2012 Red Book

We do not count the first $65 of the earnings you receive in a month, plus one-half of the remaining earnings. This means that we count less than one-half of your earnings when we figure your SSI payment amount.

We apply this exclusion in addition to the $20 general income exclusion. We apply the $20 general income exclusion first to any unearned income that you may receive.

The following table shows two examples of how we apply the general income exclusion and the earned income exclusions.

If you are under age 22 and regularly attending school, we do not count up to $1,700 of earned income per month when we figure your SSI payment amount. The maximum yearly exclusion is $6,840. These amounts are for the year 2012; we usually adjust these figures each year based on the cost-of-living.

• In a college or university for at least 8 hours a week; or



• In grades 7-12 for at least 12 hours a week; or



• In a training course to prepare for employment for at least 12 hours a week (15 hours a week if the course involves shop practice); or



• For less time than indicated above for reasons beyond the student’s control, such as illness.

• You are instructed in grades 7-12 for at least 12 hours a week; and



• The instruction is in accordance with a home school law of the State or other jurisdiction in which you reside.

• Studying a course or courses given by a school (grades 7-12), college, university or government agency; and



• Having a home visitor or tutor who directs the study.

We apply the student earned income exclusion before the general income exclusion or the earned income exclusion.

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

$1730

$1730

$1730

$870

$840

$800

$800

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

$1700

$1700

$1700

$870

$840

$30

$0

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

$30

$30

$30

$0

$0

$770

$800

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$342.50

$357.50

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

$698

$698

$698

$698

$698

$355.50

$357.50

We do not count some resources that are essential to your means of self-support when we decide your continuing eligibility for SSI.

We do not count your property if you use it in a trade or business (for example, inventory or goods) or personal property you use for work as an employee (for example, tools or equipment). Other use of the item(s) does not matter.

We do not count up to $6,000 of equity value of non-business property that you use to produce goods or services essential to daily activities. An example is land you use to produce vegetables or livestock solely for consumption by your household.

We do not count up to $6,000 of the equity value of non-business income-producing property if the property yields an annual rate of return of at least 6 percent. An example is a rental property.

You must be using the property we are excluding under the PESS provision for your self-support activities. If you are not currently using this property because of circumstances beyond your control, you must expect to start using it again within a reasonable period of time, usually 12 months.

We do not consider liquid resources, for example, stocks, bonds, or notes as PESS, unless you use them as part of a trade or business.

You can receive SSI cash payments even when your earned income (gross wages and/or net earnings from self-employment) is at the SGA level. This provision eliminates the need for the Trial Work Period (TWP) or Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE) under SSI.

• Have been eligible for an SSI payment for at least 1 month before you begin working at the SGA level; and
  
  
• Still be disabled; and
  
  
• Meet all other eligibility rules, including the income and resource tests.

Your eligibility for SSI will continue for as long as you meet the basic eligibility requirements and the income and resource tests. We will continue to figure your SSI payment amount in the same way as before. If your state provides Medicaid to persons on SSI, you will continue to be eligible for Medicaid.

You do not need to file a special application. Just keep us up to date on your work activity.

If you have been ineligible for SSI payments due to your work, you may be able to restart your SSI cash payments again at any time without a new application.

If you have been ineligible for SSI and/or Medicaid for any reason other than work or medical recovery, you may be able to restart your SSI cash payment and/or Medicaid coverage within 12 months without a new application. When your situation changes, contact us and ask about how you can restart your SSI benefits and/or Medicaid.

If your cash payment and Medicaid benefits ended because of your work and earnings, and you stop work within 5 years of when your benefits ceased, we may be able to start your benefits again under Expedited Reinstatement.

If you are working and eligible under section 1619, you may receive an SSI cash benefit for up to 2 months while in a Medicaid facility or a public medical or psychiatric facility.

Usually, if you enter a Medicaid facility where Medicaid pays more than 50% of the cost of care, your SSI payment is limited to $30 per month, plus any state supplement, minus any countable income. However, if you enter a Medicaid facility while you are eligible under section 1619, we will figure your benefit using the full Federal Benefit Rate for up to 2 months.

Usually, if you are in a public medical or psychiatric facility, you are not eligible to receive an SSI payment. However, if you enter a public medical or psychiatric facility while you are eligible under section 1619, your SSI cash benefits may continue for up to 2 months. For this provision to apply, the facility must enter an agreement with us that will allow you to keep all of your SSI payment.

After you return to work, your Medicaid coverage can continue, even if your earnings (alone or in combination with your other income) become too high for an SSI cash payment.

• Were eligible for an SSI cash payment for at least 1 month;
• Would be eligible for cash payment except for earnings;
• Still be disabled;
• Still meet all other eligibility rules, including the resources test;
• Need Medicaid in order to work; and
• Have gross earned income that is insufficient to replace SSI, Medicaid, and any publicly funded attendant care. (See following “threshold amount” discussion.)

The “threshold amount” is the measure that we use to decide whether your earnings are high enough to replace your SSI and Medicaid benefits. Your threshold amount is based on:

• The amount of earnings that would cause your SSI cash payments to stop in your state; and



• The annual per capita Medicaid expenditure for your state.

If your gross earnings are higher than the threshold amount for your state (see following chart), you may still be eligible if you have:

Impairment-related work expenses (see the section on SSDI AND SSI EMPLOYMENTS SUPPORTS);



• Blind work expenses (see the section on SPECIAL RULES FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BLIND);



• A Plan to Achieve Self-Support (see the section on PASS);



• Publicly funded attendant or personal care; or



• Medical expenses above the State per capita amount.

Most states use our SSI eligibility rules to determine Medicaid eligibility. However, the following states use their own eligibility rules for Medicaid that are different from our SSI eligibility rules: