone or other communications device, and
• Utility Assistance for help with energy bills and energy efficiency improvements to your home.

Social Security usually takes three to four months to decide on your application. If they decide you have a disability, low income, and low resources, you may qualify for SSI.

After looking at your application, Social Security will send you an award letter or a denial letter. These letters can be confusing. If you have questions, call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or 1-800-325-0778 (TTY).

If you disagree with Social Security’s decision, you can file an appeal.

Understanding an Award Letter

An award letter should tell you:

• How much you’ll get in SSI benefits each month
• When the benefits will be paid
• How much you’ll get in retroactive (past) benefits, based on the date you applied for SSI
• When Social Security will review your medical condition again — usually three to seven years after you start getting benefits

After you get your award letter, your SSI benefits will go into your bank account automatically each month. If you don’t have a bank account, you can have your SSI benefits put onto a Direct Express debit card that you can use in stores to make purchases.

Understanding a Denial Letter

A denial letter should tell you why your SSI application was turned down. The most common reasons are:

• You didn’t present enough medical documentation of your health condition or Social Security doesn’t think your medical condition is bad enough to keep you from working.
  • If the letter says your doctor, psychiatrist, or school did not send records they were supposed to send, you can get these reports and submit them yourself when you file an appeal.
• You have more resources than the $2,000 limit ($3,000 for couples).
• Your total countable income is too high for you to qualify for SSI.
• You have more earned income than the Substantial Gainful Activity level of $1,470 per month.

Note: When you apply for SSI, Social Security will also check to see if you qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). If you get an SSDI denial letter, it does not mean you’ve been turned down for SSI benefits. Read the letter carefully — an actual SSI denial letter will say “Supplemental Security Income” at the top.

Filing an Appeal

If you feel that Social Security’s decision is incorrect, you can file an appeal:

• File your appeal quickly. After you get a denial letter, you have 60 days to file an appeal. If you don’t appeal within 60 days, you may not be able to appeal.
  • If you were already on SSI and are appealing a change in your benefits amount or an overpayment notice, appeal within 10 days. If you do, you might keep getting your original SSI benefits amount until Social Security decides on your appeal.
  • Note: Social Security figures that you get a letter within five days after they sent it.
• You can file your appeal online or call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or 1-800-325-0778 (TTY) and ask them to send you an SSI appeal form. If you file online, you will need to mail or deliver any new information about your situation to Social Security.
• You have the right to have a lawyer or other qualified person (familiar with you and with the SSI program) represent you during the appeal process. Or you may choose to do it yourself.

Note: If your application for SSI benefits is denied and you disagree with the decision, file an appeal. Do not just fill out the application forms again — that would be refiling. If you appeal and win, your benefits will be paid back to your original application date. If you refile, Social Security will start all over and you will not get any past benefits you might have gotten.

If your situation changes, your Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits may change. That’s why you need to report changes in your situation immediately. The Social Security Administration (SSA) will also check every year or two to see if your situation has changed.

Note: If you do not report changes, you might have to pay back the SSI benefits you get to Social Security.

Changes in Your Situation and Your SSI Benefits

How much you get in SSI benefits depends on your:

• Earned income
• Unearned income
• Resources, and
• Living arrangements.

If any of these things change, even slightly, you must report the change twice:

• To your local DES/Family Assistance Administration office within 10 days of when the change happens.
• To Social Security at the start of the month after the change. You can report:
  • In person, by phone, or by fax during the first 10 days of the next month.
  • Using the SSI Telephone Reporting System, the SSI reporting app, or My Social Security during the first 6 days of the next month.

Tip: Some people report their earned income every month, even when the amount doesn’t change. You can sign up to get a reminder text or email each month, so that you won't forget to report.

Note: Due to COVID-19, there may be limits on in-person services. Contact your agency by phone to ask about this.

