Did you know that the Social Security Administration (SSA) recently changed their rules about how pandemic-related financial assistance can affect a person’s eligibility for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or monthly SSI benefit amount? If not, this is some good news. Previously, SSA had been counting many types of assistance as income and resources for SSI purposes, resulting in individuals having their SSI benefits reduced or suspended, or having their applications for SSI benefits denied. Yet, because of the severity of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, SSA has decided they will not count most types of pandemic-related financial assistance against SSI eligibility or benefit amount. They have now identified most types of pandemic-related financial assistance as “disaster assistance,” which means they are excluded from being counted as a resource indefinitely.
For more information and specifics as to all the types of assistance now being excluded, read our partners at the National Center on Law & Elder Rights’ tip sheet, Important Change for SSI Recipients & Applicants.
