Annual Report 

of the

Supplemental

 Security

 Income Program

Social Security Administration

2014
.
SOCIAL SECURITY

The Commissioner

August 22, 2014

President Barack H. Obama

The White House

Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President: 

It is my pleasure to submit to you the 2014 Annual Report of the Supplemental Security Income 

Program (the 18th such report). We prepare this report in compliance with section 231 of the 

Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996.

I am also sending this report to Vice President Biden and Congressman Boehner. If you have 

any questions regarding this report, your staff may contact Scott Frey, our Deputy 

Commissioner for Legislation and Congressional Affairs, at (202) 358-6030 or at 

Scott.Frey@ssa.gov.

Sincerely,

Carolyn W. Colvin

Acting Commissioner

Enclosure

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION BALTIMORE MD 21235-0001
.
SOCIAL SECURITY

The Commissioner

August 22, 2014

The Honorable Joseph R. Biden, Jr.

President of the Senate

Washington, DC 20510

Dear Mr. President: 

It is my pleasure to submit to you the 2014 Annual Report of the Supplemental Security Income 

Program (the 18th such report). We prepare this report in compliance with section 231 of the 

Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996.

I am also sending this report to President Obama and Congressman Boehner. If you have any 

questions regarding this report, your staff may contact Scott Frey, our Deputy Commissioner for 

Legislation and Congressional Affairs, at (202) 358-6030 or at Scott.Frey@ssa.gov.

Sincerely,

Carolyn W. Colvin

Acting Commissioner

Enclosure

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION BALTIMORE MD 21235-0001
.
SOCIAL SECURITY

The Commissioner

August 22, 2014

The Honorable John A. Boehner

Speaker of the House of Representatives

Washington, DC 20515

Dear Mr. Speaker: 

It is my pleasure to submit to you the 2014 Annual Report of the Supplemental Security Income 

Program (the 18th such report). We prepare this report in compliance with section 231 of the 

Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996.

I am also sending this report to President Obama and Vice President Biden. If you have any 

questions regarding this report, your staff may contact Scott Frey, our Deputy Commissioner for 

Legislation and Congressional Affairs, at (202) 358-6030 or at Scott.Frey@ssa.gov.

Sincerely,

Carolyn W. Colvin

Acting Commissioner

Enclosure

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION BALTIMORE MD 21235-0001
.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-193)

directs the Social Security Administration (SSA) to report annually to the President and to the Congress on

the status of the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. Projections of program recipients and costs

through at least 25 years are required elements of these reports. This report is the 18th of such reports. 

Highlights of the SSI Program

 • The SSI program is a nationwide Federal assistance program administered by SSA that guarantees a

minimum level of income for aged, blind, or disabled individuals. It acts as a safety net for individuals

who have limited resources and little or no Social Security or other income.

 • In January 2014, 8.15 million individuals

received monthly Federal SSI payments averaging $516, a small increase of 75 thousand

recipients over the 8.07 million recipients with

an average payment of $507 in January 2013.

 • Federal expenditures for cash payments under

the SSI program during calendar year 2013

increased 3.3 percent to $53.4 billion, while

the funds made available to administer the SSI

program in fiscal year 2013 decreased 1.8 percent to $3.8 billion. In 2012, the corresponding

program and administrative expenditures were

$51.7 billion and $3.9 billion, respectively.

Major Findings of the Report

 • By 2038, the end of the 25-year projection period, we estimate that the Federal SSI recipient population will reach 9.2 million. The projected growth in the SSI program over the 25-year period is largely

due to the overall growth in the U.S. population, though the growth in the SSI recipient population is

projected to be somewhat slower than the growth in the U.S. population.

 • As a percentage of the total U.S. population, the number of Federal SSI recipients increased slightly

from 2.51 percent in 2012 to 2.52 percent in 2013. We project this percentage to gradually decline

throughout the 25-year projection period, reaching 2.35 percent of the population in 2038.

 • We estimate that Federal expenditures for SSI payments in calendar year 2014 will increase by $1.2

billion to $54.6 billion, an increase of 2.3 percent from 2013 levels.

 • In dollars adjusted by the Consumer Price Index to 2014 levels, we project that Federal expenditures

for SSI payments will increase to $61.2 billion in 2038, a real increase of 0.5 percent per year.

 • Federal SSI expenditures expressed as a percentage of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) were

0.32 percent in 2013. We project that expenditures as a percentage of GDP will decrease to

0.31 percent of GDP in 2014, and continue to decline thereafter to 0.22 percent of GDP by 2038.

Aged

9.4%

Disabled

under 18

19.0%

Disabled

18-64

62.9%

Disabled 65

or older

8.7%

SSI Federal Payments, Calendar Year 2013

$53.4 billion

(XI)

CONTENTS

I. INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

II. HIGHLIGHTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

A. RECENT PROGRAM EXPERIENCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

B. SSI LEGISLATION SINCE THE 2013 ANNUAL REPORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

C. CURRENT ISSUES FACING THE SSI PROGRAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

D. KEY RESULTS FROM THE 25-YEAR PROJECTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

III. THE SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME PROGRAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

A. BACKGROUND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

B. THE BASIC PLAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

C. UNIFORM STANDARDS AND OBJECTIVE CRITERIA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

D. ASSISTANCE OF LAST RESORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

1. Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

2. Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

3. Filing for Other Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

4. Eligibility Issues for Residents of Public Institutions or Medical Treatment Facilities. . . . 11

5. Personal Needs Allowance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

6. Deeming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

a. Spouse-to-Spouse Deeming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

b. Parent-to-Child Deeming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

c. Sponsor-to-Alien Deeming. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