When Social Security Checks to See if Your Situation Has Changed

Occasionally, Social Security does two different types of review of your situation to make sure you still qualify for SSI benefits and that you’re getting the right benefits amount:

• A redetermination means Social Security will look at your income, resources, marital status, and living arrangements. A redetermination can be done in person, by phone, or by mail. You may need to provide documentation of your situation. Social Security may do a redetermination every 1-6 years.
  • During a redetermination, Social Security does not ask about your medical condition.
• A medical Continuing Disability Review (CDR) means Social Security will look at your medical condition to make sure you still have a disability. You may need to provide medical records or other information. Social Security may do a medical CDR every 1.5-7 years.
  • If you have been getting SSI benefits for two years or more, Social Security will not do a medical CDR just because you work.
  • For as long as you are either a client of the Arizona Rehabilitation Services Administration (AZRSA) or are actively working with an Employment Network (EN) and making timely progress in the Ticket to Work Program, Social Security will not do a medical CDR.

Respond right away and do everything Social Security needs you to do, otherwise your SSI payments could be stopped. If you have trouble filling out a form or getting documentation, ask for help at your local Social Security office.

Overpayments

If Social Security decides that they paid you more in benefits than they should have, they’ll send you a letter telling you that they’ve made an overpayment and explaining how much money you must pay back.

Deal with an overpayment notice right away. The overpayment letter will ask for the money to be returned within 30 days, but Social Security is willing to work out a reasonable monthly payment plan with you. Contact Social Security immediately to talk about your options.

A common reason people get overpayments is that they didn’t report changes in their earnings, unearned income, living situation, or marital status. You could also be overpaid if you keep getting SSI benefits after your resources go over the SSI resource limit or when you don’t have a disability anymore. If you do not report changes, then the overpayment is your fault and you’ll have to pay the money back.

If you think an overpayment wasn’t your fault and you can’t pay it back because you need the money to pay for living expenses, you can ask for a waiver of the overpayment. If the waiver is granted, you won’t have to repay the overpayment. To get the waiver form, call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or 1-800-325-0778 (TTY) and ask for form SSA-632.

When you apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), the Social Security Administration (SSA) will look at everything you submit with your application and follow a five-step process to figure out whether you meet their criteria for disability.

Steps 1, 4, and 5 of the Social Security disability determination process look at your ability to work, while steps 2 and 3 look at your medical condition.

If Social Security says you have a disability, you may qualify for SSI if your resources and income are below SSI’s limits.

Note: This article presents the rules for adults ages 18 – 64. Seniors may qualify for benefits without having a disability. Learn about the rules for children under 18 in DB101’s Benefits for Young People article.

Social Security Does Not Follow These Steps If You Are Blind

Social Security uses special rules to decide if someone is blind.

Usually, if your vision in your better eye cannot be corrected to better than 20/200 or your field of view is 20 degrees or less, you’ll be considered blind.

Learn more about Social Security’s rules on blindness.

Step 1: Are You Working at a Level of Substantial Gainful Activity?

If you are working and your monthly earnings before taxes are deducted are higher than the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) level, you will not have a disability according to Social Security and you will not qualify for SSI benefits. In 2023, SGA is $1,470.

If you are not working or if your earnings are less than the SGA level, Social Security will move on to the next step to decide if you have a disability.

Note: If you are self-employed, your income is calculated differently when it is compared to SGA.

Learn about self-employment and SGA in DB101’s SSDI article.

Step 2: Is Your Medical Condition Severe?

For Social Security to say you have a disability, your medical condition must be expected to either:

• Significantly limit your ability to perform basic work activities for at least 12 consecutive months, or
• Result in death.

If it does not, you will not be considered disabled and will not qualify for SSI benefits.

If your disability meets this standard, Social Security will move on to the next step to decide if you have a disability.

Step 3: Is Your Medical Condition on Social Security’s List of Impairments?

Social Security’s List of Impairments includes many mental and physical disorders. If your condition is on the list, Social Security will decide that you have a disability and will skip steps 4 and 5.

If your condition is not on the list, Social Security will decide whether your condition is as severe as a condition that is on the list. If it is, Social Security will decide that you have a disability and will skip steps 4 and 5.

If your condition is not as severe, Social Security will move on to the next step to decide if you have a disability.

