Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a program within the Social Security Administration that provides monthly payments to individuals with disabilities and low income and limited resources. It’s important to note that unlike Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) which also provides benefits to people with disabilities, SSI does not require prior working experience. SSI claims, like SSDI claims, are also processed through state-wide field offices and a centralized agency within the state.
If you or a loved one require legal assistance with regards to your Supplemental Security Income (SSI) claim, contact our attorneys for a free consultation. Speaking with a SSI attorney earlier in the application process allows you to have valuable legal guidance that may impact the outcome of your application. At Graham Law, we have been helping individuals throughout the United States with securing SSI payments for many decades and are proud to put our experience to work for you.
What Benefits Can You Get From Supplemental Security Income?
As of 2024, the maximum monthly SSI payment an individual can receive is $943/month for an individual and $1,415 for a couple. Your monthly payments will depend greatly on your income, living situation, things you own and more. Adults and children are both eligible for SSI if they have little or no income, little or no resources and are disabled blind, or are age 65 years or older. You’ll also be expected to report changes to your income, resources and living situation on an ongoing monthly basis in order to continue receiving SSI.
If you’re receiving SSI payments, you may be eligible for other federal benefits such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and state benefits like Medicaid, Special Milk Program and more. Getting help from these programs will not affect your SSI payment.
Eligibility Criteria for Supplemental Security Income
The Social Security Administration (SSA) works in conjunction with Ohio’s Division of Disability Determination, or your state agency, when reviewing your SSI application. The framework for eligibility follows a five-step process to determine whether or not you meet the criteria for disability.
Here is an overview on the 5-step process:
Step 1: Are you performing SGA? If you are working and your monthly earnings before taxes are deducted are higher than the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) level, you will not qualify for SSI benefits.
Step 2: Do you have a severe medical impairment or combination of impairments? To be eligible for SSI, it must be demonstrated that your medical impairment, or combination of impairments, significantly limits your ability to perform work activities for at least a year and/or resulted in death.
Step 3: Does the severity of your impairment, or combination of impairments, meet or medically equal the descriptions listed in the List of Impairments? If your impairment is not on the list, SSA will review whether your impairment is as severe as any of the ones on the List of Impairments. If SSA determines that your impairment meets or medically equals any on the List of Impairments, then steps 4 and 5 are not necessary and you will be determined as disabled.
Step 4: Can you perform your past relevant work? If your impairment, or combination of impairments, does not preclude you from performing your past relevant work, then you will not qualify for SSI benefits. If it does, then you will move onto step 5 to determine your disability.
Step 5: Can you do any type of other work? If your impairment, or combination of impairments, does not prevent you from doing other work and earning at the SGA level, then the SSA will determine that you are not disabled, and you will not qualify for SSI benefits.
There are many instances throughout this process where an attorney can provide valuable legal guidance. Speak with one of our SSI attorneys so you can focus on your recovery while we do all the legal work on your behalf.
Contact Our SSI Attorneys Today for a Free Consultation
It’s important to note that there are a lot of nuances in this area of law and that often, people may even confuse the two different disability benefits programs. To avoid making any costly errors, we recommend you consult with an SSI attorney as early as possible.
Speak with our SSI attorneys today if you require legal advice on SSI disability benefits. While our primary office is located in Zanesville, Ohio – we also have a satellite office in Cambridge, Ohio. However, we can serve you across Ohio and the United States regardless of your location thanks to virtual technology. Let us put our experience to work for you. You can book a free consultation with us today and a member of our legal team will be pleased to assist.
