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The Basics
If you have a disability, are blind, or are over age 65 and you also have low income and limited resources, you may qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), a program run by the Social Security Administration (SSA), and Adult Public Assistance (APA), a program run by the Alaska Division of Public Assistance (DPA). You have to apply for these programs separately.
If you qualify for these benefits, you get monthly payments to help you pay for your basic needs. A person who is single can get up to $943 per month in SSI benefits and usually up to $362 per month in APA benefits. If you get APA benefits, you can also get Medicaid health coverage automatically, without having to file a separate application, as long as you check the Medicaid box on the application form.
Many people who qualify for one of the benefits also qualify for the other. However, some people only qualify for one or the other. For example:
- APA has a higher income limit, so some people get APA benefits, but not SSI.
- APA is only for people 18 years old or older, so some children get SSI benefits, but not APA.
If you get SSI and/or APA benefits and start working, you'll probably end up better off financially. SSI and APA are designed to make sure that your total income will be higher after you get a job.
Social Security has two disability benefits programs with very similar names:
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI) gives monthly payments to people with disabilities who have low income and low resources. You do not need to have worked in the past to get SSI. SSI is explained in this article.
- Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) gives monthly payments to people with disabilities who qualify because they used to work or have a parent who worked. Learn more in DB101’s SSDI article.
Some people qualify for both programs at the same time. If you get benefits from Social Security, but aren’t sure which ones you get, open a free my Social Security account or order a free Benefits Planning Query (BPQY) at your local Social Security office or by calling 1-800-772-1213 or 1-800-325-0778 (TTY).
If you have questions about SSI, call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or 1-800-325-0778 (TTY) or visit your local Social Security office.
For APA, contact your Division of Public Assistance (DPA) office.
If you want to ask about how work might affect your SSI or APA benefits, try contacting:
- The Alaska Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) Project at 1-907-264-6279, or
- The Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY).
Learn more
What Benefits Do I Get?
How to see which Social Security and state benefits you get.
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
SSDI gives cash benefits to people who worked and paid Social Security taxes before their disabilities limited their ability to work.
Finding the Right Health Coverage For You
Explore the best health coverage options for you with this interactive tool.
Try It
Apply for Benefits
To qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Adult Public Assistance (APA), you must:
- Be a U.S. citizen or qualified alien
- Have a disability or be 65 years old or older, and
- Have low resources and low income.
This article looks in detail at SSI’s and APA’s rules for adults ages 18 – 64.
Learn more about SSI’s rules for children under 18 in DB101’s Benefits for Young People article.
Requirements for Noncitizens
To get SSI or APA, you have to be a U.S. citizen, a qualified alien, or a Native American born in Canada or Mexico who has rights to cross the border. Examples of qualified aliens include people who are:
- Lawfully Admitted for Permanent Residence (LAPR) in the U.S
- Refugees admitted to the U.S. under Section 207 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA)
- Granted asylum under Section 208 of the INA
To get SSI, qualified aliens must also meet certain other conditions. For more details about the rules for noncitizens, contact your local Social Security office and your Division of Public Assistance (DPA) office.
How to Apply
For SSI: You can apply:
- Online (which starts the application process immediately)
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By calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or 1-800-325-0778 (TTY) to make an appointment to apply either:
- Over the phone, or
- In person at your local Social Security office.
For APA: You can apply:
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By filling out the DPA Application for Services and submitting it:
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In person or by mail to any Division of Public Assistance (DPA) office
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By email to hss.dpa.offices@alaska.gov, or
- By fax to 1-888-269-6520.
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In person or by mail to any Division of Public Assistance (DPA) office
- By phone at 1-800-478-7778.
Tip: Do the applications for both SSI and APA. If your countable income appears low enough for you to get SSI benefits, you have to show you have applied for SSI before you can be approved for APA. Examples of ways to prove you applied for SSI: a letter from Social Security showing you've applied, an SSI award letter, or a proof that you got an SSI benefit for the current month.
If you are approved for SSI, you get SSI benefits for the entire time since the date you applied. That’s why you should apply as soon as possible. If you don’t have everything ready for your application, that’s OK — you can still apply and submit any missing information as quckly as possible.
If you already get SSI benefits when you apply for APA, your APA benefits will begin immediately. If you don't get SSI benefits when you apply for APA, your APA benefits will usually begin the first day of the month after you are approved for SSI or SSDI, or after Disability Determination Services (DDS) notifies DPA that you have a disability, as long as you meet all APA eligibility requirements.
Getting Your Applications Ready
To complete your applications for SSI and APA, you need:
- Basic facts, like your name, date of birth, and address
Note: You don’t need to have a fixed address. If you’re experiencing homelessness or don’t have a fixed address, you can still get SSI. Read Social Security’s Spotlight on Homelessness.
Bring:
- Identification, like your driver’s license, state ID, or passport
- Birth certificate
- Proof of U.S. citizenship, like naturalization papers or your U.S. passport, if you are a citizen born outside the U.S.
- Social Security Number
- Documentation of your medical condition
Bring:
- Names, addresses, and phone numbers of doctors, therapists, hospitals, clinics, and others who have treated you.
- Prescriptions and results of medical tests
- Documentation explaining how your medical condition affects your daily life
Be ready to:
- Sign forms so SSA or DPA can get copies of your medical records
- Fill out forms about how your disability affects your daily life
- Give SSA or DPA permission to contact your employer, friends, or family to learn how your disability affects you
- Documentation of your income
Bring:
- A list of the types of jobs you’ve done for the past 5 years
- Copies of recent tax records or W-2 forms
- Information about other benefits you’re on
- School records, if you’re under 22
- Documentation of your resources
Bring:
- Copies of bank statements
Be ready to:
- Answer questions and give proof about any savings, retirement accounts, stocks, bonds, real estate, or other resources that you own
Social Security provides a detailed checklist of the information you need to complete the application process.
The DPA combined Application for Services also has a good list of the sorts of information you need when you apply for APA benefits.
To apply for APA, you have to submit the DPA combined Application for Services. You can also use this application to apply for other benefits at the same time, such as:
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Interim Assistance (IA), a $280 monthly cash benefit for people who are waiting for their SSI and APA applications to be approved. Once you start getting APA, your IA benefits end.
- Note: When SSI starts, some of your retroactive SSI benefits are automatically used to pay back the IA program.
- Medicaid, free health coverage for people with low to moderate income. Learn more in DB101’s How Health Benefits Work article.
- SNAP (formerly Food Stamps), a monthly benefit for people with low income that helps pay for food. Learn more about SNAP.
- ATAP, a monthly cash benefit for families with children that also helps parents find work. Learn more about ATAP.
Tip: When you fill out the application form, make sure you check the boxes for all the benefits you need.
You should also look into:
- The Alaska Housing Finance Corporation, which helps people find affordable housing.
- Lifeline, which offers low-cost phone service.
- The Heating Assistance Program (HAP), which helps with winter heating costs.
- Senior Benefits, which is a small cash benefit for people who are age 65 or older.
Learn more
What Benefits Do I Get?
How to see which Social Security and state benefits you get.
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
SSDI gives cash benefits to people who worked and paid Social Security taxes before their disabilities limited their ability to work.
Finding the Right Health Coverage For You
Explore the best health coverage options for you with this interactive tool.
Try It
Understand Award and Denial Letters
The Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Alaska Department of Public Assistance (DPA) usually take several months to decide on your applications. If they determine you have a disability, low income, and low resources, you may qualify for SSI and/or APA benefits.
After looking at your applications, SSA and DPA separately send you award letters or denial letters for the two benefits. These letters can be confusing. If you have questions about the SSI decision, call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or 1-800-325-0778 (TTY). For APA, contact your Division of Public Assistance (DPA) office.
If you disagree with a decision, you can file an appeal.
Understanding an Award Letter
An award letter should tell you:
- How much you’ll get in benefits each month
- When the benefits will be paid
- How much you’ll get in retroactive (past) benefits, based on the date you applied
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When Social Security will review your medical condition again — usually three to seven years after you start getting benefits
- Note: If you get APA, the Division of Public Assistance may do annual reviews of your situation.
After you get your award letters, your SSI and APA benefits go into your bank account automatically each month. If you don’t have a bank account, you can have your SSI benefits put onto a Direct Express debit card that you can use in stores to make purchases. For APA, you can choose to get checks instead of direct deposits.
Understanding a Denial Letter
A denial letter should tell you why your application was turned down. The most common reasons are:
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You didn’t present enough medical documentation of your health condition or Social Security doesn’t think your medical condition is bad enough to keep you from working.
- If the letter says your doctor, psychiatrist, or school did not send records they were supposed to send, you can get these reports and submit them yourself when you file an appeal.
- You have more resources than the $2,000 limit ($3,000 for couples).
- Your total countable income is too high for you to qualify for SSI or APA.
- You have more earned income than the Substantial Gainful Activity level of $1,550 per month.
Note: When you apply for SSI, Social Security also checks to see if you qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). If you get an SSDI denial letter, it does not mean you’ve been turned down for SSI benefits. Read the letter carefully — an actual SSI denial letter says “Supplemental Security Income” at the top.
Filing an Appeal or for a Fair Hearing
If you feel that a decision is incorrect, you can file an appeal. You have to file separate appeals for SSI and APA:
For APA: Contact your Division of Public Assistance (DPA) office and ask for a fair hearing in writing. You can use the Fair Hearing Request form. (This form is also included on the back of the DPA denial letter.) You have to ask for a fair hearing within 30 days of the denial.
Tip: If your disability makes it hard for you to ask for a Fair Hearing in writing or to fill out the Fair Hearing Request form, you can ask DPA for a reasonable accommodation. If you need help asking for a Fair Hearing, you can contact the Disability Law Center of Alaska.
For SSI: You can file your appeal online or call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or 1-800-325-0778 (TTY) and ask them to send you an SSI appeal form. If you file online, you need to mail or deliver any new information about your situation to Social Security.
File your appeal quickly:
- You have 60 days from the date you get a denial letter to file an appeal. If you don’t appeal within 60 days, you may not be able to appeal.
- If you are already on SSI and are appealing a change in your benefits amount or an overpayment notice, appeal within 10 days. If you do, you might keep getting the same SSI benefits amount until Social Security decides on your appeal.
Note: Social Security figures that you get a letter within five days after they sent it.
If your SSI application is denied and you disagree with the decision, file an appeal. Do not just fill out the application forms again — that would be refiling. If you appeal and win, you get benefits for the entire time since the date you first applied. If you refile, your application date starts over and you don’t get any past benefits you might have gotten.
There are four levels to the appeal process. If you do not agree with the result at any level, you can appeal to the next.
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Reconsideration: A person at Social Security who wasn’t involved in the first decision looks at your application. This is a written appeal, so you don’t have to go in front of a judge. Give Social Security any new information you have about your case.
- Note: In Alaska, if you appeal a disability determination, there is no reconsideration. You skip straight to a hearing.
- Hearing: If the reconsideration is denied, you can ask for a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge. You can bring witnesses to help make your case. Consider having an attorney or representative help you.
- Appeals Council: Social Security’s Appeals Council reviews your case if you appeal the decision the Administrative Law Judge made. The Appeals Council can accept the judge’s decision, decide the case for itself, or send it back to a different Administrative Law Judge for another hearing.
- Federal Court: If the Appeals Council decides against you, you can file a lawsuit in federal court.
For any level beyond the reconsideration, you may want to get help from a lawyer. The Disability Law Center of Alaska (1-800-478-1234) and Alaska Legal Services are statewide legal resources that can help.
Learn more
What Benefits Do I Get?
How to see which Social Security and state benefits you get.
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
SSDI gives cash benefits to people who worked and paid Social Security taxes before their disabilities limited their ability to work.
Finding the Right Health Coverage For You
Explore the best health coverage options for you with this interactive tool.
Try It
Report Changes
If your situation changes, your Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Adult Public Assistance (APA) benefits may change. That’s why you need to report changes in your situation immediately to each program.
Both the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Alaska Division of Public Assistance (DPA) also check on your situation from time to time to make sure there have been no changes.
Note: If you do not report changes, you might have to pay back the benefits you get.
Changes in Your Situation and Your Benefits
How much you get in SSI and APA benefits depends on your:
- Earned income
- Unearned income
- Resources, and
- Living arrangements.
If any of these things change, even slightly, you must report the change twice:
- To the Division of Public Assistance (DPA) by calling 1-800-478-7778, by fax to 1-888-269-6520, by email to hss.dpa.offices@alaska.gov, or in person at any Division of Public Assistance (DPA) office. For APA, report changes within 10 days of when you know about the change.
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To Social Security at the start of the month after the change. You can report:
- In person, by phone, or by fax during the first 10 days of the next month.
- Using the SSI Telephone Reporting System, the SSI reporting app, or My Social Security during the first 6 days of the next month.
Tip: Some people report their earned income every month, even when the amount doesn’t change. For SSI, you can even sign up to get a reminder text or email each month, so that you won't forget to report.
For SSI, you can report changes:
- In person or by phone with your local Social Security office.
- By mail to your local Social Security office. Write “Attention: SSI” on the envelope to make sure it goes to the right place.
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You can also check with Social Security if you can report earnings with:
- The SSI Telephone Wage Reporting System at 1-866-772-0953
- The SSI Mobile Wage Reporting Application available in the Google Play or Apple App stores, or
- The my Social Security online wage reporting tool.
When you report, you need to have documentation, such as a letter explaining any changes and copies of your pay stubs. If you have questions about the best way to report your earnings, talk to your local Social Security office or talk to a benefits planner.
Note: If you also get Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits, you must report your income separately for SSI and SSDI. Ask your Social Security claims representative how you should report income for SSDI.
When SSA and DPA Check to See if Your Situation Has Changed
If you get SSI, Social Security sometimes does two different types of review of your situation to make sure you still qualify for SSI benefits and that you’re getting the right benefits amount:
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A redetermination means Social Security looks at your income, resources, marital status, and living arrangements. A redetermination can be done in person, by phone, or by mail. You may need to provide documentation of your situation. Social Security may do a redetermination every 1 – 6 years.
- During a redetermination, Social Security does not ask about your medical condition.
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A medical Continuing Disability Review (CDR) means Social Security looks at your medical condition to make sure you still have a disability. You may need to provide medical records or other information. Social Security may do a medical CDR every 1.5 – 7 years.
- If you have been getting SSI benefits for two years or more, Social Security does not do a medical CDR just because you work.
- For as long as you are either a client of the Alaska Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) or are actively working with an Employment Network (EN) and making timely progress in the Ticket to Work Program, Social Security does not do a medical CDR.
Respond right away and do everything Social Security needs you to do, otherwise your SSI payments could be stopped. If you have trouble filling out a form or getting documentation, ask for help at your local Social Security office.
For APA, the Division of Public Assistance (DPA) does annual reviews to make sure you still qualify for benefits. If DPA asks for any information for a review, make sure you submit what they have requested.
Overpayments
If Social Security or the Alaska Division of Public Assistance decides that they paid you more in benefits than they should have, they send you a letter telling you that they’ve made an overpayment and explaining how much money you must pay back.
Deal with an overpayment notice right away. The overpayment letter asks for the money to be returned within 30 days, but Social Security and DPA are willing to work out reasonable monthly payment plans with you. Contact these agencies immediately to talk about your options.
A common reason people get overpayments is that they don’t report changes in their earnings, unearned income, living situation, or marital status. You could also be overpaid if you keep getting SSI and APA benefits after your resources go over the resource limit or when you don’t have a disability anymore. If you do not report changes, then the overpayment is your fault and you have to pay the money back.
If you think an overpayment wasn’t your fault and you can’t pay it back because you need the money to pay for living expenses, you can ask for a waiver of the overpayment. If the waiver is granted, you don’t have to repay the overpayment. To get the waiver form for SSI, call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or 1-800-325-0778 (TTY) and ask for Form SSA-632. For waivers of APA overpayments, talk to your Division of Public Assistance (DPA) office.
If you think the amount of your overpayment is incorrect or that you do not have any overpayment, you have the right to appeal:
- For SSI: If you appeal within 10 days of the date the notice was sent, you might keep getting your SSI benefits until Social Security decides on the appeal.
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For APA: Contact your Division of Public Assistance (DPA) office and ask for a fair hearing using the Fair Hearing Request form. (This form is also located on the back of any benefits notice DPA sends you.) You have to ask for a fair hearing within 30 days.
- Note: When you ask for a fair hearing, you can also ask to keep getting APA benefits until the fair hearing is decided. If the fair hearing upholds DPA’s original decision, you have to pay back these benefits.
Learn more
What Benefits Do I Get?
How to see which Social Security and state benefits you get.
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
SSDI gives cash benefits to people who worked and paid Social Security taxes before their disabilities limited their ability to work.
Finding the Right Health Coverage For You
Explore the best health coverage options for you with this interactive tool.
Try It
Disability Determination
To get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Adult Public Assistance (APA), you must have a disability that meets standards set by the Social Security Administration (SSA). When you apply for either benefit, Social Security, together with Alaska Disability Determination Services (DDS), looks at everything you submit with your application and follows a five-step process.
Steps 1, 4, and 5 of the disability determination process look at your ability to work, while steps 2 and 3 look at your medical condition.
If Social Security says you have a disability, you may qualify for SSI and APA if your resources and income are below APA’s limits.
Note: This article presents the rules for adults ages 18 – 64. Seniors may qualify for benefits without having a disability. Learn about the rules for children under 18 in DB101’s Benefits for Young People article.
You have to apply for SSI and APA separately. However, Social Security only needs to do one disability determination for both programs. That means that if Social Security already determined you have a disability for one program, you do not need to get another disability determination if you apply for another benefit. For example, if you already get SSI benefits, you do not need another disability determination when you apply for APA.
Social Security Does Not Follow These Steps if You Are Blind
There are special rules to determine if someone is blind:
Usually, if your vision in your better eye cannot be corrected to better than 20/200 or your field of view is 20 degrees or less, you are considered blind.
Learn more about Social Security’s rules on blindness.
Step 1: Are You Working at a Level of Substantial Gainful Activity?
If you are working and your monthly earnings before taxes are deducted are higher than the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) level, you do not have a disability according to Social Security and you do not qualify for SSI or APA benefits. In 2024, SGA is $1,550.
If you are not working or if your earnings are less than the SGA level, Social Security moves on to the next step to decide if you have a disability.
Mimi earns $27.50 per hour and works 60 hours per month. Her gross monthly earnings are $1,650 ($27.50 x 60), though after taxes are deducted, her actual paycheck is only $1,450.
Even though Mimi only gets $1,450 per month in checks, Social Security counts all of her $1,650 in gross monthly earnings. Since $1,650 is more than the SGA level ($1,550), Social Security says she does not have a disability.
If you have a job, but your disability limits how much you can earn, you can still apply for SSI and APA benefits. If your income is over the SGA level, some rules might lower how much of your income gets counted. These are called deductions. The most common deductions during the disability determination process are Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWEs) and subsidized earnings.
You have to document these deductions when you apply. They may help you qualify for SSI or APA when you would not qualify otherwise.
SGA if You Are Self-Employed
If you are self-employed, your work is evaluated differently when it is compared to SGA:
If you’re self-employed, Social Security looks at more than just your income, because the amount of money you actually get from your business may depend on many different factors. Instead, they use three tests.
If Social Security decides that you are not doing Substantial Gainful Activity using all three tests, you may qualify for SSI and APA.
Note: If you are self-employed and either blind or over age 55, there are special SGA rules. For more information, talk to a benefits planner.
Self-Employed: Test 1
If you perform services that are significant to the operation of your business and you get substantial income from the business, Social Security likely decides that you have done SGA and you do not qualify for SSI or APA.
