The Supplemental Security Income program (SSI) is funded by general funds of the U.S. Treasury rather than Social Security taxes collected on a worker’s earnings, which fund the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and retirement programs. Both programs are administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA).
SSI is described as a need-based program because your income and resources, which are assets that you own, cannot exceed limits. For example, the total value of resources that a single person may have is limited to $2,000. Couples may have resources with a value that does not exceed $3,000.
The purpose of the SSI program is to provide enough money each month to allow you to buy food and pay for a place to live. If you are disabled, blind, and meet the financial limitations imposed for the program, a Supplemental Security Income lawyer from Disability Partners, PLLC, can be helpful.
It is far from easy to qualify for Supplemental Security Income Benefits. About one-third of the applications made to the SSA for disability benefits are approved during the initial application process.
To qualify for the SSI program, you must meet the following requirements:
An SSI lawyer at Disability Partners, PLLC, helps to determine whether you meet the non-medical requirements for the program. Depending on your work history, you may qualify for SSDI along with or in place of SSI.
The SSA uses a different definition of “disabled” for adult applicants than it does for children. Adults must be unable to engage in substantial gainful activity caused by a medically determinable physical or mental impairment or combination of impairments that has lasted or is expected to last for at least 12 months or result in death.
For a child to be disabled according to the definition used for SSI, the child must have a medically determinable condition or combination of conditions causing marked and severe functional limitations expected to last for at least 12 months or result in death. “Marked and severe functional limitations” means a serious limitation in the ability to engage in activities.
The monthly SSI benefit in 2022 for an individual is $841 and $1,261 for couples. Learn more about the program during a free consultation and claim assessment with our team at Disability Partners, PLLC.