DO YOU KNOW ABOUT YOUR BENEFITS?

Transcription

1

2 DO YOU KNOW ABOUT YOUR BENEFITS?

3 ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT LOSING THEM IF YOU WORK?

4 WHAT ARE WORK INCENTIVES?

5

6 WHAT IS WORK INCENTIVES BENEFITS COUNSELING? THERE ARE DIFFERENT KINDS OF BENEFITS SPECIALISTS: DISABILITY BENEFIT SPECIALISTS (DBS) ELDERLY BENEFITS SPECIALISTS (EBS) WORK INCENTIVES BENEFITS SPECIALISTS (WIBS) IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU WORK WITH A WIBS IF YOU ARE WORKING OR WANT TO WORK.

7 WHY GET BENEFITS COUNSELING? MISINFORMATION EACH BENEFITS SITUATION IS UNIQUE BENEFITS ARE COMPLICATED! BENEFITS SITUATIONS CHANGE

8 WHEN TO GET BENEFITS COUNSELING? WHEN CONSIDERING EMPLOYMENT. WHEN EMPLOYMENT SITUATION CHANGES. WHEN LIVING SITUATION CHANGES AT OR BEFORE BENEFICIARY TURNS 18.

9 WHERE TO FIND A WORK INCENTIVES BENEFITS COUNSELOR? FIND THE WORK INCENTIVES PLANNING AND ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (WIPA) IN YOUR AREA ASK THE DIVISION OF VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION LOOK AT WORK INCENTIVES BENEFITS SPECIALIST DIRECTORY ASK YOUR LOCAL INDEPENDENT LIVING CENTER ASK COUNTY, IRIS, OR FAMILY CARE STAFF

10 HOW IS WORK INCENTIVES BENEFITS COUNSELING FUNDED? SOCIAL SECURITY FUNDS WIPA DVR THROUGH THE INDIVIDUALIZED EMPLOYMENT PLAN LONG TERM CARE FAMILY CARE OR IRIS THROUGH SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT OR VOCATIONAL FUTURES PLANNING AND SUPPORT

11 HOW TO CHOOSE A SERVICE PROVIDER? DVR VENDOR WIBSA MEMBER PHONE INTERVIEW BE A SMART SHOPPER!

12 WHAT TO EXPECT? REPORT IN PLAIN LANGUAGE MEET WITH YOU IN PERSON TO REVIEW YOUR BENEFIT ANALYSIS ASK QUESTIONS! TIMELY, INDIVIDUALIZED SERVICE AVAILABLE TO YOU TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS BY PHONE OR BY

13 HOW TO PREPARE? THINK ABOUT YOUR JOB GOALS. HOW MUCH DO YOU WANT TO WORK? HOW MUCH MONEY WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE? DO YOU WANT TO BE SELF- EMPLOYED? WRITE DOWN QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS YOU HAVE. MAKE A LIST OF ALL THE BENEFITS YOU GET AND THE AMOUNTS, IF YOU KNOW THEM. THE WORK INCENTIVE BENEFITS SPECIALIST CAN HELP ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT A VARIETY OF PUBLIC BENEFITS, AS WELL AS PRIVATE BENEFITS YOU ARE RECEIVING.

14 SOME (BUT NOT ALL) WORK INCENTIVES You Can Work and Keep the Benefits You Need!

15 1619(B) CONTINUED MEDICAID COVERAGE IF CASH BENEFIT IS $0 DUE TO EARNED INCOME $33,361 OF GROSS ANNUAL EARNINGS INDIVIDUALIZED THRESHOLDS

16 STUDENT EARNED INCOME EXCLUSION EXCLUSION OF INCOME FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 22 AND REGULARLY ATTENDING SCHOOL SSA WILL NOT COUNT UP TO $1,750 MONTHLY (MAX: $7,060 PER YEAR)

17 IMPAIRMENT RELATED WORK EXPENSE (IRWE) RELATED TO DISABILITY PAID FOR OUT OF POCKET NEEDED FOR WORK SSA WILL REPAY $1 FOR EVERY $2 SPENT OUT OF POCKET

18 PLAN FOR ACHIEVING SELF SUPPORT (PASS) SET ASIDE MONEY (OTHER THAN SSI) TO MEET VOCATIONAL GOAL MONEY IN THE PASS PLAN: DOES NOT COUNT TOWARDS SSI ELIGIBILITY

19 PROPERTY ESSENTIAL FOR SELF-SUPPORT (PESS) ALLOWS A BUSINESS OWNER ON SSI/MA TO ACCUMULATE WEALTH WITHIN A BUSINESS CASH AND EQUIPMENT USED IN A BUSINESS IS EXCLUDED FROM SSI/MA RESOURCE LIMITS WITH NO UPPER LIMIT ON THE VALUE OF THE SMALL BUSINESS OPERATING ACCOUNT NOR ANY OF THE BUSINESS RESOURCES. (GRIFFIN & HAMMIS) BUSINESS MUST BE UNINCORPORATED (SOLE PROPRIETORSHIP OR GENERAL PARTNERSHIP)

20 TRIAL WORK PERIOD (TWP) 9 MONTHS: DO NOT HAVE TO BE CONSECUTIVE! TWP COUNTED WHEN SOMEONE EARNS $770 OR MORE STILL RECEIVE FULL CASH BENEFIT AMOUNT USUALLY INCREASES EVERY YEAR

21 SUBSIDY OR SPECIAL CONDITION MODIFIED (REDUCED) RESPONSIBILITIES REDUCED PRODUCTIVITY REQUIREMENTS FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE EXTRA SUPPORT (INCLUDING JOB COACHING)

22 UN-INCURRED BUSINESS EXPENSE ONLY APPLIES TO SSDI RECIPIENTS EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES AND INVENTORY PURCHASED BY DVR FOR START- UP ARE CLEAR EXAMPLES OF UN-INCURRED BUSINESS EXPENSES THE COST OF THE UN-INCURRED BUSINESS EXPENSE IS SUBTRACTED FROM THE BUSINESS OWNER S NET EARNINGS IN DETERMINING SGA MUST BE AN ALLOWABLE IRS BUSINESS EXPENSE

23 UNPAID HELP NATURAL SUPPORTS AND ASSISTANCE AT NO COST TO THE BUSINESS OWNER MUST BE ORDINARY BUSINESS EXPENSES AND SERVICES (E.G. BOOKKEEPING, TAX ASSISTANCE, MARKETING, GRAPHIC DESIGN, ETC) DEDUCTED FROM BUSINESS OWNER S NET EARNINGS WHEN DETERMINING SGA

24 YES, YOU CAN WORK AND KEEP MEDICAID. 1619(B) MEDICAID PURCHASE PLAN (MAPP) MEDICAID WAIVER INCOME GROUPS 503 SPECIAL STATUS (AKA COUNTY MEDICAID )

25 REPORTING WAGES WITHIN THE FIRST 6 DAYS OF THE MONTH TO AVOID AN OVERPAYMENT OR UNDERPAYMENT PROJECTED NET EARNINGS FROM SELF-EMPLOYMENT REPORTING TIP SHEET GET TEXT REMINDERS WAGE-REPORTING.HTML

26 MY SOCIAL SECURITY ACCOUNT

27 PREPARE YOUR PLAN AND QUESTIONS! WHY DO YOU WANT TO GET WORK INCENTIVES BENEFITS COUNSELING? WHO WILL YOU ASK ABOUT WORK INCENTIVES BENEFITS COUNSELING? WHAT QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS DO YOU HAVE?

28 CONTACT INFORMATION SHANNON HUFF: