Social Security to Remove Barriers to Accessing SSI Payments
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: March 27, 2024
Today, the Social Security Administration published a final rule, “Omitting Food from In-Kind Support and Maintenance (ISM) Calculations.” The final rule announces the first of several updates to the agency’s Supplemental Security Income (SSI) regulations that will help people receiving and applying for SSI.
“A vital part of our mission is helping people access crucial benefits, including SSI,” said Martin O’Malley, Commissioner of Social Security. “Simplifying our policies is a common-sense solution that reduces the burden on the public and agency staff and helps promote equity by removing barriers to accessing payments.”
SSI provides monthly payments to adults and children with a disability or blindness, and to adults aged 65 and older, who have limited income and resources. SSI benefits help pay for basic needs like rent, food, clothing, and medicine. People applying for and receiving SSI must meet eligibility requirements, including income and resource limits. Under our old rules, ISM includes food, shelter, or both a person receives – the agency counts ISM as unearned income, which may affect a person’s eligibility or reduce their payment amount.
Under the final rule, beginning September 30, 2024, the agency will no longer include food in ISM calculations. The new policy removes a critical barrier for SSI eligibility due to an applicant’s or recipient’s receipt of informal food assistance from friends, family, and community networks of support. The new policy further helps in several important ways: the change is easier to understand and use by applicants, recipients, and agency employees; applicants and recipients have less information to report about food assistance received from family and friends, removing a significant source of burden; reducing month-to-month variability in payment amounts will improve payment accuracy; and the agency will see administrative savings because less time will be spent administering food ISM.
The agency continuously examines programmatic policy and makes regulatory and sub-regulatory changes as appropriate. Look for more SSI announcements in the coming weeks.
For more information on the SSI program, including who is eligible and how to apply, visit Supplemental Security Income.
To read the final rule “Omitting Food from In-Kind Support and Maintenance Calculations,” visit Federal Register: Omitting Food From In-Kind Support and Maintenance Calculations.
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Tags: Benefits, Social Security benefits, SSI
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Danny
I collect SSDI. Why can I not collect SSI to help with food and other necessary items? Only a select few can collect both. The government does not believe that people in my situation need it and don’t qualify for it. So unfair.
Barbs
I agree with Danny.
Randi
Yes! That is So True, With Being Single and a Senior, You have All Of Your Personal Bills, Co-Pays for Medical, Medications, Gas For Your Automobile and Maintenance, Your Mortgage, Utilities, and Then whatever is Left, for Food, and Household Basic Necessities, and Don’t go to the State to ask for Help with EBT, They want to know everything from your mouth to your Butt hole, and You still don’t qualify for their food stamps and can be just a few dollars over their Low Income qualifications, and if you happen to make the cut You only qualify for $10 or so, and You have People who Know how to beat the system, using each others kids getting, a house payment Amount of Food Stamps! its so un fair to us Senior Citizens that have to make choices, as to purchase our medications or buy Alittle bit of Food, These Rich People Just don’t get it or Care, They and Their Families are Taking Care of at Least for Healthcare
Judy
You’re absolutely right
Daniel L.
You are on time! And what is this $2000. rule? I barely have enough to get by. However I have saved more than $2000. and so trying to get myself out of poverty actually cost me 779. per month by SSDI rules.
Sue
Hi, Daniel. Thanks for reading our blog and for your comments. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is needs-based program that provides payments to people with disabilities or blindness, or people 65 and older, who have limited income and resources. The resource limit for SSI is $2,000 for an individual. SSDI – Social Security Disability Insurance – does not have a resource limit. To learn more about the differences between our disability programs, visit our Frequently Asked Questions. We hope this helps.
Sue
Hi, Danny. Thanks for reading our blog and for your question. If you have limited income and resources, you may be eligible to receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) in addition to your monthly Social Security Disability (SSDI) benefit. SSI is a needs-based program that provides payments to people with limited income and resources who are age 65 or older, blind, or have a qualifying disability. To be eligible for SSI and SSDI – commonly referred to as “concurrent” benefits – your SSDI monthly benefit amount must be less than $963 in 2024 (the SSI monthly Federal payment amount plus $20). You can find more information on SSI eligibility requirements here. We hope this information is helpful.
Melba
You can collect ssi after you have paid back all the funds you have received from ssdi first then you can apply for your ssi at retirement age now set you must give back first to get back ssi
Kebede H.
Social Security is working for disabled people and other governmental work is looking by other governmental organizations
Lewis W.
Social Security needs to raise the SSI asset amount from $2000. to at least $5000.00 due to high inflation.
Bill s.
Are you crazy, or do you think inflation has hit 150%?
Julie P.
U get $2000 Hell I don’t even get $1000 a month try to work with that amount n still be living in a house. Nope u become homeless, can’t afford rent, utilities, food, car, n phone on less then $1000
Miss D.
Lewis is talking about raising the asset limit. Right now if you receive SSI, you cannot have cash or other assets above $2,000 or you could lose your SSI.
Sue
Hi, Lewis. Thanks for reading our blog and for your comment. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a needs-based program for people with disabilities and people 65 and older who have limited income and resources. The SSI resource limit is set by law. If you’d like to submit feedback to us, visit our How can we help? webpage. From there, select the “Email Us” link. This will take you to the “Email Our Support Team” form where you can submit a suggestion, compliment, or complaint. We hope this helps.
Melba
Talk to trump look like he is winning
MLM
This is a good thing for our disabled population. My 31 year old adult disabled daughter has always lived with us. If we provided her food from our own pantry it will affect her SSI benefits. It is so hard to keep track of. Just think if YOU had a disabled child living with you, and tonight you fed them the same food you had prepared for yourself. The way the law is (was) written, their SSI would go down. The new law is a better system.
Martha M.
I also think that food should
Melba
If she was your dependent then you can eat together smaller check
if she is independent then you can’t independent bigger check, is she yours dependent?
Emil
Absolutely insane what this administration is doing. Bring hundreds of thousands of people illegally into the country and give them everything for free. It’s a real shame. Why work anymore. Do you think if you went to the country all the illegal migrates are from you would get guaranteed housing,food and a phone. This administration must go
Kathy K.
You must be mistaken. This program is for the disabled, blind, and aged. Very strict rules for eligibility so no worries here.
Steve S.
tax payers are still paying for the illeagles it does not come from SSI but just as well be they still get free food room aboard free medical help plus other stuff that we do not get we do not get free cell phones like they do
Julie P.
Well then why are illegal immigrants getting Social security retirement benefits
Sue
Hi, Julie. Thanks for reading our blog and for your question. In certain cases, noncitizens can receive Social Security benefits. However, to receive benefits, noncitizens must provide evidence that they were lawfully present in the United States for each month they request benefits. For more information, visit our Frequently Asked Questions. We hope this helps.
M. S.
This administration brings hundreds and thousands of immigrants in illegally and give them everything for free? Where do they get them?
MajJohn
Citizenship is a factor of entitlement. Granted, illegals do get plenty of handouts but SSI is not one of them
bmw
really? what about Disabled Children of non ssn parents???
Barbs
Sorry. ADC for kids born of illegal parents here in the USA entitles the kids for enough so that a migrant family with several kids born in the US are better off than people who worked from their teens to retirement contributing to the various insurance programs.
Julie P.
Correct but they get Social security retirement benefits. Maybe if they didn’t or Cola would be bigger every year.
Samantha H.
What is congress.Gov..
House of representatives….
Anonymousie
Emil, why work anymore is correct, but not for the reasons you think of. Work is a loser’s game for some people as far as their *earned* SSD payments which they cannot access without paying an attorney and going personally to be intimidated and abused by the administrative law judge. There are those who WORKED and had their disability proven by SSA’s own doctors, yet refusing to submit to abuse or go to court or pay a lawyer for no reason but to fatten the dirty system means you do not get what you are fully insured for under social security. So yes, why work? Social Security is a corrupt game, though I expect one can get their simple retirement if they don’t die first.
Randi
BOTH ADMINISTRATION’S MUST GO, NEITHER ONE OF THEM IS WRAPPED TO TIGHT UPSTAIRS, THEY ALL ARE CLUELESS AND ALL OF THEM BOTH PARTIES, SAY ENOUGH, TO BE FED INTO YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS, AND WHEN THEY GET ELECTED, THEY HAVE LOST THAT INACTIVE PART OF THEIR BRAIN, CAN’T REMEMBER THAT PROMISE, ALTHOUGH IT TAKES BOTH SIDES TO AGREE TO HELP ALL OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, AND THEN THOSE COMING INTO OUR COUNTRY LIKE A UNINVITED GUEST, SHOULD HAVE TO FOLLOW Prodicall and Whatever Country They are entering, The Same way We as Working or Retired Americans, apply for theses Programs, and get Declined, where as they automatically get the Benefits, the System for Us That Live here is so Unfair!
LEIANNA R.
Yes Emil, this current administration has dismantled the American way month by month. Keep it in mind for Nov election, replace them with candidate with a healthy agenda for prosperity. Remind everyone you can that we still hold the power to change the outcome.
Linda R.
So very true.