Social Security considers the services you perform significant if:
- You operate a business (other than a farm) all by yourself, or
- You and at least one other person run the business and you do more than half of the management time. For example, if it takes 60 hours a month to manage your business and you manage it for 45 of those hours, your services are significant.
Social Security considers your income substantial if:
- Your net countable income is greater than $1,550 per month. To figure out your net countable income, SSA deducts your business expenses and the value of unpaid help, Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWEs), and unincurred business expenses from your net income.
If Test 1 does not show you are doing Substantial Gainful Activity, Social Security moves on to Test 2.
Self-Employed: Test 2
Social Security examines the work you do to see if it counts as SGA. They look at things like hours worked, skills needed, responsibilities, and effort involved.
If the work you do is about the same as the work of nondisabled people who are in similar businesses in your community, Social Security decides that you are doing SGA and you do not qualify for SSI or APA.
If Test 2 does not show you are doing Substantial Gainful Activity, Social Security moves on to Test 3.
Self-Employed: Test 3
Social Security looks at your monthly work. If your work is worth at least $1,550 per month in its impact on your business, or if you’d have to pay someone at least $1,550 per month to do that work, you are doing Substantial Gainful Activity.
If Test 3 does not show that you are doing Substantial Gainful Activity, Social Security moves on to the next step of the disability determination process and you may qualify for SSI and APA.
Step 2: Is Your Medical Condition Severe?
For Social Security to say you have a disability, your medical condition must be expected to either:
- Significantly limit your ability to perform basic work activities for at least 12 consecutive months, or
- Result in death.
If it does not, you are not considered to have a disability and do not qualify for SSI or APA benefits.
If your medical condition meets this standard, Social Security moves on to the next step to decide if you have a disability.
Step 3: Is Your Medical Condition on Social Security’s List of Impairments?
Social Security’s List of Impairments includes many mental and physical conditions. If your condition is on the list, Social Security decides that you have a disability and skips steps 4 and 5.
If your condition is not on the list, Social Security considers whether your condition is as severe as a condition that is on the list. If it is, Social Security decides that you have a disability and skips steps 4 and 5.
If your condition is not as severe, Social Security moves on to the next step to decide if you have a disability.
Step 4: Can You Do the Same Work You Did Before?
If your condition doesn’t stop you from doing the work you did before, Social Security says you do not have a disability and do not qualify for SSI or APA benefits.
If your medical condition does stop you from doing the same work you did before, Social Security moves on to the final step to decide if you have a disability.
Luigi was a construction worker. He fell off his motorcycle one day and severely injured his knees. Because he has limited mobility and can no longer stand for long periods of time, he can’t do construction anymore.
Luigi cannot do the same work he did before and SSA will continue to look into whether he has a disability.
Step 5: Can You Do Any Other Type of Work?
If you can’t do the work you used to do, Social Security looks at your skills and your condition to see if there is other work you could do.
If your condition doesn’t prevent you from doing other work and earning at the SGA level, you are not considered to have a disability and will not qualify for SSI or APA benefits.
While Luigi’s injury prevents him from doing construction on site, he could still manage construction projects from a desk, so Social Security might say he doesn’t have a disability.
If your medical condition does stop you from doing other work and earning at the SGA level, Social Security says that you have a disability, as long as you have met the other four criteria.
If you have a disability, low resources, and low income, you may qualify for SSI and APA benefits.
Learn more
What Benefits Do I Get?
How to see which Social Security and state benefits you get.
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
SSDI gives cash benefits to people who worked and paid Social Security taxes before their disabilities limited their ability to work.
Finding the Right Health Coverage For You
Explore the best health coverage options for you with this interactive tool.
Try It
Resource and Income Limits
To qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Adult Public Assistance (APA), you must both:
- Have countable resources below the SSI and APA resource limit, and
- Have countable income that is below their income limits for a person in your situation.
If your resources and countable income are below the limits and you have a disability or are age 65 or older, you get monthly benefits to help you pay for your basic needs. The amount you get each month depends on how much other income you have. If you get APA benefits, you also automatically qualify for APA-related Medicaid.
SSI’s and APA’s Resource Limits
When you do your applications for SSI and APA, you have to list money and property that you own. These are called resources. Some resources don’t count towards the resource limits for these programs, like the home you live in and and one vehicle. Social Security has a complete list of excluded resources.
Additionally, if your disability began before you turned 26, you can open an ABLE account where you can keep up to $100,000 in resources and not have them counted by SSI or APA. Learn more about ABLE accounts.
Countable resources are all resources that aren’t excluded. You must have less than $2,000 in countable resources ($3,000 for a couple) to qualify for SSI or APA benefits.
If your countable resources are below the resource limit, you may qualify for SSI and APA.
Note: Real property, including the buildings on it, that is owned by an Alaska Native or American Indian is not a countable resource for APA-related Medicaid, but is counted for APA cash benefits. For this reason, an Alaska Native who owns land worth more than $2,000 might qualify for APA-related Medicaid, but not APA or SSI cash benefits.
SSI and APA Benefits Depend on Your Income and Your Living Situation
If you have a disability that meets Social Security standards and your resources are below the resource limit, you may get APA-related Medicaid, SSI cash benefits, and APA cash benefits.
Which of these benefits you get depends on how much countable income you have:
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If your countable income is below the APA Expanded Refused Cash (RC) limit, you get APA-related Medicaid
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If your countable income is also below the APA payment standard, you get APA cash benefits and APA-related Medicaid
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If your countable income is also below the SSI maximum benefit level, you get SSI cash benefits and APA cash benefits and APA-related Medicaid
Note: The APA RC limit does not mean you have to refuse to get APA cash benefits. What it means is that you may qualify for APA-related Medicaid even if you don't qualify for APA cash benefits.
Use this tool to see the APA RC limit, APA payment standard, and SSI maximum benefit level for somebody in your living situation. These levels are based on your countable income. Since SSI and APA don’t count all of your income, you could actually work at a job and make way more than these limits and still qualify for benefits. Learn more about how your income is counted.
Check the SSI and APA income limits for your situation. | |
Are you married? | |
Do you get help paying for both food and shelter? | |
Do you live in a nursing home? | |
- Single
- Not getting help paying for both food and shelter
APA RC limit | APA payment standard | SSI maximum benefit | |
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Income Limit | $1,751 | $1,305 | $943 |
Benefits if countable income is below limit |
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|
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- Single
- Not getting help paying for both food and shelter
- In a nursing home
APA RC limit | APA payment standard | SSI payment level | |
---|---|---|---|
Income Limit | $943 | ||
Benefits if countable income is below limit |
|
|
|
- Single
- Getting help paying for both food and shelter
APA RC limit | APA payment standard | SSI maximum benefit | |
---|---|---|---|
Income Limit | $1,751 | $997 | $628.67 |
Benefits if countable income is below limit |
|
|
|
- Single
- Getting help paying for food and shelter
- In a nursing home
APA RC limit | APA payment standard | SSI payment level | |
---|---|---|---|
Income Limit | $943 | ||
Benefits if countable income is below limit |
|
|
|
- Married to a person who doesn't qualify for benefits
- Not getting help paying for both food and shelter
APA RC limit | APA payment standard | SSI maximum benefit | |
---|---|---|---|
Income Limit | $2,593 | $1,464 | $943 |
Benefits if countable income is below limit |
|
|
|
- Married to a person who doesn't qualify for benefits
- Not getting help paying for both food and shelter
- In a nursing home
APA RC limit | APA payment standard | SSI payment level | |
---|---|---|---|
Income Limit | $943 | ||
Benefits if countable income is below limit |
|
|
|
- Married to a person who doesn't qualify for benefits
- Getting help paying for both food and shelter
APA RC limit | APA payment standard | SSI maximum benefit | |
---|---|---|---|
Income Limit | $2,593 | $1,093 | $628.67 |
Benefits if countable income is below limit |
|
|
|
- Married to a person who doesn't qualify for benefits
- Getting help paying for food and shelter
- In a nursing home
APA RC limit | APA payment standard | SSI maximum benefit | |
---|---|---|---|
Income Limit | $1,415 | ||
Benefits if countable income is below limit |
|
|
|
- An eligible couple (married to a person who also qualifies for benefits)
- Not getting help paying for both food and shelter
APA RC limit | APA payment standard | SSI maximum benefit | |
---|---|---|---|
Income Limit | $2,593 | $1,943 | $1,415 |
Benefits if countable income is below limit |
|
|
|
- An eligible couple (married to a person who also qualifies for benefits)
- Not getting help paying for food and shelter
- In a nursing home
APA RC limit | APA payment standard | SSI maximum benefit | |
---|---|---|---|
Income Limit | $1,751 | $1,305 | $943 |
Benefits if countable income is below limit |
|
|
|
- An eligible couple (married to a person who also qualifies for benefits)
- Getting help paying for both food and shelter
APA RC limit | APA payment standard | SSI maximum benefit | |
---|---|---|---|
Income Limit | $2,593 | $1,486 | $943.33 |
Benefits if countable income is below limit |
|
|
|
- An eligible couple (married to a person who also qualifies for benefits)
- Getting help paying for food and shelter
- In a nursing home
APA RC limit | APA payment standard | SSI maximum benefit | |
---|---|---|---|
Income Limit | $1,751 | $1,305 | $943 |
Benefits if countable income is below limit |
|
|
|
You don’t qualify for SSI or APA benefits if your countable income is above the APA RC limit. However, you may still qualify for income-based Medicaid or the Working Disabled Medicaid Buy-In. Learn more about these options in DB101’s How Health Benefits Work article.
Rodolfo has a disability, $1,000 in resources, and no countable income. He lives alone and doesn’t get help paying for his housing. He gets $943 in SSI benefits, $362 in APA benefits, and APA-related Medicaid health coverage.
Living Arrangements
If you live alone, the most you can get in SSI each month is $943 and the most you can generally get in APA is $362. However, the maximum benefit amounts might be different if:
-
You are married
- If you live with another person and the two of you act as though you are married and present yourselves as being married, Social Security considers you a married couple for SSI purposes.
