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The safety net for aged, blind, disabled
people with limited income and resources
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[December 19, 2011]
There’s
a safety net out there for those who might otherwise slip through
the cracks. It’s called Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
Administered by Social Security, SSI makes payments to people with
limited income and few resources who are age 65 or older, blind, or
have a disability.
Funding for the SSI program
comes from the general revenues of the U.S. Treasury, not from
Social Security payroll taxes.
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When we consider people’s
income, we count things such as wages, Social Security benefits and
pensions. However, Social Security does not count all of your income
when it decides whether you qualify for SSI. For example, we don’t
count food stamps or most home energy assistance.
Resources we count in deciding
whether you qualify for SSI include real estate (other than the home
you live in), bank accounts, cash, stocks, and bonds. A person with
resources worth no more than $2,000 may be able to get SSI. That
resource limit is $3,000 for couples.
To qualify for SSI, you must
live in the United States or the Northern Mariana Islands and be a
U.S. citizen or national. In rare cases, noncitizen residents can
qualify for SSI. If you live in certain types of institutions or
live in a shelter for the homeless, you may qualify for SSI.
People with blindness or
disability who apply for SSI may be able to get free special
services to help them work. These services may include counseling,
job training, and help finding work.
The monthly maximum Federal
SSI payment is the same nationwide and amounts to $674 for a person
and $1,011 for a married couple. However, the amount you receive
depends on factors such as where you live, your living arrangements,
and income. Some states also supplement or add money to the Federal
payment.
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To learn more about SSI, read
the online publication, You May Be Able To Get Supplemental
Security Income (SSI) at
www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/11069.html
or visit the SSI page at
www.socialsecurity.gov/ssi.
Or call us toll-free at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY, 1-800-325-0778).
If you’re too disabled to work
but haven’t paid enough into Social Security to qualify for benefits
on your record, SSI may be the program to help you.
By Judith Bartels
Social Security District
Manager in Springfield, IL
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