Social Security Administration Passes Final Rule, Food Assistance Excluded from Calculations for Supplemental Security Income Eligibility Calculation
In a major victory for many Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income applicants, as well as disability rights groups, the Social Security Administration will implement a final rule that will change the way that food assistance and support is used in determining Supplemental Security Income benefits. According to national news CNBC, the new rule, which will go into effect on September 30 of this year, food assistance will no longer be included in the Social Security Administration’s calculations for Supplemental Security Income benefits. As of now, under prior Social Security Administration regulations, assistance or support in the form of food, housing, or a combination of the two, may be used as “income” for the purposes of establishing whether a Supplemental Security Income applicant meets threshold eligibility requirements. Under current regulations, the maximum amount that an applicant can receive or make as income in a month is less than $1,971. The monthly maximum federal Supplemental Security Income benefits payment under current regulations is $943 per month for individual applicants, and $1,415 per month for couples.
Disability advocates are hailing the changes as a more humane way to calculate income for the purposes of determining Supplemental Security Income. Darcy Milburn, of The Arc, a non-profit that serves individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities said of the new regulations changes, “It represents a really meaningful step to address one of the most complex, burdensome and inhumane policies impacting people with disabilities that receive SSI.”
Differences Between Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disability Insurance Explained
Importantly, the new regulations are applicable to the Social Security Administration’s determination of an individual’s eligibility for Supplemental Security Income, and not Social Security Disability Insurance. Supplemental Security Income (SSI), is a federal program that provides certain financial assistance to adults and children who are disabled and who have little to no income. On the other hand, Social Security Disability Insurance eligibility requirements focus on an applicant’s disabling condition and the credits that they have accumulated through their work history. In order to determine whether you are eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits in Michigan, it is best to speak with an experienced Michigan Social Security Disability lawyer as soon as possible about your rights and options.
Legal Help for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Applicants in Michigan – Michigan Social Security Disability Lawyer
If you are in Michigan and you need legal help with your Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) case, contact the experienced Michigan Social Security Disability lawyers at Nationwide Disability Law. The experienced Michigan Social Security Disability lawyers at Nationwide Disability Law offer a free and confidential consultation to learn about your case and to see if they can help get you Social Security Disability benefits due to you. Do not hesitate to speak with an experienced Social Security Disability lawyer about your rights and entitlement to benefits. Contact the experienced Michigan Social Security Disability lawyers at Nationwide Disability Law today and speak to a lawyer about your rights and options for free.
Source:
cnbc.com/2024/03/28/social-security-administration-to-remove-food-assistance-as-ssi-benefit-barrier.html
