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1 1 (September 13, 2021)

handle is hein.crs/goveguc0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Supplemental Security Income (' Overview Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a federal assistance programthat provides monthly cash payments to aged, blind, ordisabled individuals who havelimited income and resources (i.e., assets). The programis administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) and intended to provide a guaranteed minimum income formeeting basic needs, such as food and shelter. SSIprovides a flat benefit of $794 per month in 2021 ($1,191 per month fora couple), which is reduced by any countable income. In July 2021, SSI provided federally administeredpayments to 7.8 million recipients, including 1.1 million children under 18 years old, 4.4 million adults aged 18-64, and 2.3 million seniors aged65 or older (Figure 1). Figure I. SSI Recipients, by Age Group, July 202 I 7.8 Million Recipients Source: SSA, Monthly Statistical Snapshot,J u ly 202I, Table 3. E-igibiity Requrements To qualify for SSI, a person must (1) be aged, blind, or disabled as defined in federal law; (2) have limited income and resources; and (3) meet certain other requirements. Categorical Requirements The term aged refers to individuals aged 65 or older. The term blind refers to individuals of any age who have 20/200 or les s vision in the better eye with the use of a correcting lens ortunnelvisionof20degrees orless. Adults aged 18 or older are considered disabledif they are unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity (SGA) due to any medically determinable phy sicalor mental impairment that is expected to last for at least one year or to result in death. SSA uses an earnings limit to evaluate SGA, which is $1,310 per month in 2021. Adults generally qualify as disabled if their impairments are of such severity that they are unable to do any kind of substantial workthat exists in the national economy, taking into consideration their age, education, and workexperience. Children under 18 years old are considered disabled if they have a medically determinable physical or mental Updated September 13,2021 iSI) impairment that results in marked and severe functional limitations and is expected to last for at least one year or to result in death. Children typically qualify as disabled if they have one or more severe impairments that limit their ability to engage in age-appropriate childhood activities at home, in childcare, at school, or in the community. In addition, their earnings must not exceed theSGA limit. Financial Requirements To be financially eligible for SSI, a person's countable income andresources-gross income and resources minus applicable exclusions-mustbe within certain limits. In general, SSI counts only the income and resources of the individual. However, SSI may deem(i.e., attribute) a portion of the income and resources of an ineligible spouse or parent who lives in the s ame household in determining the individual's eligibility and payment amount. The countable income limit is set at the s ame level as the federalbenefit rate (FBR), which is the maximum monthly SSI payment. In 2021, the FBR is $794 per month for an individual and $1,191 per month for a couple if both members are SSI eligible. The FBR is adjusted annually for inflation by the same cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) applied to Social Security benefits. Countable income is subtracted fromthe FBR, dollar for dollar, in determining programeligibility and the payment amount (if any). SSI counts mosttypes ofincome, including earned and unearned income. Earnedincome includes wages, net earnings froms elf-employment, and other compensation related to work. Unearnedincomeis allotherincome, such as Social Security, veterans' benefits, periodic annuity or pensionpayments, and cash fromothers. SSI also counts in- kind support and maintenance (i.e., food or shelterprovided by others). Certain income is not counted, such as the first $20 per month of any income (earnedor unearned) and the first $65 per month ofearned income plus one-halfof any earned income above $65. (These exclusions are not adjusted for inflation.) SSIalso excludes federaltaxrefunds and credits as well as federal food and housing assistance. The countable resource limit is $2,000 for an individual and $3,000 for a couple. (These limits are not adjustedfor inflation.) Resources are cash or other liquid as sets or any real or personal property that a pers on owns and could convert to cash to be used for the person's support and maintenance. Resources include checking or s avings accounts, stocks, bonds, individualretirement accounts (IRAs) or 401(k) plans that cannot be claimed as periodic payments, and certain types of trusts. Certain resources are not counted, such as an individual's primary residence, household goods and personal effects, one vehicle, propety es s entialto s elf-s upport, federal taxrefunds and credits for a 12-month period after receipt, and the first $100,000 in an Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) account. ~?escAar'h ServitA 9

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