CHOICES - Social Security Benefits & Covid-19
The Social Security Administration (SSA) recently changed their rules about how pandemic-related financial assistance can affect an individual’s eligibility for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or monthly SSI benefit amount. Previously, SSA had been counting many types of assistance as income and resources for SSI purposes, resulting in individuals having their SSI benefits reduced or suspended, or having their applications for SSI benefits denied. However, due to the severity of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, SSA has decided they will not count most types of pandemic-related financial assistance against SSI eligibility or benefit amount. Examples of assistance that will not be counted are • Economic Impact Payments (EIP) • State Stimulus Payments • Unemployment Assistance (also includes regular state unemployment benefits,) Coronavirus Food Assistance Program—Direct Payments to Farmers and Ranchers • COVID-19 Veteran Rapid Retraining Assistance Program • COVID-19 Funeral Assistance • Emergency Rental Assistance Fund.
SSA is now reviewing SSI applications, redeterminations, appeals, and other records going back to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, to restore SSI payments for people whose SSI was affected by receiving any of the assistance listed above. In most cases, the individual will not need to do anything. If SSA does not need any additional information, they will restore the SSI benefits going forward and also send a lump sum of any “underpaid” benefits that were missing since March 2020.
SSA will mail a letter explaining the payments to the most recent address they have on record for the individual. If the person has an appointed representative or a representative payee, SSA will also send this information to the representative. If SSA needs additional information from the person before they can restore their SSI benefits, or if they need to take a new SSI application, they will mail a letter. The letter will explain that SSA needs to talk with the person at a scheduled appointment.
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