FAQ

Yes, see the Criminal Justice version of the "Identifying SOAR Applicants" tool on the SOAR Tools & Worksheets page.

Absolutely, Veterans who receive VA disability benefits may also receive SSA benefits, depending on the amount received from the VA and if they are approved for SSI or SSDI. 

SSI: VA benefits will affect the SSI benefit amount. SSA classifies VA benefits as “unearned income,” since it does not come from paid employment. As such, it will be deducted dollar for dollar from the SSI federal payment amount, after the general exclusion of $20. (All SSI recipients are eligible for this exclusion, where the first $20 of earned or unearned income is not counted against their SSI payment.)

SSDI: Alternatively, SSDI benefits are not affected by unearned income through VA benefits.

Please read more at SSA and VA Disability Benefits: Tips for Veterans.

• The child is entitled to disability benefits based on his/her own earnings.
• The child is on active duty in the armed forces
• The child is living alone and self-supporting
• The child is a parent and filed for his/her own or his/her child’s benefits,  and has experience handling finances
• The child is within 7 months of attaining age 18.
• The child has demonstrated the ability to handle finances, and no qualified payee is available.

Social Security has what they call Pre-release Procedures for individuals who want to apply for SSI while they are still in an institution (jail, prison, state hospital, etc). The general rule is that an individual can apply 30 days prior to their expected release date, although there are exceptions. Some SSA field offices set up informal or formal pre-release agreements with local institutions to extend that time period up to 90 days prior to release. If there is no pre-release agreement currently in place with his institution and that field office, you could speak to the manager at the SSA office and see about setting up an agreement, especially if you are going to be assisting with multiple prerelease applications at this institution. When you submit the application you will need to bring a letter from the institution stating that the applicant is expected to be released on a specific date. SSA has a brief FAQ on the SSI Prerelease Procedure for additional information: http://www.ssa.gov/ssi/spotlights/spot-prerelease.htm

Yes, members of the military do pay into the Social Security system and earn work credits during military service. SSA has a great publication about military service and work credits here: https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10017.pdf. 

"We consider your child’s income and resources when deciding if your child is eligible for SSI. We also consider the income and resources of family members living in the child’s household. These rules apply if your child lives at home. They also apply if he or she is away at school but returns home from time to time and is subject to your control.

If your child’s income and resources, or the income and resources of family members living in the child’s household, are more than the amount allowed, we will deny the child’s application for SSI payments."

Source: https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10026.pdf

Yes, discharge status does not matter for citizens.

His current living arrangement is an institution. However, if by the time you submit the completed application to SSA he will have been released, you can indicate that he is homeless on the SSA-8000. You can always add additional information in the remarks section to explain that his living arrangement is changing.

No, military deployments do not count as residency abroad.

When SSI recipients are incarcerated for a full calendar month, (e.g., March 1-March 31), their benefits are suspended. If they are released in less than 12 consecutive calendar months, their benefits can be reinstated upon release. They need to bring official release papers from the institution to the local Social Security office. SSA will review their new living arrangement and reinstate payment. If SSI recipients are incarcerated for 12 consecutive calendar months or more, their SSI benefits are terminated and they must reapply.