The Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

Pursuant to Public Law 92-603, states were provided with the option of “supplementing” the federal SSI benefit. If a state choose to supplement the federal SSI benefit provided to claimant and complied with federal requirements then the state’s supplement would not be counted as income reducing the federal SSI benefit. If the state’s program did not comply with federal requirements, the state’s supplement would be counted as income resulting in a possibility of the claimant losing their SSI benefits. Thus resulting in “a greater welfare obligation (or at least, welfare problem) for the recipient's state of residence.”

Adult SSI recipients who were former child recipients continued to face the same challenges experienced as children. In 2013, it was reported in the GPO report that 60% of youth who receive SSI also receive SSI benefits as adults. Of those who were re-determined using more stringent adult SSI criteria, under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, one-fourth return within four years. Young adult recipients age 19-23 receiving SSI payments, continued to experience low educational attainment, low employment rates, low post-secondary enrollment, low vocational rehabilitation enrollment, and higher arrest rates.

The recent troubles of the Social Security Administration (SSA) along with the dismal education and employment outcomes of children with disabilities on SSI have propelled policy makers to find creative solutions to save money and slow dependence on SSI. The push for greater independence and self-sufficiency of SSI recipients have always been recognized; however, has never been more critical. In recent years, one of the largest recipients of SSI benefits are teenagers. According to the SSA 2013 Statistical Report, children 18 years and under accounted for 1.3 million SSI recipients and since 2000 has grown by approximately

SSI recipients get a check every month from Social Security Administration. That check amount currently is 889.40, consisting of $733 from the federal government and $156 that is supplemented from the state of California. Over the last fifteen years, the state of California has made some decisions that have affected the amount it supplements drastically in order to save the state some money. In 2009, the SSP was cut from 233 to 171 for single adults. in 2011 the state made cut the portion they provide from $171 to $156. In a two year span the state of California eliminate $77 from people budgets. The state also decided to mess with the Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA) that are given yearly. Starting in the year 2001, the state passed the

In 1972, Congress ratified a cost of living adjustment (COLA) provision as part of the 1972 Social Security Amendments to offer automatic yearly COLAs based on the annual increase in CPI-W. Before 1975, Social Security benefits were increased only when Congress allowed special legislation.

The topic in regards to the disabled worker is of interest to the author. The commentary is titled “Accommodation for Disabled Workers: Knowledge of Rights a Good Start” at the Rand Corporation blog by author Kathleen Mullen. The article describes how employees quitting their jobs because of healthcare decline and applying for social security benefits. As a number of social security benefits increase it puts US funding at risk. The author knows several disabled workers that are faced with working with a health-related disability. Additionally, they are challenged to take care of their families in spite of their disability. The disabled subgroup often expresses that they feel misunderstood by the world. The disabled person is betwixt and in between.; society expects the

The Social Security Administration is a great government administration that provides retirement and disability benefits to a large portion of the U.S. population. It was created by Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR). He created many new administration during the great depression to combat poverty such as the Works Progress Administration. Unlike the Works Progress Administration, on the Social Security Administration fights poverty through planning for the future rather than the now. The Administration themselves views themselves high as well, on their website they stated that the Social Security Administration is “one of the most successful anti-poverty programs in our nation's history”. The SSA could not have come at a better time than when it did during the great depression. It was crucial to the nation's future as to whether it would fall back down to its knees right as it got back up. The SSA protected us with retirement benefits which allow and help us plan for our retirement safely ensuring that we will have money when we can no longer work. This need for a retirement plan is exemplified by FDR’s speech to the N.Y. state legislature where he states “No greater tragedy exists in modern civilization than the aged, worn-out worker who after a life of ceaseless effort and useful productivity must look forward to his declining years to a poorhouse.” This is arguably the most useful part of the SSA.