Step 4: Can You Do the Same Work You Did Before?

If your condition doesn’t stop you from doing the work you did before, Social Security will say you do not have a disability and do not qualify for SSI benefits.

If your medical condition does stop you from doing the same work you did before, Social Security will move on to the final step to decide if you have a disability.

Step 5: Can You Do Any Other Type of Work?

If you can’t do the work you used to do, Social Security will look at your skills and your condition to see if there is other work you could do.

If your condition doesn’t prevent you from doing other work and earning at the SGA level, you won’t be considered to have a disability and will not qualify for SSI benefits.

If your medical condition does stop you from doing other work and earning at the SGA level, Social Security will say that you have a disability, as long as you have met the other four criteria.

If you have a disability, low resources, and low income, you may qualify for SSI benefits.

To see if you qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), the Social Security Administration (SSA) will:

• Look at your countable resources to see if they are below the SSI resource limit, and
• Calculate your countable income to see if it is below the SSI income limit for a person in your situation.

If your resources and countable income are below the limits and you have a disability or are 65 or older, Social Security will give you a monthly SSI benefit to help you pay for your basic needs. The amount you get each month will depend on how much other income you have.

SSI’s Resource Limit

When you apply for SSI, you have to list money and property that you own. These are called resources.

Some resources don’t count towards SSI’s resource limit, like the home you live in and one vehicle. Social Security has a complete list of excluded resources.

Countable resources are all resources that aren’t excluded. You must have less than $2,000 in countable resources ($3,000 for a couple) to qualify for SSI benefits.

If your countable resources are below the resource limit, you may qualify for SSI.

However, if your disability began before you turned 26 you can open an ABLE account where over time you can save up to $100,000 in resources and not have them counted by SSI. Learn more about ABLE accounts.

SSI’s Income Limit for Your Living Situation

The most you can get in SSI each month is what Social Security thinks somebody in your situation needs to spend on basic needs. The countable income limit for getting SSI is the same as this maximum benefits amount.

This table shows the maximum possible SSI benefits for some common living situations. These situations are explained in detail below.

SSI Monthly Maximum Benefits/Countable Income Limits

	Single individuals	Couples where both partners qualify for SSI
If you pay for your own food and shelter	$914	$1,371
If you get help paying for food and shelter	$609.33	$914.00
If you live in a medical facility	$30	$60

Note: These numbers are adjusted each year for the cost of living.

Living Arrangements

If you live alone, the most you can get in SSI each month is $914. However, the countable income limit for SSI and the maximum benefit you can get may be different if:

• You are married
  • If you live in the same household as somebody else and the two of you act as though you are married and present yourselves to the community as being married, Social Security will consider you a married couple for SSI purposes.
• Somebody else helps pay the costs of your food and shelter, or
• You live in an institution, such as a hospital, nursing home, or prison.

If you are under 18 and living with your parents or relatives, the rules are different. Learn more about them in DB101’s Benefits for Young People article.

Rules for Couples

How SSI looks at your income and possible benefits depends on whether your spouse also qualifies for SSI.

If Your Spouse Does Not Qualify for SSI

If you are married and your spouse doesn’t qualify for SSI, then Social Security figures out how much of your spouse’s income can be used to help pay for your basic needs. This process is called spousal deeming. For each dollar of your spouse’s income that can be deemed, your maximum SSI benefits amount will go down by a dollar.

If Your Spouse Does Qualify for SSI

Social Security calls you part of an “eligible couple” if:

• You are married
• You live with your spouse, and
• Both you and your spouse qualify for SSI.

The most an eligible couple can get in SSI each month is $1,371 (only about 150% of the individual maximum of $914).

Rules If Somebody Else Helps Pay for Your Food and Shelter

If you are single and pay for your own food and shelter, you get up to $914/month in SSI benefits. Shelter expenses can include rent, mortgage payments, property taxes, heating fuel, gas, electricity, water, sewer service, and garbage collection. To qualify for this benefits amount if you live alone, you cannot get help paying for these expenses. If you live with other people, you must pay your fair share without getting help.

