What is SSI Disability Pay Based On?
SSI, or Supplemental Security Income disability, is a disability program designed to help individuals who have not worked, have worked very little, or worked long ago (and, thus, are no longer insured for Social Security disability). SSI is also the disability benefit program for minor-age children and individuals who qualify for social security disability, yet are only eligible to receive a small monthly social security disability benefit check.
SSI is a disability program that does not depend upon an individual’s work activity or insured status like the Social Security disability program. Since SSI disability is a need based program, entitlement depends upon an individual’s income and resources. Consequently, if an individual is found medically disabled by the Social Security Administration and they meet the SSI income and resource guidelines, they will be entitled to a monthly disability check.
This means some individuals who are found medically disabled by Social Security will not be entitled to their SSI disability benefits, because they cannot meet SSI income and resource limits. Note: the earned income limit for SSI is the same as for SSD (and can be found here: Substantial gainful activity, SGA) and the resource, or asset, limit for SSI for single individuals is $2000 in countable assets--which, of course, excludes one's home residence and one's primary automobile.
SSI disability medical determinations are done exactly the same as Social Security disability medical determinations. In fact, many disability claims are for both Social Security and SSI disability. These are known as concurrent claims and as a disability examiner I found that a fairly high percentage of cases fell into the concurrent category.
All disability claims are sent to a state disability agency--known in most states as DDS, or disability determination services--for medical determinations. The disability examiners who work at state agencies make a medical determination for both disability programs at the same time and this determination is based upon a review of a claimant's medical records and work history (for children, the child's academic history takes the place of the work history and is documented by evidence that includes grade reports, achievement testing, IQ testing, and questionaires from teachers).
If the disability examiner approves the disability claim, there is an "end line interview" for SSI applicants to determine if they still meet the income and resource guidelines of the SSI disability program. If they meet them they will receive a monthly SSI disability check and if they do not meet the income and/or resources their claim will be denied even though they were found medically disabled.
So how does Social Security determine the disability pay amount for SSI? Each year the Social Security Administration determines what maximum monthly disability amount they will pay SSI recipients. Any increases are generally based upon annual cost of living increases, which means no increase for years in which there is not annual cost of living increase.
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Social Security Disability Secrets
Social Security Disability Posts and Pages
SSI is a disability program that does not depend upon an individual’s work activity or insured status like the Social Security disability program. Since SSI disability is a need based program, entitlement depends upon an individual’s income and resources. Consequently, if an individual is found medically disabled by the Social Security Administration and they meet the SSI income and resource guidelines, they will be entitled to a monthly disability check.
This means some individuals who are found medically disabled by Social Security will not be entitled to their SSI disability benefits, because they cannot meet SSI income and resource limits. Note: the earned income limit for SSI is the same as for SSD (and can be found here: Substantial gainful activity, SGA) and the resource, or asset, limit for SSI for single individuals is $2000 in countable assets--which, of course, excludes one's home residence and one's primary automobile.
SSI disability medical determinations are done exactly the same as Social Security disability medical determinations. In fact, many disability claims are for both Social Security and SSI disability. These are known as concurrent claims and as a disability examiner I found that a fairly high percentage of cases fell into the concurrent category.
All disability claims are sent to a state disability agency--known in most states as DDS, or disability determination services--for medical determinations. The disability examiners who work at state agencies make a medical determination for both disability programs at the same time and this determination is based upon a review of a claimant's medical records and work history (for children, the child's academic history takes the place of the work history and is documented by evidence that includes grade reports, achievement testing, IQ testing, and questionaires from teachers).
If the disability examiner approves the disability claim, there is an "end line interview" for SSI applicants to determine if they still meet the income and resource guidelines of the SSI disability program. If they meet them they will receive a monthly SSI disability check and if they do not meet the income and/or resources their claim will be denied even though they were found medically disabled.
So how does Social Security determine the disability pay amount for SSI? Each year the Social Security Administration determines what maximum monthly disability amount they will pay SSI recipients. Any increases are generally based upon annual cost of living increases, which means no increase for years in which there is not annual cost of living increase.
Return to the homepage for:
Social Security Disability Secrets
Social Security Disability Posts and Pages
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- What sort of Forms are Used to File For Social Security Disability?
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- Filing a social security appeal
- Appealing a disability denial instead of filing a new claim
- How Long Must I Wait For a Social Security Disability Hearing?
