1.2 Supplemental Security Income

Title XVI


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Are you eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits? If you do not qualify for Social Security Disability benefits because you have not worked for a total of five of the last ten years, you may qualify for SSI benefits. Supplemental Security Income was established to help those people who are disabled, but didn’t have the opportunity to work the required quarters.

In order to qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), or Title XVI, a claimant must:

  1. Show that he or she is disabled, or cannot engage in Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA).
  2. Show that he or she has a low income with few assets (see SGA Requirements).

Unlike Disability Insurance Benefits, SSI is NOT dependent on how long a claimant has worked. Rather, income and assets are the main factors when determining eligibility for SSI benefits. The income from other members of your household will also be considered.

For example, if an individual is disabled but has a spouse with significant earnings, this person would not qualify for SSI even if he or she is severely disabled. If an individual has worked enough to qualify for DIB, he or she may also qualify for SSI.

You may be approved for both SSI and DIB, although the final amounts will offset and may vary from the amounts quoted in your Notice of Award (see Calculating Benefits).

If you are unsure which type of benefits would apply to your situation, be that SSDI or Supplemental Security Income, contacting a disability representative can answer your question fairly quickly. If you would like us to represent you, simply fill out the form on the right side of this page or call the number at the top of the page.

Our SSI benefits advocates know what records are needed for your SSI disability benefits claim. When you are awarded SSI benefits, you will also have Medicaid eligibility. That means your health care needs will be covered by Medicaid benefits.

If you have applied for SSI benefits and have been denied, contact the SSI benefits advocates at Trajector Disability (formerly Myler Disability). If there is a way to get the benefits you need and deserve, we will find it.

Free consultation. Call 1-801-855-8062 or send us an e-mail. We will respond within 24-48 hours.