What is the difference between: SSI, SSA, and Disability?

Question

What is the difference between an SSI check, an SSA check, and a Disability check? I want to know details about how they are different?

Thank You!

Answer 1

SSI is an income supplement program for disabled individuals who have little or no monthly income. It is intended to help provide for the most basic of food, clothing and shelter. You do not automatically qualify for the SSI program if you are disabled, you must also qualify on the basis of extremely low (or no) income.

Social Security Disability benefits are more like the familiar Social Security checks that are paid to retired people. You earn eligibility for Social Security by paying into the fund during your working years - you've seen deductions for social security taxes on your paychecks.

Normally, you would not be eligible to begin collecting on this form of "insurance" until you retired, but if you become disabled and unable to work, you are permitted to draw from your social security benefits before you reach traditional retirement age.

As you might imagine, there are many rules and regulations that govern the disability program - for example, you do not gain eligibility until you have been disabled for 5 full months. You will also be required to submit to regular case reviews to determine whether your medical condition has improved to the point that you would be able to work. You cannot qualify for disability benefits unless you are unable (rather than unwilling) to work.

After you receive disability benefits for 24 months, you become eligible for Medicare - the government's health insurance program. If you have both disability and little or no income, you may be eligible for the government to pay your Medicare premiums for you. You may also qualify for the food stamp program.

Your eligibility for federal assistance of any form is affected by any other forms of aid you receive. If you receive worker's compensation payments from a previous employer, your federal eligibility may be decreased or eliminated. Your payments may also be reduced if you receive any pension benefits based on income that you did not pay social taxes on (at the time you earned the income).

By SSA, I assume you are referring to the standard Social Security benefits that would normally be payable to workers who retire. The amount you receive is tied to your retirement age, and the number of income "credits" that you have earned during your working years.

All of these programs are very complex and the rules and regulations fill huge volumes. If you have any specific questions, they are best addressed to your local social security office.

I hope this helped.