Social Security to Remove Barriers to Accessing SSI Payments | SSA
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Today, the Social Security Administration published a final rule, “Omitting Food from In-Kind Support and Maintenance (ISM) Calculations.” The final rule announces the first of several updates to the…

"We are no longer counting food that someone gives you as income when we figure your SSI payment."

This came into effect on September 30, but they just informed SSI recipients (using the future tense) this morning.

You mean they can just change these awful rules without needing an act of Congress to do so? Incredible. We suffered for years for no reason! But don't worry, our call is important to them:

Second, this final rule promotes equity. SSI recipients, by definition, have low income and resources. Because low-income people disproportionately encounter barriers across a range of social, health, and economic outcomes, our goal is to improve their circumstances, thus improving equity.

Incredible. You're the ones who legally require that we have low income and resources! honk-enraged

(Edited title)

  • Meowxist [comrade/them]
    ·
    2 months ago

    Hi, I'm surprised so many people (including the recent John Oliver video) repeat this about SSI without mentioning ABLE accounts.

    ABLE accounts can have up to 100k in them before affecting disability benefits. Anyone can deposit money into them, and the money in there is exempt from SSI and other programs as long as it's being used for disability related expenses which is generally pretty much anything that's remotely self care related (school, vacation, pets, etc.). The money can be then loaded on a debit card and can be used to pay for food, housing, etc.

    Not to say that SSI doesn't have some terrible issues but that ABLE accounts were put into law to get around some of these issues.

    • Wertheimer [any]
      ·
      2 months ago

      I do have an ABLE account, but there are many people who are not allowed to have them. They're raising the age soon (?), but when they started they only SSI recipients who became disabled before the age of 26 were eligible.

      I didn't know John Oliver had an SSI episode. I need to see that one.

      • Meowxist [comrade/them]
        ·
        2 months ago

        That's a fair point about the age. Apparently this is changing to 46 relatively soon in 2026! "ABLE Age Adjustment Act passed as part of the Omnibus Spending Bill. This bill will increase the age of ABLE eligibility from “before age 26” to “before age 46” effective 01/01/2026. This will expand the number of ABLE eligible individuals by an estimated six million people, including one million veterans. National Disability Institute (NDI), parent company of the ABLE National Resource Center, and ABLE supporters and disability advocates from across the country strongly supported this change."

        Here is the Disability Benefits episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hq2s7RMRsgs

        I am happy that he did it as his episodes usually lead to more eyes on the issue and sometimes favorable legislation.