Service providers are a valuable commodity in most communities across the state. These people have challenging jobs and wear several different hats on any given day. Encouraging a SSA beneficiary to go to work or to return to work is one of the many roles they play in the path of providing quality services for people with disabilities. When speaking to this topic, it is important for the provider to encourage employment opportunities, but to be careful not to advise SSA beneficiaries about how their particular benefits will be impacted by employment income. For the most part, every SSA beneficiary is in a unique situation and income may impact each person differently. We suggest that the service provider make referrals to a benefits specialist when there is an increase in income. There are however, general statements that a service provider can use to dispel myths and begin to assist an individual in making an informed decision about employment. Following are key points that may make a positive difference in a SSA beneficiary’s decision to look further into becoming employed.

In most cases, it is a very difficult and timely process to obtain Social Security benefits and earned income may affect the eligibility determination. However, the Social Security Administration encourages people who are on benefits to go to work or return to work. This is why they have implemented work incentives and work supports for people who want to work.

SSA work incentives are designed to assist and support beneficiaries who want to experience work opportunities and maintain their benefits status until they are ready to earn enough money to go off benefits.

For the Title II (SSDI or SSCDB) beneficiary

If you choose to work, we applaud your efforts and you may be able to maintain benefits or you may at least be able to maintain your benefits for a period of time.

If you work and earn enough money to leave the SSA benefits program, and need to return to the program again because of your disability, you may be able to do this through a quick application process and be able to get your benefits again within a few weeks.

If you work and earn a significant amount of money, you may still be able to keep Medicare insurance. If you happen to earn enough money to leave the SSA benefits program and Medicare, you may still be eligible for a Medicaid program called Medical Assistance for Workers with Disabilities (MAWD).

SSA has a work incentive available called Plan for Achieving Self-Support (PASS), which is a SSI work incentive. However, it allows you to set aside cash benefits and/or income that you can use to purchase the items and/or services needed to reach an employment goal. If you are eligible for and participate in this work incentive, you might also be eligible for SSI cash payments and Medicaid.

Benefits that you receive from the state, such as food stamps, are always impacted by employment income.

There is a housing work incentive that may be available to you. Your rent will not increase due to your earnings for a certain period of time. After this period, it will only increase by 50% for an additional period of time. With other housing programs, your rent will increase when your income increases.

It is important to report your income and plan ahead when receiving SSA cash payments. In many cases, it takes a while for SSA to stop your cash payment if you are no longer eligible for it. It is very common for people to receive overpayments. The key is to know when the cash payment should stop and what resources are available to help you resolve an overpayment situation so you can continue to work.

For the Title XVI (SSI) recipient

You may be able to earn up to $30,806 in 2009 and in some cases more, and still maintain Medicaid if you need it in order to work.

There are many people receiving SSI cash benefits that choose to work and you may be one of them. The amount you earn each month affects how much the SSI payment amount is. When you work, you always increase your total monthly income.

If you work and earn enough money to leave the SSI program, and need to return to the program again because of your disability, you may be able to do this through a quick application process and get your benefits again within a few weeks.

If you work and earn a significant amount of money, you may be able to keep Medicaid insurance. If you happen to earn enough money to leave the SSI program and Medicaid, you may still be eligible for a different Medicaid program called Medical Assistance for Workers with Disabilities (MAWD).

Many students who are in the SSI program can earn money without impacting their SSI cash payment amounts.

SSA has a work incentive available that allows you to set aside income that you can use to purchase the items and/or services needed to reach an employment goal.

Benefits that you receive from the state, such as food stamps, are always impacted by employment income.

It is important to report your income and plan ahead when receiving SSI cash payments. It takes a while for SSA to reduce your cash payment after you report it and it is very common for people to receive overpayments. The key is to know what the cash payment will be each month as you report your income and what resources are available to help you resolve an overpayment situation so you can continue to work.