Public Benefits
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- 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?
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.
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.
If the receipt of unemployment compensation and/or other additional benefits 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, or have more than the resource limit in liquid resources, an ABLE account, which is open to eligible individuals with a disability, is a great option to have up to $100,000 in savings not counted. 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.
Housing, Food and Healthcare
This page will answer frequently asked questions related to housing, food and healthcare.
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The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) have partnered to launch a new mortgage and housing assistance website to help homeowners and renters during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Currently, banks are required to offer flexibility to borrowers who are having trouble paying their mortgage as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. NDI has created a document that offers action steps to help you negotiate with your home mortgage lender.
There is currently no federal policy protecting renters, however many states have either issued eviction freezes or have halted eviction hearings in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Many utilities that sell electricity and gas around the United States are suspending disconnections of customers who do not pay their bills during the Coronavirus crisis, or are being ordered to suspend disconnections by regulators or other government officials. But this varies by state and locality.
Federal fair housing laws protect people from discrimination, including harassment and intimidation, in housing and related services on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status and disability. Laws prohibit discrimination in nearly all housing transactions and residential settings across the nation, including rental housing, nursing homes, permanent shelters and other places where people live and receive services together.
According to HUD guidance, household stimulus payments of up to $1,200, and the temporary $600 per week federal enhancement to unemployment insurance provided by the CARES Act, are not to be included in calculations of income. However, HUD notes that regular payments of unemployment insurance (issued by the state) are treated as income, as is customary under program rules.
Feeding America is the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief organization and provides a tool to help locate a food bank in your area. Enter your zip code in the box and the site will show you the location, opening times and contact information for food banks near you.
With schools closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, children who rely on free or reduced-priced meals at school may be able to continue to get meals that they would have normally received at school. USDA has put together a USDA Meals for Kids Site Finder. Families can use this tool to find directions to nearby sites as well as hours of operation and contact information. Rules vary by location but generally meals may be taken home, and parents or guardians may pick meals for their children if the state allows.
Medicaid and CHIP provide benefits to people who are determined eligible by states. Some benefits are required and some are optional. For information on benefits offered in your state, where to access services and how to apply for coverage in your state, see Medicaid.gov.
All Marketplace plans cover treatment for pre-existing medical conditions and can’t terminate coverage due to a change in health status, including diagnosis or treatment of COVID-19. While your coverage benefits will remain the same, you should log in to update your Marketplace application if COVID-19 impacts your income or household. You may be able to change your plan if certain situations apply.
During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, many individuals do not want to have to choose between medical care and social distancing. Patients can receive health care through telehealth services provided by doctors. Recently, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has taken action to assist states in providing telehealth services as an option under Medicaid and CHIP. For information specific to CMS, please visit CMS.gov.
Yes. The American Red Cross has a free hotline that provides communities and responders with counseling or support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call the Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 or text “talkwithus” to 66746.
You are not alone in finding these times stressful. Getting our lives back into a comfortable routine takes time. Review how you may be feeling and which actions on the checklist you can do now to feel more in control. If you cannot do it alone, there are resources to help you!
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The Financial Resilience Center was developed by National Disability Institute with generous funding from the Wells Fargo Foundation.