SSA Work Incentive 2011 Final

8/6/2019 SSA Work Incentive 2011 Final

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Ellen CondonUniversity of Montana, Rural Institute

(406) 243-4134

[email protected]

www.ruralinstitute.umt.edu/transition

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UM Rural Institute, 700 SW Higgins,

Missoula, MT 59803
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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Student Earned Income Exclusion (SEIE)

Section 301

PASS Plans

IRWE (Impairment-Related Work Expense)

BWE (Blind Work Expense)

Ticket to Work

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Missoula, MT 59803


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Financial benefit available to people with lowincome levels and little or no resources, whohave a disability, or a child with a disability,or are age 65 or older.

Usually comes with Medicaid.

The amount of the financial benefitfluctuates with an individuals income &living situation.

Maximum amount/month $674 in 2011.

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Missoula, MT 59803


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Under 18, child has a disability,

And parents and the student meet income

qualifications (earned only): 1 parent household, gross income


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Earned income Disregard $65

Then disregard $20

(if no unearnedincome)

Half of this amount iscountable earnedincome

Unearned Income Disregard $20

The remainder isconsidered countableunearned income

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Missoula, MT 59803


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Earned income $485/month

Subtract $65 + $20= $400 of $400 = $200 (countable earned income)

$674-$200= $474/month SSI check

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Missoula, MT 59803


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For full-time students: Up to age 22, Attends classes at least 8 hours/week (college) Or high school 12 hours/week Or work prep. program course 12 hours/week

Can earn up to $6,600/year or $1,640/monthprior to wages impacting SSI check (2011).

*Make sure that SSA knows of the studentstatus when you submit paystubs monthly.

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Missoula, MT 59803


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Continued payment of benefits while you areunder Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) or otheremployment service (Ticket to Work), oranother service with an employment plan in

place (an IEP for students 18-21)

Your benefit (SSI and Medicaid) may continueuntil participation in the program ends even ifyou have recovered

SSI eligibility of youth who receive SSI is re-determined upon turning age 18.

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Missoula, MT 59803


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Plan for Achieving Self-Support.

Kids and adults are eligible.

The plan will fund goods or services that willallow a person to become more self-sufficient.

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Missoula, MT 59803


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A Work incentive program developed by SSAto encourage SSI recipients to work.

Excludes resources and/or income frombeing counted by SSA and allows theresources to be set aside to be used to funda vocational goal.

Must be approved by SSA.

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Missoula, MT 59803


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Equipment, Services such as Job Development, Job

Coaching, Personal Care, Transportation, School, Vehicles, Anything needed to support a person to

become employed or advance theiremployment.

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Missoula, MT 59803


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Must be eligible for SSI and have income thatreduces their SSI check or a resource that isover $2000.

Most students will not have wages thatreduce their SSI check (until they are nolonger a student, i.e., the day aftergraduation)

There are students who will have unearnedincome that reduces their SSI check.

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Missoula, MT 59803


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UNEARNED Parents retirement benefits Parents disability benefits

Survivors benefits An adoption subsidy Child support

EARNED Student wages over $6,600/year Parent wages if under age 18

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Missoula, MT 59803


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Each state has a maximum earningsthreshold which SSI recipients canreach before jeopardizing theirMedicaid.

In MT for 2011 it is $29,429.

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Missoula, MT 59803


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Are they under 18? Or are they an adult? Receiving SSI?

If yes, is it less than $674/month? If yes, what is the income that is being counted?

If not receiving SSI, why not? Turned down due to too much income? If yes, could that income be sheltered in a PASS?

Turned down due to excess resources?

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Missoula, MT 59803


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Be aware of changes in a students life whichcould make them eligible for a PASS Parent dies

Parent retires

Parent begins drawing disability insurance Parent income increases (


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House or property that person applying (orparents of person applying) does not live in

Life insurance policy, depending on cashvalue

Retirement plans, depending on cash value

Unsheltered inheritance

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Missoula, MT 59803


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Promote consumer and family choice andcontrol

Can bridge the gap between school and adultservices A PASS can transition with the student, and

Can be used to leverage other funds

Are flexible in what they purchase and whomthey purchase it from

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Missoula, MT 59803


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Vocational Goal Time frame within which steps of the goal will

be achieved

Budget

A plan to reach the goal

Contract with SSA to shelter or not count theincome which is going into the PASS

TIME LIMITED

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Missoula, MT 59803


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Rods PASS paid for computer tutoring,job development andjob coaching.

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Missoula, MT 59803


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Lance started his own business, L&C Deliveries, while still inschool. 21UM Rural Institute, 700 SW Higgins, Missoula, MT 59803


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He and his brother combined their PASS plans, which paidfor this van and allowed them to start a delivery business.

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Missoula, MT 59803


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At age 16 Anne was receiving the full amount of SSI. Within a

year, she began getting survivors benefits which reduced herSSI.

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Missoula, MT 59803


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Goal: Logistics Coordinator position SSDI $310/month (less


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She was hired by Awesome Discoveries DayCare.

20 hours week, earning $480/month, SSDI $310/month, Her PASS was amended to shelter wages and

SSDI for $497.50/month. She purchased a van, paid for follow-along

support and a driver.

25UM Rural Institute, 700 SW Higgins,

Missoula, MT 59803


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Missoula, MT 59803


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SSA allows $85 for earned income exclusionprior to reducing the financial benefit.

The SSI check is reduced by $1 for every $2earned over the first $85 for adults.


Missoula, MT 59803


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After graduation Maclaen began earning$400/month.

His SSI check would have been reduced by$157-$207/mo. without a PASS.

A PASS was written to shelter his countableearned income.

He then received the FBR of SSI, plus wages

not sheltered, and had up to $200/monthin a PASS.


Missoula, MT 59803


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Missoula, MT 59803


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Missoula, MT 59803


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Not a vehicle for saving/sheltering (like thePASS).

IRWEs reduce the impact of your wages onyour SSI and give you a strategy to fund some

of your expenses that you incur to go towork.

Wages$485-$85=$400

-IRWE($200)= $200 ($200) =$100 (countable earned income) $674-100= $574 SSI check


Missoula, MT 59803


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For people who receive benefits due toblindness.

Any work-related expense is allowed (notonly impairment-related) Guide dogs

Transportation

Personal assistance

Lunch

FICA


Missoula, MT 59803


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Same as PASS Gross wages general exclusion (-$20)

Less work exclusion (-$65)

Divide by 2 Less BWE


Missoula, MT 59803


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Social Security recipients are providedvouchers at age 19 to purchase employmentservices through an employment network.

An agency will have applied and beenaccepted to be an EN.

SSA.gov can provide a list of ENs in yourarea.


Missoula, MT 59803


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Milestone 1 employee earns $720/month for:1 month $1,279

Milestone 2

3 months within 6 months $ 1,279 Milestone 3

6 months within 12 $1,279

Milestone 4

9 months within 18 months $1,279

Total phase 1= $5116


Missoula, MT 59803


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Employees gross earnings are at SGA$1000/month non-blind or $1,640 blind

Up to 18 payments of $221/month for SSI Total phase 2=$3,978; 1 & 2= $9,094

Up to 11 payments of $384/month SSDI Total phase 2= $4224; 1 & 2= $9340


Missoula, MT 59803


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Employee earnings = $0 cash benefit

$221/month SSI recipients up to 60 months

$384/month up to 36 months for SSDI


Missoula, MT 59803


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How do we get PASS-eligible studentsidentified?

Who will benefit from students having access

to PASS plans? VR Family/Student DD Services Employers


Missoula, MT 59803


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Who can assist families to apply for SSI?

When are students receiving SSA benefitsanalyses?

Who will write the PASS plans?

Who will pay for PASS plans to be written?

Who will manage approved plans?


Missoula, MT 59803


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WIPA: Work incentive Planning and AssistanceNorth Central Independent Living Center,1-888-8822, Margaret Keener and other ILCs inMT

Employment Works Montana State University-Billings/ Montana Center on Disabilities WIPA

1-888-866-3822 Tiffany Kelker

PABSS: Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiariesof Social Security, Disability Rights MontanaLori Idland 1-800-245-4743

UM R l I i 700 SW Hi i

SSA Work Incentive 2011 Final

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