To get SSI benefits, you must be elderly or blind or have a disability.
- "Elderly" means you are 65 or older.
- "Blind" means you are either totally blind or have very poor eyesight. Children as well as adults, can get benefits because of blindness.
- A disability means you have a physical or mental problem that is expected to last twelve months or result in death.
In addition, you must live in the U.S. or Northern Mariana Islands and be a U.S. Citizen or national. (Certain non-citizens also may be eligible for SSI. A Social Security representative can tell you if you qualify.)
Your income and assets must be below certain amounts. To be entitled to SSI benefits, you cannot own resources that exceed an amount set by statute, ($2000 for an individual and $3000 for a couple in 2010).
A "resource" is cash or other liquid assets or any real or personal property that an individual owns and could convert to cash to be used for his or her support and maintenance. If the individual has the right, authority or power to liquidate the property or his or her share of the property, it is considered a resource.
Excluded Resources:
- The Social Security Act excludes certain items in calculating a person's resource level, such as a home, household goods, and personal effects, so long as their value does not exceed the amount set as reasonable by the Commissioner.
- Life insurance policies with a total face value not exceeding $1500.00. Any policy with a higher value will be considered a resource to the extent of its cash surrender value.
- The value of any burial space held for the purpose of providing a place for the burial of the individual.
- Income tax returns.
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