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- I have a disability, am I eligible for Social Security disability benefits?
- I have a disability, how do I apply for Social Security disability benefits?
- Am I eligible for a Federal Economic Impact Payment if I receive SSI or SSDI and do not have other income?
- Can an SSI recipient refuse to apply for unemployment compensation or other benefits if they might be eligible because they think they will lose their SSI and have to reapply once the payments stop?
- How do I reach the Social Security Administration?
- Are you waiting for a hearing with the Social Security Administration?
- Where can I go to find programs to help me lead a more financially independent life?
- Where can I get benefits guidance regarding COVID-19 and HUD, Medicaid, Medicare, TANF, SNAP and unemployment insurance?
- What resources are available to assist me with my utility bills?
- Does my state allow for the online purchase of food for delivery using my SNAP benefits as payment?
- How can I find information on Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) in my state?
- Are there any programs for non-citizens or refugees who do not qualify for TANF, SSI or Medicaid, but who meet income and resource standards to receive assistance?
The Social Security Administration (SSA) encourages people to apply directly online or to make an appointment to file by phone as soon as the person becomes disabled.
A person who has a severe physical or mental disability that has lasted, or is expected to last, for at least one year or more or result in death may apply if they also are limited in their ability to work and earn countable income of more than $1,350 a month or more than $2,260 if blind. Unlike some organizations or government programs, SSA does not pay benefits for partial disability or for short term disability of less than 12 months.
There are two programs under which SSA pays a monthly benefit based on a disability:
- Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits (SSDI) paid to: (1) adults (called wage earners) who are ages 18 up to full retirement age (ranges from 65-67) and have worked long enough and recently enough and paid Social Security taxes; and (2) to a wage earner’s eligible dependent children (called Disabled Adult Child (DAC)) age 18 and over whose disability began before age 22; or to (3) a surviving disabled widow/widower(DWB) who is ages 50-60 and meets certain technical rules of eligibility.
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Benefits are paid to children and adults who have limited income and limited resources. The parent’s income and resources (savings) are considered for children under age 18. After age 18 the parent’s income and resources (savings) are no longer considered.
- If the SSI applicant has more than $2,000 in countable resources, they may want to consider opening an ABLE account for depositing cash resources. ABLE savings up to $100,000 are not counted as a resource for SSI.
If you have questions about which benefit you may qualify for, you may want to telephone SSA before filing or starting the process.
There are several ways that you can apply for benefits or start the process:
- SSDI
- Apply Online for Disability Benefits to file the SSDI application. At this time, you cannot file for benefits as a DAC or DWB online; or
- Schedule an appointment at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).
- In all cases, complete the Adult Disability Report online in advance. This will speed up the process.
- SSI
- You can get started but you cannot file the SSI application online. The link will allow you to set up your appointment to file online instead of calling the office; or
- Schedule an appointment at 1-800-772-1213 to apply for SSI disability benefits. SSA will decide if you can come into the office to file or whether you can file by phone interview. There are in-office restrictions due to COVID. If someone is deaf or hard of hearing, they may call the toll-free TTY number 1-800-325-0778 to review their options.
Learn what you need when applying for Disability Benefits including information about yourself, about your disability condition, doctor contact information and any employment information for the last two years. Once you have applied, you can check the status of your application online or you can appeal the decision if you are denied benefits, within 60 days of getting a denial letter.
You do not have to be earning income as an employee of a company or from any other source in addition to your Social Security payment. However, if you are listed as a dependent on someone else’s federal tax return you may not be eligible.
Benefits.gov is a great tool to help you find benefits you may be eligible to receive, such as income assistance, employment accommodations, housing, caregiver assistance and other programs. You can browse by category or search using keywords. While this website does not accept or manage applications for benefits, it does provide you with details on programs and guides you through the process.
The American Dream Employment Network (ADEN) is committed to helping Americans with disabilities achieve their American Dream. ADEN is an administrative EN – a consortium of service providers and employers working together to create a path for individuals with disabilities, who are currently receiving Social Security disability benefits, and want to return to, or begin working for the first time. ADEN is an approved Employment Network operating under Social Security’s Ticket to Work program.
