Can somebody who has SSI work?

Answer 1

yep they have a thing called ticket to work unsure on if you have to be on ssd or ssi tho

Answer 2

SSI or SSDI

You can work if you have one or the other, but your SSI benefits will be reduced based on some formula and your SSDI benefits will be left alone if you don't earn more than a certain amount each month.

Answer 3

Yes you can, I am on SSI disability, and I am looking right now.. The SSi office says they will continue to pay you as long as you don't make over the required monthly income ( that's depending on your laws )

Answer 4

yes. who ever is on ssi can work. she/he has to report it to the s.s office. they might ask he/she to bring in there recent pay stub. bring all documents just in case.

Answer 5

Yeah but I think you have a limit that you can earn.

Answer 6

No, they will discontinue it.

You can if you draw SSD. Unless other states differ from mine.

Answer 7

Oooo! I'm so glad you asked! This is what I do for a living - I teach people with disabilities who are on SSI and/or SSDI about the Social Security rules about earned income. These rules are called "work incentives" and they are complex.

I have a significant disability and am on benefits, so I use these work incentives myself.

Below is a handout I wrote for my clients. Also, read the Social Security publication, "The Red Book - Summary Guide to Employment Support for Individuals with Disabilities Under the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Programs" at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/disabilityresearch/redbook.htm Then work with a benefits planner in your area.

Rules for Folks on SSI and Working

There is a formula that SSA uses for SSI recipients with additional income from employment. **Please note that there are different rules for blind or self-employed beneficiaries.** !! There are also different rules for people on SSDI or both SSI and SSDI.

THE SSI WORK INCENTIVE FORMULA

- The 1st $65.00 you earn in a month doesn't count against your SSI.

- The 1st $20.00 you receive in a month (earned or unearned) doesn't count against your SSI.

- After that, for every dollar you earn, half ($.50) is deducted from your SSI. The other half you keep.

- SSA uses your GROSS income (before taxes and deductions) when making these calculations.

For example:

If in July 2005 you earn $800 gross, and if your monthly SSI is $812 (in CA), and if you report your income by August 10th:

$800.00 (gross earned income)
- $85.00 (allowable earned income)
--------
$715.00 divided by 2 = $357.50 (countable income)

$812.00 (CA SSI)
- $357.50 (countable income)
----------
$345.50 (SSI owed to you for July 2005)

Because you already received your total SSI for July, you will be in overpayment. To prevent ongoing overpayments because you have a steady income, SSA will reduce future SSI checks according to the amount you're earning.

So, you keep $85.00, and you keep $357.50, and SSA reduces your September SSI by $357.50 (July's countable income) paying you $345.50 in Sept.

IMPAIRMENT RELATED WORK EXPENSES (IRWE's)

You may deduct the cost of out-of-pocket expenses that relate to your disability AND your work.

Examples:

Acupuncture to manage pain
Adaptive software or equipment to use at work
Vitamin supplements
Prescription co-payments
PAS not covered by another source but required for work
Transportation in a modified vehicle

There is not a standard list of deductions allowed. They are determined on an individual basis. One may be required to provide justification from a medical practitioner.

THE SSI WORK INCENTIVE FORMULA w/IRWE's

If in July you earn $800 gross, and if your monthly SSI is $812 and
if you report your income by August 10th, and you spend $100 on IRWE's:

$800.00 (gross earned income)
- $85.00 (allowable earned income)
--------
$715.00
-$100.00 (IRWE's)
--------
$615.00 divided by 2 = $307.50 (countable income)

$812.00 (CA SSI)
- $307.50 (countable income)
----------
$495.50 (SSI owed to you for July 2005)

So, you keep $85.00, and you keep $307.50, and SSA reduces your September SSI by $307.50 (July's countable income) paying you $495.50 in Sept.

REPORTING INCOME

- Reporting your income in writing is required. Mail or bring in original pay stubs and original receipts for IRWE's. SSA will make copies and return the originals to you. No matter what anyone tells you, it is NOT possible to officially report your income over the phone.

- You should report your income by the 10th day of the following month in which you earned money. It doesn't count WHEN you WORKED...It counts WHEN you were PAID. Ex: If you work all February and get paid on March 1st, it's March income to be reported by April 10th. Get paid on July 15th & 31th, report your income to SSA by August 10th, and your September SSI check will be reduced accordingly.

MEDICAID (MEDI-CAL IN CALIFORNIA) & LONG-TERM CARE (In-Home Supportive Services in CALIFORNIA)

If your earnings are high enough for the formula to make your SSI payments go down to $0.00, you are automatically put into a category called 1619b. This is a section of the Social Security Act that maintains your Medicaid eligibility if your earnings and any other existing insurance cannot support your medical needs.

Example:

I earn $2,200.00/mo. gross. I have medical insurance through my employer, but it doesn't cover my in-home care. My Medicaid eligibility keeps me eligible for IHSS that pays $2,688.50/mo. for in-home care that I could never afford. I only have to keep reporting my income every month to SSA.

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND

According to Dr. Susan Daniels, former Deputy Commissioner for Disability and Income Security Programs of the Social Security Administration, SSA is like McDonald's. McDonald's makes the same burger every day over and over with very few errors. If you ask them to hold the pickle, many things will likely go wrong. SSA sends the right checks to the right people every month bigger and better than anyone in the world. They define disability as an inability to work. When you work you are contradicting the SSA definition, hence, you're messing with a big machine. It's like you're telling SSA to hold the pickle, and many things will likely go wrong. KEEP all your paperwork! There is no statute of limitations on SSA looking back and questioning earnings and SSI payments.

It's best to either have stable income so the future reduction in SSI doesn't hurt, or to set your earnings aside until the month your SSI goes down.

Most of this info. is in the Social Security Red Book of Work Incentives. You can get is at you SSA office or on line at:
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/disabilityresearch/redbook.htm

Good luck!