| Eligibility for Supplemental Security Income benefits turns on various criteria including that the individual must have only "limited" income and resources available. Once the individual's eligibility is established, periodic redeterminations will be conducted to ensure that the individual still meets this eligibility criteria and is receiving the appropriate amount of benefits. Generally, a redetermination will take place for each individual every one to six years.
The "income" that the Social Security Administration (SSA) considers includes 1) money earned from employment, 2) funds received from programs such as social security benefits, unemployment benefits, and pensions, 3) money received from relatives and friends, 4) free food, clothing, and shelter, and 5) the income of the individual's spouse or parents with whom he lives. The "resources," for which there is a $ 2,000 individual cap, include those things that are owned by the individual. For example, land, life insurance, a bank account, a vehicle, and personal property are considered resources. Additionally, the SSA sometimes takes into account the resources of the individual's spouse or parent with whom he resides.
As part of his eligibility redetermination, the individual's living arrangements will be considered. Depending on these arrangements, the individual's benefits may be reduced. An individual may receive a smaller monthly amount if he resides, for example, 1) in another person's home and does not pay his fair share for room and board, 2) in his own home, but another person pays for the mortgage, utilities, and food, and 3) in a hospital or nursing home and Medicaid pays more than half of the bill.
Redeterminations are accomplished via telephone interviews, mail questionnaires, or in-person interviews. If the individual fails to cooperate in the redetermination process within a specified time, his benefits could be halted and he could run the risk of being over- or under-paid. Copyright 2010 LexisNexis, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. |