- Somebody else helps pay the costs of your shelter (where you live), or
- You live in a medical facility, such as a hospital, nursing home, or prison.
If you are under 18 and living with your parents or relatives, the rules are different. Learn more about them in DB101’s Benefits for Young People article.
Rules for Couples
How SSI and APA look at your income and possible benefits depends on whether your spouse also qualifies for SSI and APA benefits.
If Your Spouse Does Not Qualify for SSI or APA
If you are married and your spouse doesn’t qualify for SSI or APA, then the SSI and APA programs figure out how much of your spouse’s income can be used to help pay for your basic needs. This process is called spousal deeming. For each dollar of your spouse’s income that can be deemed, the maximum combined amount of SSI and APA benefits you can get goes down by a dollar.
Magda injures her spine and applies for SSI and APA. The two programs review her application and decide that she has a disability and that she and her husband, José, are below the resource limit. When the SSI and APA programs look at José’s income from his part-time job, they say $450 of his monthly income is countable and can be used to help pay for Magda’s basic needs. That means that after spousal deeming, the most Magda can get in benefits is $493 from SSI and $521 from APA. Combined, the most she can get from SSI and APA is $1,014.
Note: If your spouse gets help from certain programs, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Alaska Temporary Assistance Program (ATAP), or other benefits based on need from the state, your county, or the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), those benefits and the income used to calculate those benefits might not be deemed, so your SSI benefits amount wouldn't go down as much.
If you have questions about spousal deeming, talk with a benefits planner.
If Your Spouse Does Qualify for SSI and APA
SSI and APA say you are part of an “eligible couple” if:
- You are married
- You live with your spouse, and
- Both you and your spouse qualify for SSI and/or APA.
The most an eligible couple can get is $1,415 per month in SSI benefits and $528.00 per month in APA benefits (only about 150% of maximum SSI and APA benefits for individuals).
Rules if Somebody Else Helps Pay for Your Shelter
On September 30, 2024, some in-kind support and maintenance (ISM) rules changed. The information shown here has been updated.
If you are single and pay for your own shelter (where you live), you get up to $943 per month in SSI benefits and $362 in APA benefits. Shelter expenses can include rent, mortgage payments, property taxes, heating fuel, gas, electricity, water, sewer service, and garbage collection.
If someone else pays for some or all of your shelter, the maximum combined amount of SSI and APA benefits you can get may go down. This is called in-kind support and maintenance and how it is counted depends on your situation.
Tip: If you are getting help paying for your housing expenses (like rent), see if the person helping you can instead put money into an ABLE account, which you can then use to pay for your shelter yourself. By doing this, you could keep getting up to $943 in SSI and not have your benefits reduced due to the ISM rules. Learn more about ABLE accounts at the ABLE National Resource Center.
If you live in a household where at least one other person gets a benefit meant to help people with low income, Social Security might say you are part of a “public assistance (PA) household.” If so, these ISM rules might not apply to you, and getting help with your housing expenses might not lower your SSI benefits.
You might be in a PA household if someone other than you in your household gets one of these benefits: SSI, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Alaska Temporary Assistance Program (ATAP), or other benefits based on need from the state, your county, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the Bureau of Indian Affairs, or the Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act.
If you have questions about whether you are in a PA household and how this affects your SSI, talk with a benefits planner.
The Value of One-Third Reduction (VTR) Rule
The VTR rule says that the most you can get in SSI benefits goes down by one-third if:
- You live in somebody else’s household, and
- Somebody in that household helps with shelter and all meals.
The VTR rule is all or nothing. It doesn’t matter how much you actually get in free food or free shelter; all that matters is that you get both shelter and all your meals from somebody living in the same household.
Usually, the maximum SSI benefit is $943. The VTR cuts that by one-third, or $314.33. Therefore, if the VTR rule applies, the maximum SSI benefits amount most people can get is $943 – $314.33 = $628.67.
If you are in this living situation and qualify for APA, the rule doesn’t work the same way: You qualify for up to $368 in APA benefits, which is actually slightly more than the maximum APA benefit for single people who live alone and pay for their own living expenses.
The Presumed Maximum Value (PMV) Rule
The PMV rule says that the most you can get in SSI benefits goes down by a certain amount if:
- Somebody helps you with shelter, and
-
The VTR does not apply to your case.
- Examples: The VTR does not apply if you do not live in the same household as the person helping you with your food and shelter, or if the person helping you does not help with both food and shelter.
The exact amount your maximum SSI benefits go down depends on your situation:
- By default, it goes down by about one-third of the maximum SSI benefits amount plus $20. For 2024, this Presumed Maximum Value (PMV) is $334.33 for an individual.
-
However, if the actual help you get paying for shelter is worth less than the PMV, then your SSI benefits are only reduced by the actual support amount.
-
If the value of the support you get is less than the default PMV, you must show Social Security documentation of how much support you actually get.
-
If the value of the support you get is less than the default PMV, you must show Social Security documentation of how much support you actually get.
The PMV rule does not affect your APA benefits and for APA, the value of the help you get in this living situation is not counted as income. If you are single and living in this situation, you can get up to $362 in APA benefits, the same amount you would get if you were paying for your own shelter.
Note: The support you get according to the PMV rule counts as unearned income for SSI. Because the general income exclusion means SSI doesn't count your first $20 in unearned income, the amount of SSI benefits you get may be the same regardless of whether the VTR or PMV applies.
- Edgar lives in a house with roommates and gets SSI benefits. He pays for his own food, but his father pays Edgar’s rent, which is $800 per month. Because $800 is more than the default PMV amount ($334.33), the PMV amount is used to calculate his SSI benefits. His benefits amount is $943 – ($334.33 – $20 for the general income exclusion) = $628.67. He gets $362 in APA benefits.
- Manon has a room in an apartment and gets SSI benefits. The rent for her room is $600 a month, of which Manon pays $300 and her grandfather pays $300. If Social Security applied the full PMV amount ($334.33), Manon’s SSI benefits would be just $628.67 per month. But, because Manon showed Social Security that her grandfather's help was lower than the PMV, her benefits amount is $943 – ($300 – $20 for the general income exclusion) = $663. She gets $362 in APA benefits.
- Manon’s benefits planner tells her that if she paid the rent herself, Social Security would not lower her maximum possible benefit at all based on her grandfather’s help. The benefits planner recommends that Manon ask her grandfather to put money into her ABLE account each month instead of paying her landlord directly. Manon could then use the money from the ABLE account to pay her rent and get up to $943 per month in SSI. She would still get $362 in APA benefits.
Rules if You Live in a Medical Facility
If you live in a medical facility, such as a hospital or nursing home, you probably can’t get full SSI or APA benefits:
- If Medicaid pays for more than half the cost of your care in the facility, the most you can get in SSI benefits is $30 per month and for APA, the most you can get is $170 per month.
- If Medicaid does not pay for more than half of your care in the facility, you cannot get any SSI or APA benefits.
-
If your doctor says you will be in the facility for less than 90 days and you can show that you need your SSI benefits to keep your home or living arrangement, you may continue to get your full SSI benefits.
- Note: If you’re expecting to stay for less than 90 days, you need to get the doctor’s note and documentation about your need to Social Security right away. The facility’s admissions office can help you.
Learn more
What Benefits Do I Get?
How to see which Social Security and state benefits you get.
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
SSDI gives cash benefits to people who worked and paid Social Security taxes before their disabilities limited their ability to work.
Finding the Right Health Coverage For You
Explore the best health coverage options for you with this interactive tool.
Try It
How Your Income Is Counted
The Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Alaska Division of Public Assistance (DPA) look at your income when they decide whether you qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Adult Public Assistance (APA), and Medicaid, and, if so, how much in benefits you should get.
When they look at your income, SSA and DPA calculate that you should be spending some of it on your basic needs. The part of your monthly income that they expect you to spend on basic needs is called your countable income. If your countable income is below certain levels, you may qualify for Medicaid coverage, APA payments, and SSI payments.
If you qualify for APA or SSI payments, your countable income is subtracted from APA payment standard for a person in your situation and what is left over is the combined amount of APA and SSI benefits you can get.
Billy applies for SSI and APA. Billy lives alone and nobody helps him with his rent, so his APA payment standard is $1,305. He he has a total of $300 per month in countable income, so he can get a combined total of $1,305 - $300 = $1,005 per month in benefits ($643from SSI and $362 from APA). He'll also get APA-related Medicaid coverage.
Earned and Unearned Income
Not all of your income is counted by the SSI and APA programs. Here’s how they look at your earned and unearned income:
-
Earned income is money you get from work you do, including salaries, wages, tips, bonuses, professional fees, or other compensation you get in exchange for physical or mental work.
- Only about half of your earned income is counted.
-
Unearned income is money you get in any other way, including Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI); short- or long-term disability insurance; VA benefits; Workers’ Compensation; and income, dividends, or profits from a trust or investment.
- Almost all of your unearned income is counted.
The bottom line: If you work, you’ll usually be better off, because your SSI and APA benefits will only go down by about 50 cents for every dollar you earn. Learn more about rules that help people who work while they get SSI and APA benefits.
APA doesn't count your Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) as income: when you get your PFD, your APA doesn't change.
SSI does count the PFD as unearned income, but the state of Alaska repays Social Security for any SSI overpayments caused by your PFD. That means you still get the same amount of money from SSI. Tip: Spend your PFD or put it in an ABLE account so that you don't go over SSI’s resource limit .
Note: The first $2,000 per year in Alaska Native corporation dividends are not counted by SSI and APA. Any amount over $2,000 is counted.
The Countable Income Calculation
The exact way your income is counted is complicated. Read about the different steps in the calculation and then get an idea of how your income affects your benefits.
Step 1: Countable Unearned Income
Start with your total unearned income. Subtract $20, the general exclusion that everyone gets. What’s left is your countable unearned income. Note: Do not include the Permanent Fund Dividend as unearned income.
