SSI or Supplemental Security Income is a program by the U.S. government that the SSA or Social Security Administration administers. Basically, it offers benefits to disabled, blind, and elderly people with limited resources and income. It’s vital to note that you shouldn’t confuse SSI with SSDI or Social Security Disability Insurance benefits, which are both benefits programs for employees who’ve paid their SS taxes. That being said, whether an individual is qualified for SSI or can file disability claims in Utah or anywhere else in the U.S. will depend on the individual’s age, resources, income, as well as whether an individual (younger than 65 years old) has a disability preventing her or him from having fulltime employment.
Eligibility Requirements According to Disability, Blindness, or Age
The SSA is responsible for processing SSI benefits applications and employs strict policies on who’s eligible to be considered as disabled, blind, or aged. “Aged” individuals are those who are 65 years old and up, and those younger than 65 should either be disabled or blind to qualify for SSI benefits. “Blind” individuals are those who satisfy the SSA’s statutory blindness definition, which is essentially having a vision of 20/200 or worse in the more functional eye (with help from corrective eyewear).
“Disabled” individuals are those who have a mental and/or physical impairment that hinders them from conducting a significant amount of paying work. To determine whether an individual is capable of conducting a significant amount of work, the SSA will look into the amount of income you can potentially earn. Likewise, aside from hindering the disabled individual from conducting paying work, his or her disability should also have persisted or is expected to persist for at least 12 months or is expected to cause death.
Low Income and Limited Resources are Also Crucial Eligibility Factors
The SSA will utilize your income for calculating how much SSI benefits you could receive. Generally speaking, the higher your income, the fewer benefits you receive. However, if your income is higher than the SSA’s threshold, you won’t qualify for benefits altogether. But since the SSA excludes certain kinds of payments from income, trying to calculate your income with regards to eligibility could be difficult. Additionally, your resources, which include your bank accounts, properties, and certain vehicles will be a huge factor in your SSA eligibility. However, the SSA will not consider certain items like your primary residence, the vehicle you drive, as well as lots of personal items and household items as resources.
The SSA Will Also Consider Other Vital Factors
The Social Security Administration will likewise consider other factors like your residency and citizenship. To obtain SS income benefits, you need to be a qualified resident alien or U.S. citizen and should live in the United States and its territories. Likewise, you should allow the SSA access to your financial details, and can’t leave the U.S. for a full calendar or month or 30 consecutive days in a year. The laws and eligibility requirements for SSI benefits are many and varied, and the specific facts surrounding each case unique. So if you have any questions or contentions about your SSI benefits, consult a lawyer with experienced on Social Security cases to obtain advice suited to your specific circumstances.