Supplemental security income what is it

I was even denied opportunities to volunteer. By the end, I had applied to more than jobs in My time as a rehabilitation counselor showed that I was not alone in my struggles with the SSI program. I spent six years talking to disabled clients, trying to help them navigate the system. Their first hurdle around SSI was applying to the program. The average eligibility timeline is three to five months if you get approved during the initial application.

Thousands of people die or go bankrupt every year waiting for disability benefits as a result. I would walk client after client through the difficult process, sending medical documentation and statements of disability to the Social Security office.

For individuals lucky enough to navigate the application process and be found eligible for benefits, most recipients find they are unable to afford daily living expenses, even with SSI, because benefits are so low. They were too sick and unstable to work. They needed the stable income and Medicaid coverage, for which SSI made them automatically eligible, to pay for their mental health community support services.

Yet few had other options due to the lack of affordable housing. Current SSI policies are archaic, and benefits are too low, which causes real harm to beneficiaries. While the program used to be the most successful anti-poverty program for disabled people, it now forces and traps disabled people into poverty.

Many of these individuals have no other options to support themselves, which forces them into perpetual evictions and instability. The Biden administration committed to five main changes to the SSI program, including: 4. Through the leadership of Chairman Brown, S. Rebecca Vallas , Christian E. Azza Altiraifi , Nicole Rapfogel. Shawn Fremstad , Rebecca Vallas.

Colin Seeberger Director, Media Relations. Peter Gordon Director, Government Affairs. Madeline Shepherd Director, Government Affairs. Supplemental Security Income , or SSI, is a federal benefit program administered by the Social Security Administration that provides safety-net financial support for people in need.

You may qualify for monthly SSI payments if:. These are also the maximum monthly payments from federal funds for SSI recipients; most states offer supplemental payments. If you receive Social Security benefits, they count. Broadly, countable resources include cash and financial assets that can be turned into cash, such as stocks, bonds or property.

They do not include the home you live in, a vehicle you rely on for transportation, or household goods, among other things. These are just the broad outlines of eligibility for SSI — claims are evaluated by Social Security on a case-by-case basis, subject to a complex set of rules and calculations. Find the answers to the most common Social Security questions such as when to claim, how to maximize your retirement benefits and more. You are leaving AARP. Please return to AARP. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age.

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