If someone else pays for some or all of your food and shelter, Social Security may reduce the maximum SSI benefits amount you can get. This is called in-kind support and maintenance and how Social Security counts it depends on your situation.

The Value of One-Third Reduction (VTR) Rule

The VTR rule says that the most you can get in SSI benefits goes down by one-third if:

• You live in somebody else’s household, and
• Somebody in that household helps with both food and shelter.

The VTR rule is all or nothing. It doesn’t matter how much you actually get in free food or free shelter; all that matters is that you get both from somebody living in the same household and you don’t pay anything for them yourself.

Usually, the maximum SSI benefit is $914. The VTR reduction is one-third of that, or $304.67. Therefore, if the VTR rule applies, the maximum SSI benefits amount most people can get is $914 – $304.67 = $609.33.

The Presumed Maximum Value (PMV) Rule

The PMV rule says that the most you can get in SSI benefits goes down by a certain amount if:

• Somebody helps you with food and/or shelter, and
• The VTR does not apply to your case.
  • Examples: The VTR does not apply if you do not live in the same household as the person helping you with your food and shelter, or if the person helping you does not help with both food and shelter.

The exact amount your maximum SSI benefits go down depends on your situation:

• By default, it will go down by one-third of the maximum SSI benefit plus $20. For 2023, this Presumed Maximum Value (PMV) is $324.67 for an individual.
• However, if the actual help you get paying for food or shelter is worth less than the PMV, then your SSI benefits will only be reduced by the actual support amount.
  • If the value of the support you get is less than the default PMV, you must show Social Security documentation of how much support you actually get.
    

Note: The support you get according to the PMV rule counts as unearned income for SSI. Because SSI's general income exclusion means the program doesn't count your first $20 in unearned income, the amount of SSI benefits you get may be the same regardless of whether the VTR or PMV applies.

Rules If You Live in a Medical Facility

If you live in a medical facility, such as a hospital or nursing home, you probably can’t get full SSI benefits:

• If the Arizona Long-Term Care System (ALTCS) pays for more than half the cost of your care in the facility, the most you can get in SSI benefits is $30/month.
• If ALTCS does not pay for more than half of your care in the facility, you cannot get any SSI benefits.
• If your doctor says you will be in the facility for less than 90 days and you can show that you need your SSI benefits to keep your home or living arrangement, you may continue to get your full SSI benefits.
  • Note: If you’re expecting to stay for less than 90 days, you need to get the doctor’s note and documentation about your need to Social Security right away. The facility’s admissions office can help you.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) will look at your income when they decide whether you qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and, if so, how much in SSI benefits you should get. (This evaluation of your income is different than what they do when they see if you have a disability.)

When they look at your income, Social Security will calculate that you should be spending some of it on your basic needs. The part of your monthly income that SSI expects you to spend on basic needs is called your countable income.

If your countable income is the same as or higher than the maximum SSI benefit for a person in your living situation, you will not get a monthly SSI benefit.

If your countable income is lower than the maximum SSI benefit for a person in your living situation, Social Security will subtract your countable income from the maximum SSI benefit and what is left will be the SSI benefits amount you get each month.

Note: Even if your gross income is higher than the maximum SSI benefit, your countable income might be below the limit.

Earned and Unearned Income

Social Security counts your earned and unearned income differently:

• Earned income is money you get from work you do, including salaries, wages, tips, bonuses, professional fees, or other compensation you get in exchange for physical or mental work.
  • Social Security only counts about half of your earned income.
    
• Unearned income is money you get in any other way, including Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI); short- or long-term disability insurance; VA benefits; workers’ compensation; and income, dividends, or profits from a trust or investment.
  • Social Security counts almost all of your unearned income.

The bottom line: If you work, you’ll usually be better off, because your SSI benefits will only go down by about 50 cents for every dollar you earn. Learn more about rules that help people who work while they get SSI benefits.

The Countable Income Calculation

The exact way Social Security counts your income is pretty complicated. Read about the different steps in the calculation and then get an idea of how your income affects your benefits.

