Living Arrangements And SSI Disability Benefits

 Posted on March 29, 2012 in Social Security Disability

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a government program funded by general tax revenues for people who become disabled and are incapable of working. It is a need based program and a claimant must have below a certain amount of assets and resources to qualify.

After a claimant has been approved for SSI benefits, he or she will typically have an appointment with a local Social Security district office to figure out the monthly benefit amount. In general, the more income and assets a claimant has the less the monthly benefits amount. This is especially true for claimants that do not have to worry about paying rent because of his or her living situation. One way to earn the maximum SSI benefit monthly amount is to be classified as "living in your own household." If a claimant lives in his or her own household and has to pay for rent and utilities the Social Security Administration will most likely consider the individual for the maximum allowance.

What constitutes living in your own household?

The three more common ways under Social Security guidelines to meet living in your own household is to:

1) Live in your own household whether or not you receive help paying your food or housing costs.

2) You live alone.

3) You are homeless or have no permanent living arrangement.

Other less common ways to meet the rule are:

4) Live in a foster care or family care situation

5) You live in an institution for all or part of the month and Medicaid does not may for more than 50 percent of the cost of your care. You do not fit in this category if you are considered an inmate of a public institution such as a prison.

6) You live only with your child, spouse, or persons whose income is being used to compute the amount of your SSI payment.

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