I was declined medical services with my family doctor as the immigrants are receiving the services that were once mine.
Large cities no longer have room for us in the hospitals as everything has been taken over.
Melba
Most of those benefits given through your state DHS office and housing causes only legal immigrants can receive soc.sec
RiK
EBT/Snap Food allocation not counted overall, is a fair practice.
Melba
Check that in September 2024 change is coming
John L.
Last Episode you told us that SS was running out of Funds, this Episode you yell us you are going to give more freebies away to more folks. When we run out of money, what shall we do? Will you make it legal to eat the Rich?
MajJohn
SSI is not part of any SS trust fund, it is welfare administered by the SS Administration.
Julie P.
Bullcrap SSI people paid into SS to get the amount of money that we make a month
About C.
I love rich food.
Melba
As long as people are still working paying into that fund the money will not run out one work help the next generation no one work then the funds will run out but cut off the program no one get paid
Hans D.
Bitte entfernen Sie die Überzahlungen für 2020 und löschen Sie sie aus dem „ZAHLUNGSCENTER“ DER NICHTEMPFÄNGER. Dies wirkt sich auf die Nichtempfänger aus, da sie technisch gesehen noch immer eingeschrieben und eingeschrieben sind, und es wirkt sich auch auf die Beschäftigungsberechtigung aus, da die Aufsichtsbehörden und verbundenen Unternehmen der SSA die Beschäftigung blockieren, da sie davon ausgehen, dass Sie bereits ein Einkommen erhalten, von dem Sie leben können. Die Sozialversicherungsverwaltung, die Gerichte und der Kongress kamen überein, diese Überzahlungen für 2020 zu streichen und zu begleichen.
Tbo
They probably want to lift barriers so they can pay benefits to all these ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS and pacify the corrupt liberal left.
M. R.
So it’s back to Reagan’s ‘illegal immigrants’ excuse again. Funny how history has a way of repeating itself – especially when it comes to scapegoating. Immigrants, whether their legal or in the process of becoming a member of the USA, is where we all started unless you are an indigenous citizen. You can’t be a citizen of the USA and not have yourself or a relative go through the process of immigration. I understand that you’re trying to only target those who haven’t been through the immigration process or don’t intend to, but do you realize a) that number is so small it doesn’t make sense to address it in context of other positive ways we can improve our country and b) immigrants – all immigrants, pay taxes on goods and services like everyone else; what they’re not paying taxes on is for their labor or wages they earn as income (as much as you can earn as an illegal immigrant). They aren’t paying taxes exactly like the wealthy companies aren’t, but who get labor overseas, where it’s legal to hire foreign workers, just not our illegal immigrants, who in turn, become legal citizens – because they don’t want to pay a living wage. Let me ask you, or anyone reading this; how many illegal immigrants do you think want to be illegal? Why are they trying so hard to get a green card – a way in – legally? In spite of citizens like you, who at some point in your families history were immigrants, too, yet you’d have them starve? I don’t get it. What do you think this is doing to you? Sometimes, you have to just be a better person for the country to be better, not the other way around.
L R.
Let me remind you, fellow American, that our immigrants of long ago did NOT burden taxpayers with their hands out. Those early immigrants also did not enter ILLEGALLY bringing with them drugs, arms, sex trafficking and other ill intent. But then again, have the illegals entered illegally if the border was intentionally left unsecure? This move has been the full intent as recent as the 1992 election. “They” finally pulled it off and it is going to be seriously impacting YOUR lifestyle very soon. VERY soon!
Griselda V.
QUITE Y BORRE LOS SOBREPAGOS DE 2020 DEL “CENTRO DE PAGO” DE NO DESTINATARIOS. ESTÁ AFECTANDO A LOS NO RECIBIDORES DEBIDO A QUE TÉCNICAMENTE AÚN ESTÁN ALISTADOS E INSCRITOS Y AFECTA LA ELEGIBILIDAD PARA EL EMPLEO A MEDIDA QUE LOS SUPERVISORES Y AFILIADOS DE LA SSA BLOQUEAN EL EMPLEO YA QUE ASUMEN QUE USTED YA ESTÁ RECIBIENDO INGRESOS PARA VIVIR. La Administración del Seguro Social, los Tribunales y el Congreso ACORDARON eliminar y aclarar esos pagos excesivos de 2020.
Sue
Thanks for reading our blog, Griselda. To help you conduct business with us in languages other than English, we provide free interpreter services. For assistance, call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. If you need service in Spanish, press 7 and wait for a Spanish-speaking representative to help you. We also offer information in Spanish at http://www.ssa.gov/es. We hope this is helpful.