Working and SSI...

So was just curious if any of you here collect SSI while working a limited amount? I mean for now I am more focusing on therapy and working on myself one goal is to really start eating healthy and focusing on physical health aspects so not planning to jump into anything all that soon. Though if I do become gradually more functional I imagine I might want to start doing something for myself to start attempting to make a living without being entirely dependent on SSI and various welfare. But the trouble is not sure what my limits are, I know if I got a job I'd have to report it and they'd deduct SSI accordingly from what I gather. Then of course even doing a little side work is supposed to be reported.

Then the other issue is if I hypothetically found some kind of work and got entirely taken off SSI...then I also would lose my medicaid I imagine since being on SSI is what qualifies me for it so then I wouldn't be able to afford continuing treatment for mental health issue and end up in another state of decomposition or basically ending up at my lowest state of functioning where i can hardly eat...and my anxiety and depression is just all over the place causing me hell. I am just kind of at a loss....or do I just submit to staying on the SSI and at least having a consistant amount of money coming in each month to survive on whilst being able to keep the medicaid. Just wish there was more options for attempting to better yourself while receiving disability without essentially facing financial penalties should you start making any kind of progress....I mean what is the grace period for being able to remain on some SSI while supplementing it with some low level part time work for instance?

So anyways guess I am just trying to think of my future....plan ahead and develop a couple goals but seems in some ways being on SSI ties my hands, while on the other hand the medicaid has helped significantly with getting more consistent treatment and its good to have an income to depend on even if its not much. I would not even say I live comfortably really...which hey could be worse but seems like attempting to better myself and improve functioning runs the risk of leaving me where I was before the SSI which was on the verge of comtamplating suicide on a consistant basis due to hopelessness of not even being able to afford my therapy appointments or my current medications should something fall through. So does anyone have any experience with this stuff...any advice is appreciated I just want to try and make the best choices with the least chance of backfiring.

I was looking at rules about SSI and working a few days ago. I remember reading that even if you work enough to lose the cash portion of your SSI that you will be able to keep the Medicaid if you are not able to pay your medical bills without it.

You can call your Medicaid office and ask if they have a brochure about it if you want one. I don't like to take their word for anything over the phone, because the people in my local Medicaid office aren't very well trained.

I have as many questions as you do. SSI and SSDI have different rules according to my vocational counselor who just retired.

You can work a certain amount with no loss of benefits for one but not the other.

When my husband applied for disability for me, I was what would be called completely non functioning. I spent 3 years floundering.

For the last 2 years, I have been doing everything I can possibly do to be okay. Spending 2 weeks in the ICU woke me up a bit.

Now, I need to do something. I am working with a new vocational counselor and hope that we can find something I can do to make me feel valuable again.

I have worked very hard to get where I am and want to be as proactive as I can. But I am afraid if I am too well, I will lose the services I presently receive.

I just sent in a form for my state offered insurance that I kind of remember filling out years ago. If it had not been for this insurance and Medicare, I would not have received the services I so desperately needed. The odd thing is I never applied for either of these insurances. But because I had them I was able to get better.

I am so afraid that now that I show signs of improvement that I will lose everything before I am ready.
.
I also fear that some peon is going to step in and say, "oooops our mistake. You should never have received services and you owe us $27,000.

Can't I just be happy

Hi there Hellion,

I am on SSI for my disabilities, and I do work part-time. I work 12-15 hours/week as a food server at a nearby retirement facility. I've been there for 1 1/2 years (so far), and I really enjoy what I do. I'm *not* in it for the money, LOL!

In a way, I am kind of "penalized" for working. Social Security would pay me $733/month if I weren't working, and I would also qualify for Food Stamps of $110/month. However, Food Stamps have gone down to $15/month and my SS income varies depending upon my income 1 or 2 months before.

I'm allowed to make $65/month before SS makes a decrease. From there, 50% of my income is subtracted from that amount. Whatever is left over, I get the difference. So, say I make 314.78 one month. I mail copies of my paystubs to the local SS office (with my SS# written on them) by the 5th of the month.

314.50
-65.00
249.50

Now, I need to remove 50% of that 249.50 -----> 124.25

Total amount SS would pay me, and subtract that amount:
731.00 -124.50
606.25

So, in a month or two, I expect my SS payment to be 606.25

Of course, I do have that 314.50, which makes my total income to be around 920/month. However, 1/3 of my income goes to rent and my Food Stamps has decreased significantly. *sigh* It's a pain in the rear to think about finances, and all of that, but I do enjoy getting out "in the real world" a few days per week & I still continue to see my doctors and group T regularly.

Tax time is very confusing to me though, so I definitely recommend seeing a tax aide every year that you work. But, maybe that's just me.

Very best wishes to you, Hellion.

Can you work while receiving (American Social Security) disability benefits?

Remember that SSI is different from SSDI and Medicare is different from Medicaid.

That actually almost makes sense to me

You so have a future working for government.

Hmm that does sound kind of complicated, but workable....I have from time to time gotten money for doing surveys but its very inconsistent, I mentioned a while back when I first got the SSI that I had gotten a check for 40$ and they said I don't really have to report that....and it certainly wouldn't effect my payments. But yeah I've earned around 20 dollars here and there on online surveys sites and have done a few in person sorts at the mall near where I live.

I am not entirely sure what the rules for reporting/not reporting that are I guess I could try and call the SSI office or go in person and ask for more specifics on the rules for that since they don't really cover what you have to report as far as side income that's not a job or doesn't occur on a regular basis. I have been sort of avoiding much surveys since I got on the SSI though out of those concerns...otherwise I'd do it more often so I suppose it would not hurt to go ask. It might work like gifts, like I don't think I have to report gift money from relatives on the holidays....especially since its never even much.

I have also thought about that mystery shopping thing, where you get a list of things to get like at the grocery to try like your just normal shopping....provide feedback and get paid some as well as reimbursed for whatever products you where assigned to buy, but again rather unclear on reporting inconsistent sums of money i would not be making on a regular basis to SSI so thats a major reason I have not at all pursued that.