Making ends meet is a struggle for many families across the country. If you need extra income because of your age, a disability, or a child with a disability, you may be eligible for Supplement Security Income (SSI) benefits from the federal government.
What is SSI? SSI is a program which pays monthly cash benefits to qualifying individuals and families who have limited income and resources. If you think you or a family member may be eligible, read on to learn all about Supplemental Security Income.
If your SSI benefits were denied, call 1-800-503-2000 or use our case evaluation form today.
SSI Benefits For Seniors
Supplemental Security Income for adults aged 65 and older is not the retirement benefits that many people think of when they hear Social Security. The SSI benefits given to people aged 65 and older do not have to do with your work history or your disability status only your income.
If you are ages 65 or older, you may be perfectly healthy and still able to work. If, however, your monthly income and household resources are below the federal threshold, you may be able to receive monthly cash payments from the government to supplement your income. Generally, your monthly income and total resources are limited to $2,000 per month for a single individual, and $3,000 a month for a couple. The resources limit does not include things like the value of your home or vehicle.
The basic SSI payment for an individual is $721 for a single person, and $1,082 for a couple. Your payment may be more if you live in a state which offers its own supplemental benefits, and it may be less if you have more income and resources than average.
SSI Benefits For Disabled Adults
Adults who have never worked (or who worked very little) may be eligible for SSI benefits if they are 18 years or older, are seriously disabled, are not currently receiving disability benefits based on their work history, and have a low income and few resources. If you’re wondering if you qualify for SSI benefits there are few things to consider before you apply.
In order to be considered disabled, you must be unable to perform any substantial gainful activity because of your disability, and your disability must be expected to either result in death or last for at least 12 months in a row.
Many people who receive SSI as adults either did not pay into the social security system before becoming disabled, or have been disabled since childhood with impairments like total deafness or blindness.
SSI Benefits For Disabled Children
You may be wondering does my child qualify for Social Security disability benefits? This is a common question among parents with children who have disabilities. A child is considered disabled by the Social Security Administration (SSA) if he or she has a physical or mental impairment that results in severe functional limitations, and the child’s condition is expected to last for at least 12 months or result in death.
The child must also be under the age of 18 (or 22, if a student), never married, and earning less than $1,070 in income every month. For children, the income and resources of the family may also be considered as part of the child’s income.
If your child’s disability is expected to eventually improve (for example, low birth weight babies may eventually gain weight and thrive) then your child’s condition will be evaluated either when your infant turns 1, and/or every three years thereafter. If your child is still impaired when he or she turns 18, your child may still be able to keep his or her benefits through the SSDI or SSI programs if his or her disability remains unchanged.
At Dayes Law Firm PC, we understand that you depend on SSI benefits to provide for your family’s needs. Our experienced SSI attorneys can help you fight a claim denial, and will do our best to get you the benefits you deserve.
Call 1-800-503-2000 or use our case evaluation form to contact an attorney at Dayes Law Firm PC