How to be Eligible for Supplemental Security Income by:Mark Dacanay
Supplemental Security Income is a disability benefit provided under federal law.
Unlike its work-based counterpart, the Social Security Disability Insurance or SSDI, it is need-based and can be availed by anyone who qualifies regardless if they have not garnered credits through social security taxes.
This program was not added to the Social Security Act until 1974, which was aimed to provide a monthly stipend for disabled Americans who do not qualify for the standard SSD Insurance benefits.
It was made to replace other state-administered programs that serve the same purpose. This federal disability law's goal was to standardize the level of benefits in a federal level instead of by state.
To qualify for Supplemental Security Income or SSI benefits, a person should be able to meet the requirements set by the Social Security Administration, who handles the approval and denial of the said benefits.
Aged, Blind and Disabled
The first requirement to qualify for SSI is that the person should either be aged, blind or disabled.
Age - To be deemed aged, the claimant must be 65 years or older to qualify for SSI. Under US federal laws, a person is said to have attained an age the day before his or her birthday.
Blind - A person is determined to be blind if:
o He/she has a central visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye even with the use of a correcting lens.
o A person whose eye who has a limited field of vision such that the widest diameter of the visual field subtends an angle not more than 20 degrees.
Disabled - Under the standards of the Social Security Administration, a person is disabled if he/she is unable to engage in a significantly gainful activity (SGA) as a result of a physical or medical condition that may result in death, or have lasted/will last for at least 12 months.
Income and Resources
The second requirement is that the claimant's income and resources should fall below a certain limit to qualify.
Income - The limit may vary depending on the state of how the claimant lives. Factors such as living arrangement, number of people in the residence and the type of income.
Resources - The limit in resources may vary for a single and a married person. Generally:
o The limit for single individuals is $2,000
o The limit for married individuals is $3,000
Residence
To avail of SSI benefits, you should be a US citizen or a legal alien living in the United States.
A US citizen who is not currently living in the United States may find themselves ineligible unless they are:
Children of military parents
Were disabled or became blind overseas
Students studying outside US who qualified for SSI before leaving the country
Application
The last requirement is that the claimant must apply for the benefit. It is not automatically given by the government and the claimant must provide supporting medical and financial documents to show that he/she is qualified for SSI.
The help of a disability attorney should be a big help in ensuring a winning claim. The attorney's fee paid will be worth it once the claim is approved.
About the author
Our experienced social security attorneys can help you in filing for disability benefits under federal disability laws. For consultation, visit our website at
http://www.socialsecuritylawattorney.com/ and dial our toll free number.
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