Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) are two programs widely recognized in the deaf community. These programs are intended to create a safety net for people who are unable to work or need assistance due to low income.

The Social Security Administration manages both programs, but they are completely separate, each with their own eligibility rules and requirements. If you have a history of past work, then SSDI is the program for you. If you don't own much and you're struggling to get by on very little money, SSI can help.

Supplemental Security Income

To qualify for SSI, you cannot have more than $2,000 in resources. What resources? Cash, bank accounts, stocks, U.S. savings bonds, land, life insurance, personal property, vehicles, plus anything else you own which could be changed to cash and used for food or shelter...

...and "deemed" resources.

What are deemed resources? That would include stuff owned by your wife or husband, a parent, or even a parent's wife or husband, depending on your situation. So it's not just your stuff Social Security is counting - they're looking at your family's things too.

If that pushes you past the $2,000 cap ($3,000 for couples), then sorry - you don't qualify for SSI benefits. It's not hard to hit the $2,000 ceiling, so SSI is really only available for the poorest of the poor - that's what the program was designed for. As of January 1, 2010, the federal SSI benefit is $674 for an individual and $1,011 for a couple. Some states provide extra money on top of what SSI pays, so be sure to check on that.

The obvious drawback with SSI is that the cap on assets discourages saving. When you're in a deep hole financially and you need to save - to start a business, to move to another job, or buy a car - collecting SSI actually penalizes you for trying to get back on your feet. The money is very helpful when you really need it, but it can also become a trap. Think carefully about how to make your move from SSI to your own income.

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)

SSDI is a government-run insurance program. When you work, part of your social security tax goes toward this program. When you can no longer work due to disability, you can collect benefits. How much you can collect each month depends on how much you've paid into the system.

If you've worked, you may have gotten mail from the Social Security Administration that show how much you've paid in social security taxes, how much you can expect in benefits when you retire, and how much you could collect each month if you become disabled. That statement is your best guide to what you can expect if you apply for SSDI benefits. If you've never gotten a statement like this, you can ask for one. You'll get it in the mail in two to four weeks.

To qualify for SSDI you must earn work credits. You collect credits simply by working or being self-employed. You can earn up to four credits each year. Each $1,120 of wages or self-employment income = one credit. When you've earned $4,480, you've earned your four credits for the year. You cannot earn more credits in a year for earning more than $4,480.

The amount of money you must earn to collect each credit goes up by roughly $40-$50 each year.

How many credits do you need to qualify for SSDI? That depends on three things: your age, how much you've worked, and when you've worked. The Social Security administration says that generally you need 40 credits. 20 of those credits must be earned in the last ten years ending with the year you become disabled.

For example, if you've worked for ten years, you'll have 40 credits. If you were born deaf, no problem - you have enough work credits to qualify.

If you became deaf later, then you must have at least 20 work credits - that's equal to five years of work - in the ten years before you became deaf.

Confusing? Let's say you became deaf in 2008. If you worked at least five years between 1998 and 2008, you have enough credits to qualify for benefits.

There are other conditions. If you're under 24 years old, then you only need six credits, earned in the three years before you became deaf.

If you're between age 24 and 31, you need credit for working half the time between age 21 and the time you become deaf.

In an example provided by the SSA, if you become deaf at age 27, you would need credit for three years of work (12 credits) out of the past six years (between ages 21 and 27).

If you're over 31, the SSA has a chart that shows how many credits you need depending on your age.

Of course, for both SSI and SSDI, you must also prove you're deaf to qualify. There's a lot of paperwork and documentation involved, so be ready to deal with it.

Both SSI and SSDI beneficiaries can also take advantage of other programs - Medicaid, Medicare, and food stamps. These programs are meant to keep families together and food on the table through hard times. When they are used and not abused, we all benefit.

Links:

Understanding SSI:

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/ssi/text-understanding-ssi.htm

Understanding SSDI:

http://www.ssa.gov/dibplan/index.htm

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