Since earlier this year, we have faced a lot of upheaval due to the coronavirus public health emergency. The situation has become especially worrisome for people receiving needs-based government benefits. You may welcome the economic stimulus checks offered by the federal government, but worry that you will lose your benefits. In this article, we will look at whether you can get a stimulus check and SSI benefits at the same time.
What Is SSI?
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a program offered by the Social Security Administration (Social Security). Generally, you must meet the following requirements to qualify:
Be age 65 or older, and
Be blind or disabled.
And
Have limited income and resources,
Be a US citizen, national, or a certain type of alien;
Be the resident of one of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, or the Northern Mariana Islands.
More requirements may apply to you. For example, you will have to give Social Security permission to contact your financial institutions.
The income and resources limits are of great concern to people who have received or hope to receive stimulus checks. They worry they will lose their SSI because of the economic assistance they receive.
Will Your Stimulus Check and SSI Payments Conflict?
Many Americans qualified to receive $1,200 stimulus checks. Families with children under age 17 also could have received $500 per child in addition to the basic $1,200.
The question then becomes whether this stimulus check affects SSI eligibility?
Fortunately, Social Security has made its position clear:
“Please note that the agency will not consider Economic Impact Payments as income for SSI, and the payments are excluded from resources for 12 months.”
If you received your money already, you don’t need to worry. However, many people may have been afraid to request their check or may not have known how to sign up. This is particularly true for people who are not required to file income tax returns.
Please note … The IRS has extended the deadline for entering dependent information into the IRS Non-Filer Tool. Currently, you must input your information by September 30, 2020. However, this situation could change as economic stimulus programs evolve.
Your Stimulus Check and SSI Are Both Important
Make sure you are getting all the government benefits that are available to you. Contact a California disability lawyer today.
The attorneys at The Law Offices of Martin Taller have helped many clients resolve SSI issues. For a free consultation, call us at 714-385-8100. Though our office is located in Anaheim, we assist clients throughout Southern California.