On August 14, 1935 in Austin, Texas, President Franklin D. Roosevelt inked his signature on the Social Security Act. It was originally implemented to resolve problems with unemployment, old age insurance, and public health and welfare. The Great Depression was the catalyst for the creation of the Social Security program, and the basic structure was very similar to Germany’s social insurance programs from the 1880s. Today, social security is mostly used for retired senior citizens starting at the age of 62. At 62, American citizens can begin to collect, but will only receive 35% of their monthly benefit due, rather than the maximum amount of 50% when they reach the full retirement age of 66. (cite) In addition, social security is dispersed to about 14 million disabled people under the age of 62, who can no longer work in the labor force for various reasons. The people who qualify as disabled are just a small percentage of those collecting compared to senior citizens, and are often not mentioned when social security issues are brought up because of their minute effects on social security distribution.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is provided to people aged 65 or older and the disable. During the 1990’s, many of the SSI recipients were people with disabilities. However, after new legislation, many of the disable recipients were dropped, majority being children. Some of those children were mentally handicap, had multiple impairments, personality disorders, arthritis, burns, etc. Eligibility was tighten by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 so that only the most restrictive medical diagnosis were accepted. Illegal and legal immigrants were denied supplemental security income until they became citizens and found work in the United States. Many people were not pleased with the changes and they even

Since our election of President Obama in 2009 through September of 2013, 5.9 million people have been added to the Social Security Disability program (Finger, 2013.) That compared to the less than 2.5 million jobs created during this same period demonstrates a problem (Finger, 2013.) According to the Social Security Administration, Social Security Disability benefits have reached 10.9 million (Finger, 2013.) A record one in fourteen workers is now on the “Social Security Disability payroll” (Finger, 2013.) According to Congressional Research estimates, this program costs the taxpayers $128.9 billion in 2011 and was in a deficit of $25.3 million (Finger, 2013.) Funded by the 1.8% payroll tax and making up nearly 18% of

A. Is Shirley Caretaker disabled within the meaning of the Social Security Act in that she meets the requirements of the disabling listing for 12.04 affective disorders in 20 C.F.R. Appendix 1 to Subpart P of Part 404-Listing of impairments? With respect the answer is yes for the reasons stated in the Argument section of this brief.

Another program was Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program it was established to provide a minimum income for the disabled, blind and older Americans. This program works to help recipients with vocational skills therefore they can seek work opportunities. This is one of the least criticized programs by the public because the recipients are physically “worthy” of their benefits (J. Marx, 2004).

Amendments in the 1950’s, 1960’s, and 1970’s defined specific earnings limits and allowed benefit payments to be reduced rather than entirely eliminated when these limits were exceeded. Since 1983, those 70 or older have been able to continue working without any earnings limits. Amendments to the Social Security Act passed in 1996 relaxed earnings limits for senior citizens who had reached full retirement age. Amendments in 1999 created stronger incentives and better supports for the disabled to engage in productive work. In 2000 Congress entirely eliminated the earnings limit for seniors who had reached the full retirement age, giving more seniors the freedom to work without reducing their Social Security benefits.

Social Security system provides benefits to retired citizens by taxing the work force on payroll checks. The American Association of Retired People announces, “Maximum Taxable Earnings, in 2012, workers paid Social Security taxes on income up to $110,100. In 2013, the figure will rise to $113,700, based on an increase in average wages.” The AARP shares the maximum taxable earnings from workers has rose since last year. By raising the taxable amount, workers will then be taxed on a higher income. Time states, “People retiring today will be among the first generation of workers to pay more in Social Security taxes than they receive in benefits over the course of their lives, according to a new analysis by the Associated Press.” The analysis shares that many of the newer generation that will retire in the future will be paying more in

I understand how everyday cost of food, medicine, and utility bills make it tough to make ends meet, especially for those with a fixed income. Under current law, the COLA is based on the percent change in the average Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, or CPI-W, for the third quarter of the previous year to that of the current year. The COLA becomes effective in December and is payable in January of the following year.