SSA Work Incentives Q and A

As part of the Eastern Montana Graduate to Work Project (EMGTW), we created a listserve for people who had questions concerning Social Security and Social Security Work Incentives. Questions were answered by Rural Institute staff, Montana Advocacy Program’s Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security (PABSS) program, or the Social Security Administration PASS Cadre. The listserv ended when EMGTW expired, but we wanted readers to continue to have access to the questions that were posed and the responses that were given.

SSA Scenarios and Questions

Question: “My 18-year-old son, still in high school, receives SSI and just started working. How will this affect his SSI?”

Question: “Does the PASS Cadre have any examples of how PASS plans work?”

Question: “Will that fact that a student is working or has had work experiences hurt his/her application for SSI?”

Question: “How can we help someone with a diagnosis of a learning disability, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and/or Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/Effect qualify for SSI?”

Question: “How would a homeless 17-year-old apply for SSI benefits?”

Question: “I am 62 years old and began receiving SSDI cash benefits in August 2003. Will I start receiving Medicare in August 2005?”

Question: “Miscellaneous questions about PASS plans and Vocational Rehabilitation, Medicaid, and marriage.”

Question: “Is there a way for an SSI recipient to work, have a PASS plan, and continue to qualify for Food Stamps?”

Question: “I’m writing my first PASS plan and have a few questions…”

Question: “I’m writing a Plan for Achieving Self-Support and want to know how much of my monthly income I should put into the PASS.”

Question: “I have a psychiatric disability, but when I applied for SSI, Social Security told me I’m not “disabled.” Should I reapply?”

Question: “Is there anything we can do to delay our daughter’s age-18 SSI disability re-evaluation until after she finishes school?”

Question: “What are the Social Security cost-of-living changes for 2006?”