Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/431369
The People's Guide 2015 24 SSI & CAPI SSI has no work history requirement. Because both SSI and SSDI can take several months from application to approval, while waiting you can also apply for "Medical Assistance Only" and "MAGI" Medi-Cal at the welfare office. MAGI Medi-Cal does not require that you be found disabled to receive benefits. If you are currently receiving state disabil- ity benefits do not wait until your state disability benefits have run out before applying for federal disability benefits and Medi-Cal. Applying for SSI and/or SSDI can take many months before a decision is made whether you are disabled. If you have not yet received your SSI or SSDI by the time your state disability benefits have run out, you should apply for General Relief (see pg. 27) but General Relief benefits are very low and you have to be down to your last $50 to be eligible. 3. Survivor Benefits When a covered worker dies, monthly payments are made to eligible family members including: • A spouse over age 60 or disabled and over age 50 or caring for the worker's child who is under 16 or 16 years or older and disabled. • The spouse above can be divorced from the worker but can get ben- efits only if the marriage lasted at least 10 years, the ex-spouse is unmarried and s/he is entitled to more benefits on his/her dead ex-spouses account than on his/her own account. • A disabled adult unmarried child who became disabled before age 22 and has never worked at a job that was considered substantial gainful employment. • A parent of the worker over age 62 if s/he was at least 50% dependent on the worker's support when the worker was alive. • If members of any of the above groups were receiving benefits when the wage earner/worker start- ed receiving retirement benefits, those benefits will increase when the worker dies. What Is SSI? SSI ("Supplemental Security Income") is a cash benefit program for low-income persons 65 and over and for blind and disabled persons of any age, includ- ing infants and children. You must be a U.S. citizen or a qualified immigrant living in the country legally to get SSI. (See page 26 for "What is CAPI", a pro- gram for immigrants ineligible for SSI.) The Social Security Administration provides a good description of the SSI program at www.ssa.gov/notices/supple- mental-security-income/index.htm SSI may be your entire income, or it may add to other income you already get. But to qualify for SSI your total income cannot more than $20 over the SSI maximum ben- efit. SSI grant amounts differ depending on several factors including whether the recipient is blind, a child, or is homeless. Can I Get SSI? To get SSI, at least one of the following must apply: • You are age 65 or older; • You are blind; the vision in your best eye is no better than 20/200 with glasses or your tunnel vision is 20% or less; • You are unable to work because of a severe mental or physical illness or im- pairment that has lasted for 12 months or is expected to last 12 months or is expected to result in death; • You are a child under 18 who has a medically proven "marked and severe" physical or mental disability that would keep you from working if you were an adult or significantly interfere with your daily activities. You can't get SSI if the disability is based on alcohol or drug dependency, but you may qualify based on another disability such as mental illness or kidney or liver disease You can't get SSI any month in which you're in prison or jail, have an outstanding war- rant for a violation of a parole or probation order, or are a fleeing felon. Only certain types of outstanding felony warrants can cause you to be denied benefits. Seek help from legal aid if you are denied benefits. 1. Income Your "countable income" may not be above the maximum benefit level. Subtract the following from your "gross" income to get your countable income: • $20 per month of your total income; • $65 per month of any earned income and half of your remaining earned income; • All work expenses if you are blind; • Any impairment-related work ex- penses if you are disabled • All tax refunds; • Any portion of scholarships or grants that is for tuition, fees, and school expenses; • Federal undergraduate grants and loans (totally exempt) • Foster care payments • A third of all child support payments from an absentee parent if you are caring for a child • Any income, if you are blind or disabled, that has been set aside as part of a "PASS" (Plan to Achieve Self-Support) approved by the Social Security office • Federal housing and relocation as- sistance payments; • Earnings of a blind or disabled stu- dent under age 22 up to $1,620 a month, maximum $5,200 a year; • Payments from FEMA, Red Cross and others for disaster-related losses • Money you receive to pay to replace or repair a lost, damaged or stolen resource; • Reverse annuity mortgage payments made to the recipient (counts as a resource, but not as income.) 2. Resources or Assets Your countable resources may not be more than $2000 for one person and $3000 for a couple, (even if only one member of the couple is eligible.) Some resources are not counted: • The home you live in; • One car if you use it for work or medical treatment at least four times a year or if it is specially-equipped for a disabled person; • Payments from agencies for disaster- related losses; • Property used for self-support including farm land, equipment, storage building, inventory, business bank accounts; • Retirement accounts (IRAs, tax deferred annuities) belonging to the spouse or parent of an SSI beneficiary or applicant. How- ever, the "cashed-in" value of retirement accounts owned by the SSI beneficiary or applicant will count.