SSI Check Increase For Disabled Individuals & Low-Income Children: Know Eligibility

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has announced an important update to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments, benefitting thousands of seniors, individuals with disabilities, and low-income children.

This program has provided financial support for over 50 years, helping those in economic hardship meet essential expenses.

However, many still face barriers in accessing these benefits due to outdated eligibility requirements and stringent asset limits.

Let’s dive into what SSI is, who qualifies, and the latest updates for 2024.

What Is SSI?

SSI is a federal program designed to provide financial aid to individuals who are unable to meet basic needs due to low income and limited resources. The primary recipients are seniors over 65, individuals with disabilities, and children living in low-income households. For these groups, SSI serves as a lifeline, covering essential costs like food, housing, and medical expenses.

Who Qualifies?

To qualify for SSI, individuals must meet specific financial and resource criteria. For 2024, the eligibility guidelines include:

• Seniors over 65, regardless of work history.
• Disabled individuals, including both adults and children, with a recognized disability that limits their ability to earn an income.
• Low-income children, in households with limited income and resources, are also eligible.

However, strict income and asset limits have long excluded many individuals in need. For instance, the program currently allows a maximum of $2,000 in assets for single individuals and $3,000 for couples, asset limits that haven’t been updated since 1989. As a result, many people are disqualified simply for having modest savings or assets.

SSI Payment Increase for 2024

Despite the outdated asset limits, the SSA has decided to increase SSI payments for beneficiaries in 2024. This increase aims to better support those relying on SSI, particularly amid rising living costs.

Key Changes in SSI Benefits

While Congress is responsible for making significant changes to asset limits, the SSA has introduced new measures to ease the financial burden on beneficiaries.

These changes are expected to increase payments and expand eligibility for many individuals.

1. Removal of Food Assistance Consideration
   Under previous rules, food assistance from family or friends was counted as income when determining SSI eligibility under the In-Kind Support and Maintenance (ISM) rules. Starting in 2024, the SSA will no longer factor in this assistance, allowing more people to qualify for SSI. This change is expected to increase payments by an average of $131 per month for about 90,000 beneficiaries.
2. Extension of Rental Subsidy Exception
   The rental subsidy exception, previously limited to seven states, will now apply nationwide. This change could make more individuals eligible for SSI and increase payments by around $132 per month for approximately 41,000 beneficiaries.
3. Broader Definition of Public Assistance Household
   The SSA has also updated the definition of a public assistance household. It now includes households receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Additionally, the rule that all household members must be receiving public assistance to qualify for SSI has been removed. These changes could increase benefits for 277,000 people while reducing the burden of reporting household assistance.

Asset Limits: A Growing Concern

While the SSA has made some improvements, the asset limits for SSI remain a major issue. As mentioned, individuals can only have $2,000 in assets, and couples are limited to $3,000.

These limits have not been updated for more than 30 years, despite inflation and rising living costs. This makes it nearly impossible for SSI beneficiaries to save money or plan for future expenses.

There have been ongoing discussions in Congress to raise these limits. For example, in 2003, a proposal suggested increasing the asset limit to $3,000 for individuals and $4,500 for couples and adjusting these amounts for inflation.

Unfortunately, these changes were never enacted. Recently, there has been renewed interest in addressing this issue, with hopes that Congress will take action to better align the program with current economic realities.

Future Outlook for SSI Beneficiaries

The SSA’s updates to the SSI program in 2024 represent a significant step toward providing better support for seniors, individuals with disabilities, and low-income children.

The removal of food assistance from eligibility criteria, the expansion of the rental subsidy exception, and the broadened definition of public assistance households will directly benefit hundreds of thousands of Americans.

However, there is still work to be done. The asset limits and other outdated regulations need to be revised to provide more comprehensive support to those in need.

Advocates and policymakers continue to push for changes that would allow SSI to better serve economically vulnerable populations.

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