FAQ

SSA can start payments more quickly than usual in four different types of situations:

• Presumptive Disability (PD) or presumptive blindness (PB) payment: Based on the severity of the condition and the likelihood that the claim will be approved, SSA may make payments for up to 6 months while DDS makes a final decision. This is not based on financial need.
• Emergency advance payment: A one-time advance payment to new claimants who "face a financial emergency and who are due SSI benefits that are delayed or not received"
• Immediate payment: An immediate payment to new claimants and SSI recipients whose benefits are delayed or not received and who face a financial emergency."
• Expedited reinstatement cases: If benefits are terminated because of excess earned income or a combination of earned and unearned income, claimants can request to have benefits started again without having to complete a new application.

We recommend visiting SSA's website to find out more: Understanding SSI - Expedited Payments (ssa.gov)

If an individual becomes disabled before the age of 22 and one of his/her parents is either deceased or receives disability or retirement benefits, the "Disabled Adult Child" may receive benefits based on their parent's earnings record. SSA has an easy to use FAQ page about this topic: https://www.ssa.gov/planners/disability/qualify.html

You can contact your SOAR State Team Lead or Local Lead to find out if there is a designated SOAR liaison at your local SSA office.

Absolutely! The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Continuum of Care Program (CoC) plays a key role in ending homelessness in communities and states. HUD’s description of the program includes: “The Continuum of Care (CoC) Program is designed to promote communitywide commitment to the goal of ending homelessness; provide funding for efforts by nonprofit providers, and State and local governments to quickly rehouse homeless individuals and families while minimizing the trauma and dislocation caused to homeless individuals, families, and communities by homelessness; promote access to and effect utilization of mainstream programs by homeless individuals and families; and optimize self-sufficiency among individuals and families experiencing homelessness” (emphasis added)

SOAR is critical in HUD’s mission to promote access to Social Security disability benefits for individuals with disabling conditions. This access helps promote housing stability and prevents future homelessness for these individuals. As a result, SOAR should be included in local CoC plans to end homelessness.

Yes, someone receiving retirement can apply for SSDI benefits if they elected to take early retirement and are receiving a reduced amount. If they retired at full retirement age then their SSDI benefit would be the same and there is no need to apply. 

They would need to prove that they are medically disabled and unable to work at SGA. (Some people who take early retirement benefits are ready to stop working but don’t meet the definition of disability). 

If he is eligible for unemployment and the amount is more than the Federal Benefit Rate (FBR)*, then he should take the higher amount (unemployment) as long as he can.  The medical approval for SSI will last for 12 months, so if the unemployment only lasts a few months, he can always reapply for SSI (the non-medical application) and SSA will use the medical decision from his last application. 

*This figure is updated annually and can be found at SSA Annual Updates.

SSI has a monthly federal benefit rate that changes each year plus any available state supplement. You can find the current benefit amounts on our SSA Annual Updates page.

The Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH) program is administered by the Center for Mental Health Services, a component of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). PATH is a formula grant to the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. There are nearly 600 local organizations that provide PATH services. PATH provides services to people with serious mental illness, including those with co-occurring substance use disorders, who are experiencing homelessness or at imminent risk of becoming homeless.

PATH and SOAR programs directly complement each other’s work and nearly half of the SOAR State Team Leads are also the State PATH Contacts. The PATH program’s objective to connect individuals to mental health services and stable housing is more easily accomplished when people who are homeless have access to the income and health insurance that comes with Social Security benefits. SOAR provides PATH case managers the tools necessary to expedite access to these benefits, resulting in improved housing and treatment outcomes.

Read more: PATH and SOAR Overview

Generally, SSA will not count the retroactive (back-pay) SSI or Social Security benefits for up to nine months after the person receives them. This includes payments received in installments.

When the individual receives his/her award letter it should spell out the exact length of time s/he has to spend down the retroactive payments. If there is any confusion, definitely check with the local SSA office for specifics on the individual's case.