For a disabled person to qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), they have to meet the asset and incomes limits, apart from fulfilling the SSA’s criteria for disability. Unlike Social Security Disability benefits, SSI is a program based on an individual’s needs and is available to people with limited resources. These resources may include cash or money in your bank, real estate, bonds and stocks, and any other asset with a monetary value.
Eligibility for SSI
To qualify for this program, the disabled person must have countable resources less than $2,000. In the case of a couple, it should be less than $3,000. Items that may not be included in the calculation of countable resources include:
SSI limit for Income
The income limit for obtaining SSI is equal to the Federal Benefit Rate (FBR). For an individual in 2017, it is $735 per month, while for a couple it is $1,103. The benefit amount changes almost every other year. You should keep in mind that not all income comes under countable resources and if you earn more than this figure, you may still be eligible for SSI.
In certain situations, the SSA may also take into account the income of household members living with the SSI recipient. If your spouse doesn’t receive SSI some part of their income will be counted when calculating your countable income. In the case of a disabled child who applies for SSI, some of the parent’s income will be considered as the child’s income.
What are State Supplements?
The state you live in also determines the amount of income you can have in order to be eligible for SSI. A majority of the US states provide supplemental payment to people receiving SSI, including Illinois. State supplements may be between $10 and $700. The limit of SSI income increases with the state supplement amount. This allows individuals qualifying for a higher amount of monthly SSI to be able to earn more countable income while still being eligible for SSI.
However, it may become hard to determine the precise income limit for SSI applying to you, as it is difficult to exact state supplement amount that you are eligible to receive. The amount varies in most states based on an individual’s living conditions. For example, if a person is a nursing home resident, they may be eligible for higher state supplements than others.
If you want to know whether you qualify for receiving SSI benefits or your application has been denied, you should talk to an experienced Social Security attorney to discuss your case. Harold W. Conick & Associates Ltd has been successfully representing clients for over 30 years to get their rightful benefits. Contact us today at (800) 608-8881 to schedule a consultation with our Social Security disability attorney.