Step 2: Countable Earned Income
Start with your gross earned income before taxes are deducted. If you’re self-employed, you subtract your work expenses before reporting your earned income, the way you do when you file your taxes.
Subtract anything left over from the $20 general exclusion (you only have money left over from the general exclusion if you had less than $20 in unearned income).
Then subtract another $65, the earned income exclusion that everyone who works gets. Also subtract any Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWEs). Learn more about IRWEs.
Take what’s left, and divide that amount by two. The result is your countable earned income.
Earned Income |
Minus the unused portion of the $20 General Exclusion |
Minus the $65 Earned Income Exclusion |
Minus Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWEs) |
= Subtotal |
Divide by two |
= Countable Earned Income |
If you are blind, you use Blind Work Expenses (BWEs) instead of Impairment Related Work Expenses and the calculation is slightly different. Learn more about BWEs.
Earned Income |
Minus the unused portion of the $20 General Exclusion |
Minus the $65 Earned Income Exclusion |
= Subtotal |
Divide by two |
= Subtotal |
Minus Blind Work Expenses (BWEs) |
= Countable Earned Income |
Step 3: Total Countable Income
Add your countable unearned income to your countable earned income. Subtract any contribution to a Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS). The result is your total countable income. Learn more about PASS.
Countable Unearned Income |
Plus Countable Earned Income |
Minus PASS Contribution, if applicable |
= Total Countable Income |
Step 4: Benefits Calculation
Start with the maximum possible SSI benefits for your living situation. Subtract your countable income. The result is your SSI benefits amount. If you get SSI benefits and are 18 or older, you also get the maximum APA benefits amount for a person in your situation.
If your countable income is larger than the maximum SSI benefit, you do not get monthly SSI benefits. However, you may still qualify for APA benefits. Subtract your countable income from the APA payment standard for a person in your situation. If you don’t get SSI, the result is your APA benefits amount. If your countable income is larger than the APA payment standard, you do not get APA cash benefits.
Note: Working students can take some of their income out of the countable income calculation. Learn more about the Student Earned Income Exclusion (SEIE).
If you're not already getting SSI or APA benefits, pay for your own food and shelter, and are not married, try the following tool to see how much your benefits might be. Learn more about how your living situation can affect your benefits.
Step 1: Countable Unearned Income | |
Your Monthly Unearned Income | $ |
Minus the $20 General Exclusion | - $20.00 |
Countable Unearned Income | |
Unused portion of Your $20 General Exclusion | |
Step 2: Countable Earned Income | |
Your Monthly Earned Income | $ |
Minus the unused portion of Your $20 General Exclusion | - |
Minus the $65 Earned Income Exclusion | - $65.00 |
Minus Your Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWEs) | - $ |
Subtotal | |
Divide by two | ÷ 2 |
Countable Earned Income | |
Step 3: Total Countable Income | |
Countable Unearned Income | |
Plus Countable Earned Income | + |
Minus PASS Contribution | - $ |
Total Countable Income | |
Step 4: SSI & APA Benefits Calculation | |
SSI Maximum Benefit | $943.00 |
Minus Total Countable Income | - |
Your SSI Benefit | |
$943 | |
$1,305 | |
$1,751 | |
Your APA Benefit | |
Total Income | |
Your Total Monthly Income | |
Eligible for APA-related Medicaid | 0.00 |
Not eligible for APA-related Medicaid | 0.00 |
Learn more
What Benefits Do I Get?
How to see which Social Security and state benefits you get.
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
SSDI gives cash benefits to people who worked and paid Social Security taxes before their disabilities limited their ability to work.
Finding the Right Health Coverage For You
Explore the best health coverage options for you with this interactive tool.
Try It
Benefits and Work
How much you get in Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Adult Public Assistance (APA) benefits each month depends on your countable income. The more countable income you have, the less you get in SSI and APA.
However, the SSI and APA programs have many rules that can help you if you work, so that when your earned income goes up, your overall situation improves:
- Some mean your benefits don’t go down as much when your earned income goes up.
- Some mean you can go over the resource limit, but keep getting SSI and APA benefits.
- The Ticket to Work program can help you with job-training and finding work.
- Some mean that if you stop getting benefits due to work, you have a safety net that can help you get back on benefits more easily if you need them and can also get affordable health coverage.
Rules That Mean Your Benefits Won’t Go Down as Much as Your Earned Income Goes Up
In general, your combined total amount of SSI and APA benefits will go down 50 cents for every dollar your earned income goes up. That means you’ll always end up with more total income when you work. However, some rules mean that your benefits will go down even less or not at all.
Some Work Expenses Are Not Countable Income
When you go to work, you have extra expenses. Some of these are called Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWEs) and money you use for IRWEs won’t be counted by the SSI and APA programs. If you are blind, they are called Blind Work Expenses (BWEs).
Because SSI and APA won’t count the money you spend on IRWEs and BWEs, your total countable income for the two programs will be lower and your total benefits will stay higher than they otherwise would be.
You need to report your IRWEs or BWEs to Social Security and the Alaska Division of Public Assistance (DPA) when you report your income, including receipts or cancelled checks for your expenses.
Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWEs)
For an expense to be counted as an IRWE, all of the following have to be true:
- You bought an item or service that you need to work.
- You need it because of a disability.
- You paid for it yourself and nobody reimbursed you for the cost.
- You paid a reasonable price for it.
- You were working during the month you paid the expense.
- You can fully document the expense with receipts or cancelled checks.
IRWEs are approved on a case-by-case basis. If you have any questions about IRWEs or about how to tell Social Security about them, talk with a benefits planner.
Musetta uses a wheelchair and has a tough time getting ready for work by herself, so she has a personal care attendant who comes to her house each weekday morning and helps her get up, get dressed, have breakfast, and get out the door and on her way to work. This help makes it possible for Musetta to get to work and can be counted as an IRWE. That means the money she pays her attendant is not considered countable income and she gets a higher SSI benefits amount each month than she otherwise would.
Earned Income |
Minus the unused portion of the $20 General Exclusion |
Minus the $65 Earned Income Exclusion |
Minus Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWEs) |
= Subtotal |
Divide by two |
= Countable Earned Income |
Blind Work Expenses (BWEs)
Blind Work Expenses can be any expense you have that lets you work. Unlike an IRWE, a BWE does not have to be related to your blindness or other medical condition or disability. Examples include:
- Federal, state, and local income taxes
- Social Security taxes
- Visual and sensory aids
- Translation of materials into Braille
- Professional association fees
- Union fees
If you have any questions about BWEs or about how to tell Social Security about them, talk with a benefits planner.
Earned Income |
Minus the unused portion of the $20 General Exclusion |
Minus the $65 Earned Income Exclusion |
= Subtotal |
Divide by two |
= Subtotal |
Minus Blind Work Expenses (BWEs) |
= Countable Earned Income |
Unlike IRWEs, BWEs are subtracted after dividing by two, rather than before.
The Student Earned Income Exclusion (SEIE) for Students Under 22
The Student Earned Income Exclusion (SEIE) lets students getting SSI and APA benefits earn up to $2,290 per month without having those wages be part of their countable income. That means they can work and keep getting their SSI and APA benefits. The SEIE has a $9,230 annual cap, so if you earn more than that in a year, your earnings will be counted and your benefits will go down.
The SEIE can help you if you get SSI and APA benefits and are both:
- Under 22 years old, and
-
Regularly attending school.
-
This usually means you have to go to school more than:
- 8 hours per week for college students
- 12 hours per week for grades 7 – 12
- 12 – 15 hours per week for job training
- If there are reasons beyond your control that prevent you from going to school this much, Social Security may make an exception to these rules.
-
This usually means you have to go to school more than:
Nick is 20, attending a local college, and earning $2,375 per month from a summer job. He has no other unearned income and no IRWEs.
The SEIE allows him to keep $2,290 per month of his earnings. The general exclusion ($20) and earned income exclusion ($65) reduce his remaining countable earned income to zero. So Nick will keep all of his earnings and also keep getting $943 per month in SSI benefits and $362 in APA benefits!
However, if Nick’s job lasts more than a few months, he’ll hit the $9,230 annual cap. At that point, his full earnings will be counted — and his SSI and APA benefits will drop to zero.
Your Monthly Earned Income | $ |
Minus the Student Earned Income Exclusion | - $2,290.00 |
Minus the unused portion of Your $20 General Exclusion | - $20.00 |
Minus the $65 Earned Income Exclusion | - $65.00 |
Minus Your Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWEs) | - $ |
Subtotal | |
Divide by two | ÷ 2 |
Countable Earned Income |
Tip: The SEIE’s monthly and annual caps let you have a higher-paying job during the summer months and then a part-time job during the school year without going over the annual cap.
Programs That Let You Earn More, Save More, and Keep Getting Benefits
There are several ways for you to save more than the $2,000 resource limit ($3,000 for couples) and keep getting SSI and APA. At the same time, the money you save up with these programs isn’t considered countable income by the SSI and APA programs, so you also get more in benefits.
ABLE Accounts
If your disability began before you turned 26, you can open an ABLE account where you can keep up to $100,000 in resources and not have them counted by SSI or APA. ABLE accounts mean that if you get a job, you can start saving up some money without losing your benefits. Additionally, the money in an ABLE account gets tax advantages similar to the way retirement accounts work.
However, ABLE accounts have restrictions:
- They can only be opened through specific programs or institutions.
-
You can only open one ABLE account.
- Alaska's ABLE account program is Alaska ABLE Plan.
- You can choose to open an account in another state’s ABLE program.
- You and the other people making contributions on your behalf have a limit on how much you can deposit each year. Combined, you cannot deposit more than $18,000 in 2024.
-
You can only use money in an ABLE account for specific things, such as:
- Education
- Housing
- Transportation
- Help getting and keeping work
- Health care
- Assistive technology, and
- Other approved expenses.
Learn more about ABLE accounts.