Step 1: Countable Unearned Income

Start with your total unearned income. Subtract $20, the general exclusion that everyone gets. What’s left is your countable unearned income.

Step 2: Countable Earned Income

Start with your gross earned income before taxes are deducted. If you’re self-employed, you subtract your work expenses before reporting your earned income, the way you do when you file your taxes.

Subtract anything left over from the $20 general exclusion (you will only have money left over from the general exclusion if you had less than $20 in unearned income).

Then subtract another $65, the earned income exclusion that everyone who works gets. Also subtract any Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWEs). Learn more about IRWEs.

Take what’s left, and divide that amount by two. The result is your countable earned income.

If you are blind, you use Blind Work Expenses (BWEs) instead of Impairment Related Work Expenses and the calculation is slightly different. Learn more about BWEs.

Step 3: Total Countable Income

Add your countable unearned income to your countable earned income. Subtract any contribution to a Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS). The result is your total countable income. Learn more about PASS.

Step 4: Benefits Calculation

Start with the maximum possible SSI benefits for your living situation. Subtract your countable income. The result is your SSI benefits amount. If your countable income is larger than the maximum SSI benefit, you will not get monthly SSI benefits.

Note: Working students can take some of their income out of the countable income calculation. Learn more about the Student Earned Income Exclusion (SEIE).

If you're not already on SSI benefits, pay for your own food and shelter, and are not married, try the following tool to see how much your benefits might be. Learn more about how your living situation can affect your benefits.

How much you get in Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits each month depends on your countable income. The more countable income you have, the less you get in SSI.

However, SSI has many programs and rules that can help you if you work, so that when your earned income goes up, your overall situation improves:

• Some mean your SSI benefits don’t go down as much when your earned income goes up.
• Some mean you can go over SSI’s resource limit, but keep getting SSI benefits.
• The Ticket to Work program can help you with job-training and finding work.
• Some mean that if you stop getting SSI benefits due to work, you’ll have a safety net that can help you get back on SSI more easily if you need it and can also get affordable health coverage.

Rules That Mean Your SSI Benefits Won’t Go Down as Much as Your Earned Income Goes Up

In general, your SSI benefits will go down 50 cents for every dollar your earned income goes up. That means you’ll always end up with more total income when you work. However, some rules mean that your SSI benefits go down even less or not at all.

Some Work Expenses Are Not Countable Income

When you go to work, you have extra expenses. Social Security calls some of these Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWEs) and won’t count them when looking at your income. If you are blind, Social Security calls them Blind Work Expenses (BWEs) and won’t count them.

Because Social Security won’t count the money you spend on IRWEs and BWEs, your total countable income for SSI will be lower and your SSI benefits will stay higher than they otherwise would.

You need to report your IRWEs or BWEs to Social Security when you report your income, including receipts or cancelled checks for your expenses.

Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWEs)

For Social Security to count something as an IRWE, all of the following have to be true:

• You bought an item or service that you need to work.
• You need it because of a disability.
• You paid for it yourself and nobody reimbursed you for the cost.
• You paid a reasonable price for it.
• You were working during the month you paid the expense.
• You can fully document the expense with receipts or cancelled checks.

IRWEs are approved at the local Social Security office on a case-by-case basis. Try this form for reporting your IRWEs.

Blind Work Expenses (BWEs)

Blind Work Expenses can be any expense you have that lets you work. Unlike an IRWE, a BWE does not have to be related to your blindness or other medical condition or disability. Examples include:

Unlike IRWEs, BWEs are subtracted after dividing by two, rather than before.

The Student Earned Income Exclusion (SEIE) for Students Under 22

The Student Earned Income Exclusion (SEIE) lets students on SSI earn up to $2,220 per month without having those wages be part of their countable income. That means they can work and keep getting their SSI benefits. The SEIE has a $8,950 annual cap, so if you earn more than that in a year, your earnings will be counted by SSI and your benefits will go down.

