Obtaining benefits under the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program can make all the difference in your life. While they may not amount to a lot of money in financial terms, these benefits could help keep you in your home or keep food on the table. The amount that you may expect is tied to the cost-of-living increases that affect all recipients of Social Security benefits. In addition, the amount that you may receive depends on the size of your family. As a result, a single person with no children would receive significantly fewer benefits than a married person, or even a single person with kids.
In any event, Gwinnett County SSI benefits could help to keep you afloat. Likewise, our dedicated SSI disability attorneys can help you to understand the maximum available benefits under the SSI program in Gwinnett County.
Core Social Security Benefits
Once the Social Security Administration (SSA) approves a claim for benefits, monthly payments will begin. The maximum available monthly amounts for each eligible recipient are currently $771 for a single person and $1,157 if that person is married.
This totals out to a maximum of $9,259.67 for an individual in 2019 and $13,887.97 for a married couple. In addition, all recipients of SSI are immediately eligible for Medicaid and may also receive Medicare.
It is also possible for many SSI recipients to obtain benefits from the State. In sum, people receiving Gwinnett County SSI benefits are often able to manage a living.
Interactions Between SSI Benefits and Other Income
Just because a person receives SSI benefits in Gwinnett County it does not mean they cannot have other sources of income, even from part-time jobs. However, the degree of work that a recipient of benefits may participate in has its limits.
The amount a person earns from other sources of income may be subtracted from their SSI benefits. This is known as countable income. For example, if an SSI-eligible person earns $200 a month working, their SSI benefit would be reduced to $571 a month. It follows that if someone can work so much as to exceed the $771 monthly limit, that person would not be considered disabled in the eyes of the SSA.
Similarly, if the married spouse of an SSI claimant holds a job, the amount they earned would be subtracted from SSI benefits in the same manner as if the claimant themselves worked. As a result, an SSI claimant cannot gain any benefits if they have a spouse who works full-time. In this way, determining Gwinnett County SSI benefits can require complex mathematical formulation.
Gwinnett County SSI Benefits Can Provide an Essential Safety Net
The SSI benefits program provides payments to people who are unable to make ends meet because of a medical condition. As long as this condition has lasted at least 12 months, you may be eligible for these payments.
When combined with other State benefits and Medicaid, these benefits can make all the difference in your life. A Social Security advocate for the disabled can help you pursue the necessary Gwinnett County SSI benefits, so call today to see how one could help you.