You don’t have to open up your ABLE account in the same state you live in. That's because some state ABLE programs let people who live in other states open accounts. You can open an account in a different state from the one you live in.
Compare the ABLE account options in different states and figure out which one is right for you.
Plans to Achieve Self-Support (PASS)
The Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) program lets people who get SSI and APA benefits earn more money and save up that money in a special account. A PASS can also help people who do not qualify for benefits become eligible.
The money that you save up must be used for a work-related goal. It can help pay for:
- School or training
- Starting a business, or
- Equipment, support services, and other expenses related to your goal.
The PASS program has two basic benefits:
- You can save up resources without losing your SSI benefits.
- If you have income, you can put it into the PASS and it won’t be counted as income by SSI, which means your benefits amount won’t go down as much.
To set up a PASS, you must:
- Get SSI benefits or become eligible for SSI benefits due to an approved PASS application.
- Have income other than SSI (for example, SSDI benefits or wages from a job) or have resources over $2,000 that you can use to fund your PASS.
- Have a work goal that will help you earn enough money to lower your SSI benefits or get off SSDI benefits altogether.
- Be able to write a plan that shows how saving a certain amount of money will let you reach your work goal. You can get help writing your plan from a PASS specialist.
- Be under age 65. If you are 65 or older, you may be able to set up a PASS if you were getting SSI benefits based on disability or blindness in the month before you turn 65.
Read more about PASS or talk to a PASS specialist.
The Ticket to Work Program: Job Training and Help Finding Work
The Ticket to Work program helps adults with disabilities prepare for, find, and keep work. To qualify, you must:
- Be 18 – 64 years old, and
- Get SSI or SSDI benefits.
When you are ready to think about work, you can get started with the Ticket program by contacting an Employment Network (EN). ENs are organizations that can give you the various free employment services that Ticket to Work provides, including:
- Vocational Rehabilitation
- Training
- Referrals
- Job coaching
- Job counseling, and
- Placement services.
While you are in the Ticket program, Social Security does not make you do medical Continuing Disability Reviews (CDRs) as long as you make timely progress in meeting your employment goals. That means you don’t lose your eligibility for SSI, SSDI, or APA for medical reasons.
Learn more about the Ticket to Work program.
Rules That Help if You Stop Getting Benefits Due to Work
While there are many rules that can help you keep getting monthly SSI benefits, if you earn enough, you will eventually stop getting those benefits. Even so, there are SSI rules and other programs that will keep helping you.
If You Need SSI Again
If you stop getting SSI because your income goes up, but then your income goes down again, you may not have to reapply for SSI benefits.
If it has been less than 12 months since your last SSI payment or if you qualify for SSI 1619(b), you can get your SSI benefits started up again by reporting to your local Social Security office that you are no longer working.
If it has been more than 12 months since you got SSI, you can ask for Expedited Reinstatement (EXR) for SSI if:
- Your SSI benefits amount went to zero because of your income
- You can’t work at the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) level because of your disability
- Your current medical impairment is the same as the one that originally made you eligible for SSI, and
- You stopped getting SSI benefits less than five years ago.
If you qualify for EXR, you can get up to six months of temporary SSI benefits while Social Security makes sure you still qualify.
Health Coverage Rules
Many people who get SSI and APA worry that if they work, they’ll lose the Medicaid health coverage that comes with APA benefits automatically. Fortunately, you can usually keep Medicaid coverage even if your SSI and APA cash benefits go to zero because of earnings. And, if you can't keep your Medicaid, there will be other coverage options.
The APA RC Limit Is Higher than the APA Payment Standard
The first thing to keep in mind is that the APA Refused Cash (RC) Income Limit is higher than the APA payment standard. What this means for you is that if your countable income is higher than the APA payment standard, your APA payments stop but your APA-related Medicaid coverage continues as long as your countable income is below the APA RC limit.
For a single person living alone, the APA RC limit is $1,751 per month. However, since not all income is countable for APA, you could actually work at a job and make way more than this amount and still qualify for Medicaid benefits. Learn more about how your income is counted.
Note: The APA RC limit does not mean you have to refuse to get APA cash benefits. What it means is that you may qualify for APA-related Medicaid even if you don't qualify for APA cash benefits.
Medicaid through SSI’s 1619(b) Rule
If you’re on SSI and Medicaid and your SSI benefits amount goes to zero because you go back to work, SSI’s 1619(b) rule means you can keep your Medicaid coverage.
To keep your automatic Medicaid coverage under 1619(b), you must:
- Have been eligible for SSI benefits for at least one month
- Need Medicaid coverage to keep working
- Still have resources below the SSI limit of $2,000 ($3,000 for a couple)
- Have less than $86,438 in gross earnings, and
- Still meet all other SSI rules.
Learn more about Medicaid in DB101’s How Health Benefits Work article.
The Working Disabled Medicaid Buy-In Program
If your earnings cause your income to go over the 1619(b) limit or cause your resources to go over SSI’s limit, you should look into the Working Disabled Medicaid Buy-In, which has a much higher income limit and higher resource limit.
To qualify for the Working Disabled Medicaid Buy-In, you must:
- Be 18 years old or older
- Be a U.S. citizen or a qualified immigrant
- Be working and earning too much for APA-related Medicaid
-
Have a disability that meets Social Security’s medical standards.
- Note: For the Working Disabled Medicaid Buy-In, SSA’s disability rules related to income do not apply.
-
Have unearned income at or below the APA RC limit ($1,751 per month). If you are married, the limit is $2,593 and your spouse's deemed unearned income is also counted.
- Note: The APA RC limit is also called the "Expanded Refused Cash Income Limit." What it means is that you may qualify for APA-related Medicaid even if you don't qualify for APA cash benefits.
-
Have household countable income at or below 250% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG), including other members of your family you live with. That’s $3,919 per month if you live alone.
- Not all of your earned income is counted. If you live alone and have no unearned income, you could actually earn up to $7,923 per month and still qualify for the Working Disabled Medicaid Buy-In. (That's as much as $95,070 per year!)
- Have less than $10,000 in resources ($15,000 for couples). The house you live in and one car are not counted.
If you get Working Disabled Medicaid Buy-In coverage, you may need to pay a monthly premium. The amount you pay is based on your income and your family’s income.
Learn more in DB101’s How Health Benefits Work article.
Other Health Coverage Options
If you lose Medicaid coverage, there should be another health coverage you can get, such as employer-sponsored coverage or private individual coverage. And, if you can’t afford the individual coverage, the government may help you pay for it through tax credits.
Learn more about individual coverage in DB101’s How Health Benefits Work article.
Learn more
What Benefits Do I Get?
How to see which Social Security and state benefits you get.
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
SSDI gives cash benefits to people who worked and paid Social Security taxes before their disabilities limited their ability to work.
Finding the Right Health Coverage For You
Explore the best health coverage options for you with this interactive tool.
Try It
Example
Angelica’s Story
When Angelica was first hospitalized with schizophrenia at 17, she was covered by her mother’s employer-sponsored health coverage. But when Angelica turned 26, she couldn’t stay on her mother’s insurance anymore, even as her mental state got worse — she could no longer hold down a job, was running out of money and ideas, and had no health coverage.
Angelica’s aunt helped out by paying for Angelica’s trips to a psychologist, who helped her understand what was going on. “You have a medical condition, a mental health issue, which keeps you from working. The government calls that a disability. Why don’t you contact the nearest Division of Public Assistance (DPA) office and see if they can help? I think you should be able to get some cash assistance and medical coverage.”
So Angelica went to her Division of Public Assistance (DPA) office and talked to Lauretta, an eligibility technician there. Angelica told Lauretta about her medical history and her inability to work. She’d had no work for three months and was down to the last $500 in her bank account.
Lauretta explained that with her medical and work history, Angelica should be eligible for benefits from two agencies: the Division of Public Assistance (DPA) and the Social Security Administration (SSA). “I can give you some information about the benefits we offer at DPA and I can tell you how to contact Social Security and make an appointment to talk with someone there.”
Applying for DPA Benefits
Lauretta started telling Angelica about DPA benefits. First, she mentioned Adult Public Assistance (APA): “APA is a state program that gives a monthly payment and provides Medicaid coverage to people with disabilities and seniors who have low income and low resources. You can apply for APA right here at the DPA office using our combined application for services. The combined application lets you apply for APA, Medicaid health coverage, and SNAP all at the same time.”
Then Lauretta told Angelica that Medicaid covered a lot more people than it used to cover, and that she’d probably qualify for Medicaid even if she didn’t qualify for APA. “Most adults who have income that’s below 138% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG) can now get Medicaid coverage.” This was a huge relief for Angelica, who didn't know that she could have been on Medicaid instead of being uninsured.
Lauretta warned Angelica that it could take several months for DPA to review her application for APA, but let her know that Medicaid and SNAP (formerly Food Stamps) might get approved faster. She also mentioned that there was a chance Angelica could get some Interim Assistance (IA) before APA was fully approved, which would help out until the APA benefits began. Finally, she handed a couple of printouts to Angelica: “Here’s a copy of the combined application for services and a list of the supporting documentation you should give us when you turn in your application. We need the supporting documentation to make sure that you have a disability and that your income and resources meet the requirements for our programs.”
Angelica came back the next week with her completed application, along with copies of bank statements, tax records, pay stubs, medical records, and contact information for all the doctors and hospitals she’d dealt with. She gave all of that information to the receptionist at the Division of Public Assistance (DPA) office and then went ahead and called the local Social Security office to make an appointment to apply for the benefits that Social Security offered.
Applying for Social Security Benefits
When Angelica went in to Social Security, she met with Simone, a claims representative. Simone told her that there were two benefits that Social Security offered that helped people with disabilities: Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Social Security would check their records to see if Angelica had worked enough in the past to qualify for SSDI; otherwise, she’d probably get SSI instead. “You haven’t been able to work at the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) level — $1,550 per month — for some time now. And with just $500 in resources, you’re below SSI’s $2,000 resource limit. So you’ll probably qualify for SSI.”