The SEIE can help you if you get SSI and are both:

• Under 22 years old, and
• Regularly attending school.
  • This usually means you have to go to school more than:
    • 8 hours per week for college students
    • 12 hours per week for grades 7 to 12
    • 12 to 15 hours per week for job training
  • If there are reasons beyond your control that prevent you from going to school this much, Social Security may make an exception to these rules.

Tip: The SEIE’s monthly and annual caps let you can have a higher paying job during the summer months and then a part-time job during the school year without going over the annual cap.

Programs That Let You Earn More, Save More, and Keep Getting SSI

A couple of programs let you save more than SSI’s $2,000 resource limit ($3,000 for couples) and keep getting SSI. At the same time, the money you save up with these programs won’t be considered countable income by the SSI program, so you’ll also get more in SSI benefits.

ABLE Accounts

If your disability began before you turned 26, you can open an ABLE account where over time you can save up to $100,000 in resources and not have them counted by SSI. ABLE accounts mean that if you get a job, you can start saving some money without losing your benefits. Additionally, the money in an ABLE account gets tax advantages similar to the way retirement accounts work.

However, ABLE accounts have restrictions:

• They can only be opened through specific programs or institutions.
• You can only open one ABLE account.
  • Arizona's ABLE account program is AZ ABLE, which is only open to Arizona residents.
  • You can choose to open an account in another state’s ABLE program.
• You and the other people making contributions on your behalf have a limit on how much you can deposit each year. Combined, you cannot deposit more than $17,000 in 2023.
• You can only use money in an ABLE account for specific things, such as:
  • Education
  • Housing
  • Transportation
  • Help getting and keeping work
  • Health care
  • Assistive technology, and
  • Other approved expenses.
• A person can only have one ABLE account.

Learn more about ABLE accounts.

Plans to Achieve Self-Support (PASS)

The Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) program lets people who get SSI benefits earn more money and save up that money in a special account. It can also help people who do not qualify for SSI become eligible.

The money that you save up must be used for a work-related goal. It can help pay for:

• School or training
• Starting a business, or
• Equipment, support services, and other expenses related to your goal.

The PASS program has two basic benefits:

• You can save up resources without losing your SSI benefits.
• If you have income, you can put it into the PASS and it won’t be counted as income by SSI, which means your benefits amount won’t go down as much.

To set up a PASS, you must:

• Get SSI benefits or become eligible for SSI benefits due to an approved PASS application.
• Have income other than SSI (for example, SSDI benefits or wages from a job) or have resources over $2,000 that you can use to fund your PASS.
• Have a work goal that will help you earn enough money to lower your SSI benefits or get off SSDI benefits altogether.
• Be able to write a plan that shows how saving a certain amount of money will let you reach your work goal. You can get help writing your plan from a PASS specialist.
• Be under age 65. If you are 65 or older, you may be able to set up a PASS if you were getting SSI benefits based on disability or blindness in the month before your 65^th birthday.

Learn more in DB101’s PASS article.

Individual Development Accounts (IDAs)

If you are on SSI, Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) can help you earn more and save your earnings in a special account that will be matched with money supplied by the program’s sponsor or financial institution.

The match may be anywhere from one to four times the amount of the deposit you make. For example, if you’re enrolled in an IDA program with a 2:1 match and you deposit $50 into your account, the program will add an additional $100 towards your savings goal, so that your total savings for that month will be $150!

You must make sure your IDA is funded by the federal government. If it is:

• The earnings you put into the IDA don’t count as earned income when SSI figures out your benefits
• The matching money the IDA adds to your contribution doesn’t count as income for SSI, and
• The money in the IDA doesn’t count against SSI’s resource limit.

To open an IDA:

• Your annual income must be at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines ($29,160 per year for individuals)
• You must have some earned income from a job or your own business
• You have to take financial literacy classes about things like money, debt reduction, developing a savings plan, credit, and investing; and
• Depending on the program, you may need to be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

You also have to choose an approved goal and use the IDA to save money for that goal. Most IDA programs let you save money for:

• Buying a first home
• Paying for education or training costs, or
• Funding a small business.