Cornell University’s Institute on Employment and Disability has released guidance on the impact of COVID-19 on public benefits.
LIHEAP ( Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program) is a federally-funded program that helps low-income households pay their home heating and cooling bills. LIHEAP agencies across the country are working to address COVID-19 and are providing resources. Customers can use these resources to stay informed about program changes in their area and not miss opportunities for assistance.
Recently, some states have begun to allow authorized retailers to accept SNAP for online purchases for delivery. Only eligible food may be purchased with SNAP benefits; delivery fees and other associated charges may not be paid for with SNAP benefits. A SNAP beneficiary needs to pay delivery fees from another source such as savings or with an ABLE savings account debit card.
TANF can assist needy families with children (or expecting a child) experiencing financial difficulties due to the COVID-19 emergency. The criteria for “needy,” income eligibility and services varies by state.
Special refugee cash assistance (RCA) and refugee medical assistance (RMA) may be available through a refugee program during their first eight months in the U.S. The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) provides funding for a broad range of social services to refugees through the states and, in some cases, through grants. The purpose is to help refugees obtain employment, achieve economic self-sufficiency and adjust socially as quickly as possible.
In order to qualify for this benefit program, you must not be a U.S. citizen who is a refugee that has been granted asylum, Haitian, Cuban, Amerasian or a victim of trafficking.
No. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a program of last resort (unlike Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Childhood Disability Benefits (CDB) or Disabled Widow(er)’s Benefits (DWB)) and the law requires that an SSI recipient apply for any benefit they may be eligible to receive or risk termination of SSI.
SSA recently updated their policy and excludes all regular and pandemic unemployment insurance benefits paid under the CARES Act, Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and Presidential Memorandum from countable income and resources during the pandemic period. The dates for this exclusion and other assistance paid vary by state and can be found in this chart. Contact SSA toll free at 1-800-772-1213 with any questions about your benefits. The SSA offices are generally closed to the public at this time.
Please note: Outside of the Pandemic Assistance Period, Unemployment Insurance payments are included as unearned income for SSI beneficiaries; amounts in excess of $20 will reduce SSI benefits, in the month received and could impact Medicaid eligibility.
If the receipt of unemployment compensation and/or other additional benefits outside of the Pandemic Assistance Period causes the loss of SSI, when the payments stop, the recipient should notify the Social Security Administration (SSA) immediately and ask them to resume their SSI payments. SSI can be reinstated without a new application for up to 12 months after the SSI was suspended for this reason when all other rules of the SSI program continue to be met. One of the rules is that “liquid resources” (which are sometimes called “assets”) like a checking accounts, savings account, cash or investments, must remain under the resource limit. That limit is $2,000 for an individual or $3,000 for a couple.
If you decide to save some or all of these payments, an ABLE account, which is open to eligible individuals with a disability, is a great option for funds to grow tax free and to have up to $100,000 in savings not counted as a resource for SSI beneficiaries. There is no limit for ABLE savings for those who receive SSDI, Medicare or any type of Medicaid. To learn more about ABLE accounts, visit: ablenrc.org.
The Social Security Administration provides guidance regarding telephone contact, online services and options for requesting information during this time.
The Social Security Administration announced a new service for people awaiting a hearing decision. In addition to telephone hearings, Social Security will offer the opportunity for an online video hearing using the Microsoft Teams platform beginning this fall. This new free service will allow applicants and their representatives to participate in the hearing from anywhere they have access to a camera-enabled smartphone, tablet or computer. This stable and secure online platform allows the Social Security judge to see and interact with applicants and their representatives just like an in-person hearing, while maintaining privacy of the claimant’s information. Other hearing experts, such as medical or vocational experts, may participate as well.
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The Financial Resilience Center was developed by National Disability Institute with generous funding from the Wells Fargo Foundation.