Then, Simone helped Angelica prepare the SSI application. Simone explained that there was no full online SSI application, but they could get things started online.
Simone explained, “Now you’ve got your SSI application officially started. It was good to get your application filed as quickly as possible, because if it turns out you qualify for SSI, you’ll get retroactive payments for SSI all the way back to your application date.” Simone then gave Angelica a list of the other documents she needed to bring in to finish her SSI application. Angelica was relieved to see that it was basically the same things that she had needed for the APA application. That made things easy, since she already had an extra set of all of those documents on hand.
Waiting
In early January, Lauretta, the DPA eligibility technician, called Angelica. Angelica was approved for Medicaid, SNAP, and $280 per month in Interim Assistance. “I’m breathing easier, now that I've got health coverage and some money,” she said.
On February 22, Angelica called Simone, the Social Security claims representative. She’d gotten a denial letter from Social Security. Simone asked Angelica to read the letterhead carefully. It turned out that Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) had denied Angelica because she didn’t have enough work credits to qualify. “That’s fine,” Simone explained. “It wasn’t likely you’d get SSDI, given your work record. What you might get is SSI. Social Security has to check to see if you’re eligible for SSDI first, before you can be considered for SSI, that’s all. You’ve just got some more waiting to do.”
Award
On April 12, Angelica got her SSI award letter. She qualified for $943 per month in SSI benefits. She called up Simone to ask what would happen next. Simone explained, “First, SSI will pay you retroactive benefits. Since you applied back in December, SSI will give you benefits for each month you’ve been waiting since then. Some of the retroactive benefits will automatically be used to pay back the benefits you got from Interim Assistance while you were waiting for your SSI application to be approved. Now that you are getting SSI, your Interim Assistance benefits will end. You’ll probably start getting APA benefits instead of Interim Assistance, but for more about that, you need to contact your Division of Public Assistance (DPA) office.”
Angelica thanked Simone and visited the Division of Public Assistance (DPA) office to talk with Lauretta about APA. Lauretta explained, “The month after you start getting SSI, you’ll also start getting APA. You will get $362 per month in APA and as long as you continue to get APA, you will automatically continue to qualify for Medicaid.”
“When you’re feeling up to it,” Lauretta added, “you can start thinking about going back to work a few hours a week. You’ll have to report any changes in your income both to DPA and to Social Security, but it’s worth it, because your SSI and APA benefits will go down by less than your earnings, so you should always end up better off if you can work. For example, if you were earning $300 per month, your SSI benefits amount would only go down by $107.50 and your APA benefits would remain unchanged."
"Try out DB101’s Benefits and Work Estimator to get a feel for how earnings and SSI work together. When you are seriously considering going back to work, you should contact a benefits planner for more help.”
“Thanks for everything,” said Angelica.
Learn more
What Benefits Do I Get?
How to see which Social Security and state benefits you get.
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
SSDI gives cash benefits to people who worked and paid Social Security taxes before their disabilities limited their ability to work.
Finding the Right Health Coverage For You
Explore the best health coverage options for you with this interactive tool.
Try It
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Supplemental Security Income (SSI)?
SSI is a federal program that helps people who have disabilities, are blind, or are over age 65 and also have low income and limited resources. It is run by the Social Security Administration (SSA).
If you qualify for SSI, you get monthly cash payments to help you pay for your basic needs.
What is Adult Public Assistance (APA)?
APA is a state program that helps adults with disabilities and seniors age 65 or older. To qualify, you must have low income and limited resources. It is run by the Alaska Division of Public Assistance (DPA). Most people who qualify for APA also qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
If you qualify for APA, you get monthly payments to help you pay for your basic needs. You also automatically qualify for Medicaid health coverage.
What is the difference between Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI)?
Social Security has two disability benefits programs with very similar names:
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI) gives monthly payments to people with disabilities who have low income and low resources. You do not need to have worked in the past to get SSI.
- Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) gives monthly payments to people with disabilities who qualify because they used to work or have a parent who worked.
Some people qualify for both programs at the same time. If you get benefits from Social Security, but aren’t sure which ones you get, open a free my Social Security account or order a free Benefits Planning Query (BPQY) at your local Social Security office or by calling 1-800-772-1213 or 1-800-325-0778 (TTY).
Whom can I call to ask questions about SSI and APA?
If you have questions about Supplemental Security Income (SSI), call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or 1-800-325-0778 (TTY) or visit your local Social Security office.
If you have questions about Adult Public Assistance (APA), contact your Division of Public Assistance (DPA) office.
If you want to ask about how work might affect your SSI or APA benefits, try contacting:
- The Alaska Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) Project at 1-907-264-6279, or
- The Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY).
Who qualifies for SSI and APA?
To qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Adult Public Assistance (APA), you must:
- Be a U.S. citizen, Native American born in Canada or Mexico who has rights to cross the border, or qualified alien
- Have a disability that meets Social Security’s standards or be 65 years old or older, and
- Have low resources and low income.
Many people qualify for both programs, but some only qualify for one or the other. For example:
- APA has a higher income limit, so some people get APA benefits, but not SSI.
- APA is only for people 18 years old or older, so some children get SSI benefits, but not APA.
How can I apply for SSI and APA?
For Supplemental Security Income (SSI): You can apply:
- Online (which starts the application process immediately)
-
By calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or 1-800-325-0778 (TTY) to make an appointment to apply either:
- Over the phone, or
- In person at your local Social Security office.
For Adult Public Assistance (APA): You can apply:
-
By filling out the DPA Application for Services and submitting it:
-
In person or by mail to any Division of Public Assistance (DPA) office
-
By email to hss.dpa.offices@alaska.gov, or
- By fax to 1-888-269-6520.
-
In person or by mail to any Division of Public Assistance (DPA) office
- By phone at 1-800-478-7778.
Tip: Do the applications for both SSI and APA. If your countable income appears low enough for you to get SSI benefits, you have to show you have applied for SSI before you can be approved for APA. Examples of ways to prove you applied for SSI: a letter from Social Security showing you've applied, an SSI award letter, or a proof that you got an SSI benefit for the current month.
I’ve never had a job. Can I get SSI and APA?
Yes. You do not need to have worked to qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Adult Public Assistance (APA).
How does Social Security define disability?
To qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Adult Public Assistance (APA), you must show that you have a disability that meets the standards set by the Social Security Administration. To meet these standards as an adult:
- You must be able to show medical reports that confirm that you have a severe physical or mental disability.
- The disability must be life-threatening or have lasted or be expected to last at least a year.
- The disability must prevent you from doing Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) for at least a year.
Learn more about how SSI and APA check whether you have a disability.
Does what I have in the bank and the property I own affect my eligibility for SSI and APA?
Yes. The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Adult Public Assistance (APA) programs have very strict limits on how much money you can have and on what you own. To qualify, you cannot have more than $2,000 in resources ($3,000 for couples).
The home you live in and one vehicle are not included in those limits. Certain other resources are also not included.
Additionally, if your disability began before you turned 26, you can open an ABLE account where you can keep up to $100,000 in resources and not have them counted by SSI or APA. Learn more about ABLE accounts.
Once I apply, how long will it take to get benefits?
The application process can take four months or longer. If you’re approved for SSI, Social Security will pay you for benefits going all the way back to the date you applied. That’s why it is important to apply as soon as you can. If you are approved for APA, you may get retroactive benefits, if you were not getting Interim Assistance (IA) before being approved for APA.
Can I get other help while waiting on my SSI and APA applications?
Perhaps. When you apply for Adult Public Assistance (APA), your Division of Public Assistance (DPA) office checks if you qualify for Interim Assistance (IA). Interim Assistance (IA) is a $280 monthly payment for low-income people with disabilities who are applying for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and APA and waiting for approval. Once you start getting SSI benefits, your IA benefits end. Not everybody who ends up qualifying for APA gets IA benefits.
Your Division of Public Assistance (DPA) office may also be able to help you get SNAP (formerly Food Stamps), Medicaid health coverage, and Alaska Temporary Assistance Program (ATAP), if you need them.
I disagree with Social Security’s decision to deny me SSI benefits or to reduce my benefits. Is there anything I can do?
Yes. If you feel that Social Security’s decision is incorrect, you can file an appeal:
- Do it quickly. You have 60 days from the date you get a denial letter to file an appeal. If you don’t appeal within 60 days, you may not be able to appeal.
- If you are already on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and are appealing a change in your benefits amount or an overpayment notice, appeal within 10 days. If you do, you might keep getting your original SSI benefits amount until Social Security makes a decision about your appeal.
- You can file your appeal online or call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or 1-800-325-0778 (TTY) and ask them to send you an SSI appeal form. If you file online, you need to mail or deliver any new information about your situation to Social Security.
- Note: Social Security figures that you get a letter within five days after they sent it.
For an appeal, you may want to get help from a lawyer. The Disability Law Center of Alaska (1-800-478-1234) and Alaska Legal Services are statewide legal resources that can help.
For how long can I get SSI and APA benefits?
You can keep getting Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Adult Public Assistance (APA) benefits as long as you have a disability and meet the income, resource, and other requirements of the two programs.
From time to time, Social Security checks to make sure that you still qualify. A medical Continuing Disability Review (CDR) looks at whether you are still medically disabled. A redetermination looks at your income, resources, and living arrangements.
For APA, the Division of Public Assistance (DPA) may do annual reviews to make sure you still qualify for benefits. If DPA asks for any information for a review, make sure you submit what they have requested.
How does my income affect my SSI and APA benefits?
The Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Alaska Division of Public Assistance (DPA) look at your income when they decide whether you qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Adult Public Assistance (APA). How much you get in benefits also depends on your income.
Your sources of income can include:
- Earned income, which is money you get from work you do, including salaries, wages, tips, bonuses, professional fees, or other amounts you get in exchange for physical or mental work.
- Unearned income, which is anything else, including Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), short or long-term disability insurance; VA benefits; Workers’ Compensation; and income, dividends, or profits from a trust or investment.
When they look at your income, they calculate that you should be spending some of it on your basic needs. The part of your monthly income that SSI and APA expects you to spend on basic needs is called your countable income. The more countable income you have, the lower your combined amount of SSI and APA benefits will be.
Not all of your income counts. For example, they only count half or less of your earned income. That means that you could be earning quite a bit and still have countable income below the limit.
The bottom line: You’ll usually be better off if you work while you are getting benefits.
How does the Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) affect my SSI and APA benefits?
The Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) doesn’t affect Adult Public Assistance (APA) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for most people:
- APA does not count the PFD as income, so when you get your PFD each year, your APA continues unchanged.
- SSI counts the PFD as unearned income, but you get the same amount of money from SSI because the state of Alaska repays Social Security for any SSI overpayments caused by your PFD.
Tip: Make sure the PFD doesn’t cause your resources to go over SSI’s resource limit. If it goes over the limit, your SSI benefits could end. One way to do this is to put your PFD into an ABLE account.
What happens to my SSI and APA benefits if I move into a nursing home or other medical facility?
If you live in a medical facility, such as a hospital or nursing home, you probably can’t get full Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Adult Public Assistance (APA) benefits:
- If Medicaid pays for more than half the cost of your care in the facility, the most you can get in SSI benefits is $30 per month and for APA, the most you can get is $170 per month.
- If Medicaid does not pay for more than half of your care in the facility, you cannot get any SSI or APA benefits.
-
If your doctor says you will be in the facility for less than 90 days and you can show that you need your SSI benefits to keep your home or living arrangement, you may continue to get your full SSI benefits.
- Note: If you’re expecting to stay for less than 90 days, you need to get the doctor’s note and documentation about your need to Social Security right away. The facility’s admissions office can help you.
What should I do if my income or living arrangements change?
If your earned income, unearned income, marital status, or living arrangements change, even slightly, you must:
- Report the change to Social Security. For SSI, report changes from one month within the first 6 days of the following month to avoid an overpayment.
- Report the change to your local Division of Public Assistance (DPA) office. For APA, report changes within 10 days of when you know about the change.
Does my health coverage change when I go back to work?
As long as your countable income is below the APA RC limit, you qualify for Medicaid health coverage.
However, even if you earn enough at work that you go over the APA RC limit, you can usually keep Medicaid coverage. Depending on your income and resource levels, Medicaid coverage can continue either through SSI’s 1619(b) rule or through the Working Disabled Medicaid Buy-In. Note: The APA RC limit is also called the "Expanded Refused Cash Income Limit." What it means is that you may qualify for APA-related Medicaid even if you don't qualify for APA cash benefits.
If you lose your Medicaid coverage, there should be another health coverage option you can get, such as employer-sponsored coverage or private individual coverage. And, if you can’t afford the individual coverage, the government may help you pay for it through tax credits.
The bottom line: There is a coverage option for almost everybody. Do not worry that getting a job will leave you without health coverage.
Try DB101's Finding the Right Health Coverage for You interactive guide.
What happens if I go to work, lose my SSI benefits, and then find I can’t work anymore?
If you stop getting Supplemental Security Income (SSI) because you have a job, but then you lose your job and your income goes down, you may not have to reapply for SSI benefits.
If it has been less than 12 months since your last SSI payment, you can get your benefits started up again by reporting to your local Social Security office and Division of Public Assistance (DPA) office that you are no longer working.
If it’s been more than 12 months since you got SSI benefits, you can ask for Expedited Reinstatement (EXR) if:
- Your SSI benefits amount went to zero because of your income
- You can’t work at the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) level because of your disability
- Your current medical impairment is the same as the one that originally made you eligible for SSI, and
- You stopped getting SSI benefits less than five years ago.
If you get EXR, you can get up to six months of temporary SSI benefits while Social Security checks to make sure you still qualify for the program.
Learn more
What Benefits Do I Get?
How to see which Social Security and state benefits you get.
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
SSDI gives cash benefits to people who worked and paid Social Security taxes before their disabilities limited their ability to work.
Finding the Right Health Coverage For You
Explore the best health coverage options for you with this interactive tool.
Try It
Common Pitfalls
Not knowing which Social Security benefits you get
Social Security has two disability benefits programs with very similar names:
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI) gives monthly payments to people with disabilities who have low income and low resources. You do not need to have worked in the past to get SSI.
- Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) gives monthly payments to people with disabilities who qualify because they used to work or have a parent who worked.
Some people qualify for both programs at the same time. If you get benefits from Social Security, but aren’t sure which ones you get, open a free my Social Security account or order a free Benefits Planning Query (BPQY) at your local Social Security office or by calling 1-800-772-1213 or 1-800-325-0778 (TTY).
Thinking all benefits are run by the same agency
Different agencies operate different disability benefits programs:
- The Social Security Administration (SSA) runs the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) programs. If you need to talk with somebody about these programs, you can contact your local Social Security office.
- The Alaska Division of Public Assistance (DPA) runs the Adult Public Assistance (APA), Medicaid, SNAP (formerly Food Stamps), and Alaska Temporary Assistance Program (ATAP) programs. If you need to talk with somebody about these programs, contact your Division of Public Assistance (DPA) office.
- Other benefits may be run by other agencies. View the complete list of experts who can help you understand different programs.
Not giving enough information when you apply
When you apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Adult Public Assistance (APA) benefits, the decision can take a long time. You don’t want your applications to be denied because of some missing piece of information. Make sure you include contact information for all doctors, physical therapists, and others who have treated you for your disability.
However, you also want to apply as soon as you can, because if you are approved for SSI you will be paid your benefits for the entire time back to the date you applied. If you don’t have everything ready when you apply, that’s OK — go ahead and apply with as many details as you can, but be sure to send any missing information as quickly as possible.
Not working because you think you’ll lose benefits you need
Many people who get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Adult Public Assistance (APA) benefits are afraid to work because they think they’ll lose their benefits and Medicaid coverage. However, SSI and APA are designed to make work possible.
When you work, the Earned Income Exclusion means that you get to keep at least your first $65 in earned income each month without lowering your SSI or APA benefits at all. After that, every dollar of earnings only reduces your SSI or APA benefits amount by 50 cents, so you usually end up with more money than you would if you weren’t working.
If you earn enough that your countable income goes over the APA RC limit and you stop qualifying for APA-related Medicaid, you may be able to keep your Medicaid coverage through SSI’s 1619(b) rule or through the Working Disabled Medicaid Buy-In. Note: The APA RC limit is also called the "Expanded Refused Cash Income Limit." What it means is that you may qualify for APA-related Medicaid even if you don't qualify for APA cash benefits.
Even if you lose your Medicaid, you should either become eligible for employer-sponsored coverage or private individual coverage. And, if you can’t afford the individual coverage, the government may help you pay for it through tax credits.
Try DB101's Finding the Right Health Coverage for You interactive guide.
If you stop getting SSI benefits and then your job doesn’t work out, you may be able to get back on SSI benefits quickly through quick benefits restart or Expedited Reinstatement (EXR), as long as you still have a disability and meet other SSI rules.
The bottom line: Most people who get SSI and APA who go back to work end up better off.
Not documenting work expenses
Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWEs) or Blind Work Expenses (BWEs) are expenses that allow you to work. These expenses are subtracted from your countable income when calculating your benefits amount. This means you get higher SSI and APA benefits.
You must have receipts or cancelled checks for all IRWEs or BWEs, otherwise they won’t be subtracted from your countable income. Make sure you always get receipts for all work expenses and file them with both Social Security and the Division of Public Assistance.
If you have any questions about IRWEs and BWEs or about how to tell Social Security about them, talk with a benefits planner.
Not reporting changes in income, resources, or living situation
If you have a change in your earned income, unearned income, resources, living situation, or marital status, you must report the change twice:
- To the Division of Public Assistance (DPA) by calling 1-800-478-7778, by fax to 1-888-269-6520, by email to hss.dpa.offices@alaska.gov, or in person at any Division of Public Assistance (DPA) office. For APA, report changes within 10 days of when you know about the change.
-
To Social Security at the start of the month after the change. You can report:
- In person, by phone, or by fax during the first 10 days of the next month.
- Using the SSI Telephone Reporting System, the SSI reporting app, or My Social Security during the first 6 days of the next month.
Learn more
What Benefits Do I Get?
How to see which Social Security and state benefits you get.
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
SSDI gives cash benefits to people who worked and paid Social Security taxes before their disabilities limited their ability to work.
Finding the Right Health Coverage For You
Explore the best health coverage options for you with this interactive tool.
Try It
Next Steps
Learn More about SSI and APA
Find more information about SSI on the Social Security Administration’s website and in Social Security’s Spotlights on special SSI topics.
Find more information about APA on the Alaska Division of Public Assistance website.
Apply for SSI and APA
For SSI: You can apply:
- Online (which starts the application process immediately)
-
By calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or 1-800-325-0778 (TTY) to make an appointment to apply either:
- Over the phone, or
- In person at your local Social Security office.
For APA: You can apply:
-
By filling out the DPA Application for Services and submitting it:
-
In person or by mail to any Division of Public Assistance (DPA) office
-
By email to hss.dpa.offices@alaska.gov, or
- By fax to 1-888-269-6520.
-
In person or by mail to any Division of Public Assistance (DPA) office
- By phone at 1-800-478-7778.
To be approved for APA benefits, you must show you have also applied for SSI.
Ticket to Work
Social Security’s Ticket to Work Program helps people with disabilities who get Social Security benefits re-enter the workforce and become more independent. The Ticket to Work Program offers free access to employment-related services, such as training, transportation, and vocational rehabilitation. You can call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY).
Benefits Planning Services
If you're currently on SSI, SSDI, or CDB benefits, and you're looking for a job, a trained benefits planner can help you avoid complications when you are working on a job plan for your future. For questions or guidance specific to your situation, you can speak to someone at the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY) Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. EST.
View DB101's full list of experts who can help you understand different benefits.
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