Learn more in DB101’s IDA article.

Note: There aren't as many IDA programs as there used to be. Some are still active, but it can take a bit of effort to find one that is accepting applications.

The Ticket to Work Program: Job Training and Help Finding Work

The Ticket to Work program helps adults with disabilities prepare for, find, and keep work. To qualify, you must:

• Be 18 – 64 years old
• Get SSI or SSDI benefits

When you are ready to think about work, you can get started with the Ticket program by contacting an Employment Network (EN). ENs are organizations that can give you the various free employment services that Ticket to Work provides, including:

• Vocational rehabilitation
• Training
• Referrals
• Job coaching
• Job counseling, and
• Placement services.

While you are in the Ticket program, Social Security will not make you do medical Continuing Disability Reviews (CDRs) as long as you make timely progress in meeting your employment goals. That means you won’t lose your eligibility for SSI or SSDI for medical reasons.

Learn more in DB101's Ticket to Work article.

Rules That Help if You Stop Getting SSI Benefits Due to Work

While there are many rules that can help you keep getting monthly SSI benefits, if you earn enough, you will eventually stop getting those benefits. Even so, there are SSI rules and other programs that will keep helping you.

If You Need SSI Again

If you stop getting SSI because your income goes up, but then your income goes down again, you may not have to reapply for SSI benefits.

If it has been less than 12 months since your last SSI payment or if you qualify for SSI 1619(b), you can get your SSI benefits started up again by reporting to your local Social Security office that you are no longer working.

If it has been more than 12 months, you can ask for Expedited Reinstatement (EXR) if:

• Your SSI benefits amount went to zero because of your income
• You can’t work at the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) level because of your disability
• Your current medical impairment is the same as the one that originally made you eligible for SSI, and
• You stopped getting SSI benefits less than five years ago.

If you qualify for EXR, you can get up to six months of temporary SSI benefits while Social Security makes sure you still qualify.

Health Coverage Rules

Many people who get SSI worry that if they work, they’ll lose the AHCCCS health coverage that comes with SSI benefits automatically. Fortunately, you can usually keep AHCCCS coverage even if your SSI benefits amount goes to zero because of earnings. And, if you can't keep your AHCCCS, there will be other coverage options.

AHCCCS through SSI’s 1619(b) Rule

If you’re on SSI and AHCCCS and your SSI benefits amount goes to zero because you go back to work, SSI’s 1619(b) rule means you can keep your AHCCCS coverage.

To keep your automatic AHCCCS coverage under 1619(b), you must:

• Have been eligible for SSI benefits for at least one month
• Need AHCCCS coverage to keep working
• Still have resources below the SSI limit of $2,000 ($3,000 for a couple)
• Have less than $46,371 in gross earnings, and
• Still meet all other SSI rules.

Learn more in DB101’s AHCCCS for People with Disabilities article.

AHCCCS Freedom to Work

If your income goes over the 1619(b) limit or your resources go over SSI’s limit, you should look into AHCCCS Freedom to Work, which has a much higher income limit and doesn't have a resource limit.

To qualify for AHCCCS Freedom to Work, you must:

• Be 16 – 64 years old
• Live in Arizona
• Be a U.S. citizen or a qualified immigrant
• Be working
• Have a disability that meets Social Security’s medical standards.
  • Note: For AHCCCS Freedom to Work, SSA’s disability rules related to income do not apply.
• Have countable earned income at or below $36,450 per year.
  • Not all of your earned income is counted. You could actually earn up to $73,920 per year and still qualify for AHCCCS Freedom to Work.
  • For eligibility, only your earned income is counted, not the income of other household members.

If you get AHCCCS Freedom to Work, you may need to pay a monthly premium. The amount you pay is based on your countable earned income. The higher your income is, the higher your premium will be. The maximum premium is $35.

Learn more in DB101’s AHCCCS Freedom to Work article.

Other Health Coverage Options

If you lose AHCCCS coverage, there should be another health coverage you can get, such as employer-sponsored coverage or private individual coverage. And, if you can’t afford the individual coverage, the government may help you pay for it through tax credits.

Learn more about individual coverage in DB101’s Buying Coverage on Healthcare.gov article.

Angelica’s Story

When Angelica was first hospitalized with schizophrenia at 17, she was covered by her mother’s employer-sponsored health coverage. But when Angelica turned 26, she couldn’t stay on her mother’s insurance anymore, even as her mental state got worse — she could no longer hold down a job, was running out of money and ideas, and had no health coverage.

Angelica’s aunt helped out by paying for Angelica’s trips to a psychologist, who helped her understand what was going on. “You have a medical condition, a mental health issue, which keeps you from working. The government calls that a disability. Why don’t you go to the local DES/Family Assistance Administration office and see if they can help? I think you should be able to get some cash assistance and medical coverage.”

Applying for Help

Angelica went to her DES/Family Assistance Administration office and talked to Lauretta, a social worker. They sat down together, while Angelica told Lauretta about her medical history and her inability to work. She’d had no work for three months and was down to the last $500 in her bank account.

Lauretta explained that with her medical and work history, Angelica should be eligible for Social Security disability benefits, either Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Social Security would check their records to see if Angelica had worked enough in the past to qualify for SSDI; otherwise, she’d probably get SSI instead. “You haven’t been able to work at the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) level — $1,470/month — for some time now. And with just $500 in resources, you’re below SSI’s $2,000 resource limit. So you’ll probably qualify.”

When Lauretta mentioned that the application process could take several months, Angelica was unhappy. She was out of money right now. Lauretta said, “While you are waiting for SSI, you can try applying for some other programs, like AHCCCS and Nutrition Assistance. Here's a list of the documents you should bring in so that I can help you fill out their applications.” Together, they also called the local Social Security office to make an appointment for Angelica to turn in her SSI application later in the week.

Angelica came back the next day with bank statements, tax records, paystubs, and contact information for all the doctors and hospitals she’d dealt with. Then Angelica and Lauretta sat down together and filled out the online combined application for AHCCCS and Nutrition Assistance. “Now that you're 26, your mother's employer-sponsored health plan won't cover you anymore, but now you'll qualify for AHCCCS, because your income is below 138% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG).” This was a huge relief for Angelica, who didn't know that she could have been on AHCCCS instead of being uninsured.

Then, Lauretta helped Angelica apply for SSI online. “We want to get your application into their records as quickly as possible, because if it turns out you qualify for SSI, they’ll pay your SSI benefits all the way back to your application date,” Lauretta said.

Waiting

In early January, Lauretta called Angelica. Angelica was approved for AHCCCS and Nutrition Assistance. “I’m breathing easier, now that I've got health coverage and some money for food,” she said.

On February 22, Angelica called Lauretta, clearly upset. She’d gotten a denial letter from Social Security. Lauretta asked Angelica to read the letterhead carefully. It turned out that Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) had denied Angelica because she didn’t have enough work credits to qualify. “That’s fine,” Lauretta explained. “We didn’t expect you to get SSDI anyway, given your work record. We’re really looking for SSI. Social Security has to check to see if you’re eligible for SSDI first, before they can consider you for SSI, that’s all. You’ve just got some more waiting to do.”

Award

On April 12, Angelica got her SSI award letter. She qualified for $914/month in SSI benefits. She called up Lauretta to ask what would happen next. Lauretta explained, “First, SSI will pay you retroactive benefits. Since you applied back in December, SSI will give you benefits for each month you’ve been waiting since then.”

“When you’re feeling up to it,” Lauretta added, “you can start thinking about going back to work a few hours a week. You’ll have to report any changes in your income both to this office and to Social Security. But it’s worth it, because your SSI benefits amount will go down by less than your earnings, so you should always end up better off if you can work. For example, if you were earning $300/month, your SSI benefits amount would only go down by $107.50."

"Try out DB101’s Benefits and Work Estimator to get a feel for how earnings and SSI work together. When you are seriously considering going back to work, you should contact a Work Incentive Consultant for more help.”

“Thanks for everything,” said Angelica.