E. INCENTIVES FOR WORK AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR REHABILITATION . . . . . . . . . 13

1. Earned Income Exclusion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

2. Impairment-Related Work Expense Exclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

3. Work Expenses of the Blind Exclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

4. Student Earned Income Exclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

5. Plan to Achieve Self-Support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

6. Special Provisions for Disabled Recipients Who Work. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

7. Vocational Rehabilitation/Ticket to Work Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

8. Expedited Reinstatement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

F. ADMINISTRATION OF THE SSI PROGRAM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

1. Application Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

2. Determination of Eligibility for Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

3. Payment of Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

4. Ensuring Continued Eligibility for Benefits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

5. Representative Payees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

6. Appeal Rights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

7. Fees for Attorneys and Non-attorney Representatives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

8. Advance Payments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

a. Emergency Advance Payments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

b. Presumptive Disability or Blindness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

G. STATE SUPPLEMENTATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

1. Optional State Supplementation Programs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

2. Mandatory State Supplementation Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

3. Administration of State Supplementation Payments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

4. Passalong Provisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
(XII)

H. COORDINATION WITH OTHER PROGRAMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

1. Windfall Offset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

2. Interim Assistance Reimbursement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

3. Medicaid Determinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

4. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

IV. ESTIMATES OF PROGRAM RECIPIENTS AND FEDERAL EXPENDITURES

UNDER THE SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME PROGRAM, 2014-2038 . . . . . . . 26

A. DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC ASSUMPTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

B. NUMBERS OF SSI PROGRAM RECIPIENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

C. FEDERAL PAYMENTS UNDER SSI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

D. FEDERAL SSI PAYMENTS AS A PERCENTAGE OF GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT . 52

E. THE SSI PROGRAM’S SHARE OF SSA’S ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS 

AND BENEFICIARY SERVICES COSTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

V. APPENDICES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

A. HISTORY OF PROVISIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

1. Basic Eligibility Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

2. Other Eligibility Provisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

a. Citizenship and U.S. Residency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

b. Other Benefits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

c. Drug Addiction and Alcoholism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

d. Institutionalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

e. Vocational Rehabilitation and Treatment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

f. Continuing Disability Reviews and Eligibility Redeterminations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

g. Deeming of Income and Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

3. Federal Benefit Payments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

a. Windfall Offset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

b. Proration of Benefit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

c. Retrospective Monthly Accounting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

d. Uncashed Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

e. Rounding of Payment Amounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

f. Penalties for False or Misleading Statements or Withholding of Information. . . . . . . . . 66

g. Installment Payments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

h. Retroactive Payments to Prisoners, Fugitive Felons, and Probation or Parole Violators. 67

4. Federal Benefit Rates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

5. Exclusions from Income. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

a. General Exclusions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

b. Special Exclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

6. Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

a. General Exclusions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

b. Special Exclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

c. Transfer-of-Resources Penalties. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

7. Presumptive and Emergency Payments and Interim Assistance Reimbursement . . . . . . . . 77

a. Presumptive Payments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

b. Emergency Advance Payments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

c. Interim Assistance Reimbursement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

8. Medicaid Eligibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

9. State Supplementation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

10. Overpayment Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

11. Fees for Attorneys and Non-Attorney Representatives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
(XIII)

B. INCOME AND RESOURCE EXCLUSIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

1. Earned Income Exclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

2. Unearned Income Exclusions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

3. Resource Exclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

C. HISTORICAL ALLOWANCE DATA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

1. Technical Notes on the Disability Research File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

2. General Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

D. HISTORICAL REDETERMINATION AND CONTINUING DISABILITY REVIEW DATA 97

1. Redeterminations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

2. Continuing Disability Reviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

E. INCENTIVES FOR WORK AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR REHABILITATION . . . . . . . . . 106

1. Work Incentives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

a. Numbers of Participants in Work Incentive Programs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

b. Average Earnings of Participants in Work Incentive Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

2. Vocational Rehabilitation/Ticket to Work Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

F. INVOLVEMENT OF SSI RECIPIENTS IN OTHER PROGRAMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

G. RESEARCH ON RELATED TOPICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

1. Ongoing Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

a. SSI Policy Simulations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

b. National Survey of SSI Children and Families . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

c. Analytic Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

d. Evaluation of the Ticket to Work Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

e. Homeless Outreach Projects and Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

f. Youth Transition Demonstration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

g. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families/Supplemental Security Income Disability 

Transition Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

h. Occupational Information System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

i. Homeless with Schizophrenia Presumptive Disability Pilot Demonstration . . . . . . . . . . 123

j. Promoting Readiness of Minors in SSI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124

2. Bibliography of Recent Publications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

H. GLOSSARY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142

ADDITIONAL STATEMENT BY THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADVISORY BOARD

(XV)

TABLES

III.H1 SSI State Supplementation and Coordination with Other Programs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

IV.A1 Historical and Projected Social Security Area Population based on the 

Intermediate Assumptions of the 2014 OASDI Trustees Report, as of July 1, 1974-2038. . . . 27

IV.A2 SSI Federal Benefit Rate Increases and Levels: Historical and Projected on the Basis of the 

Intermediate Assumptions of the 2014 OASDI Trustees Report, 1974-2038. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

IV.B1 SSI Federally Administered Applications, Calendar Years 1974-2038 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

IV.B2 SSI Federally Administered New Recipients, Calendar Years 1974-2038 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

IV.B3 SSI Federally Administered Terminations Due to Death, Calendar Years 1974-2038 . . . . . . . 35

IV.B4 SSI Federally Administered Terminations Due to Reasons Other Than Death, 

Calendar Years 1974-2038 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

IV.B5 SSI Federally Administered Terminations for All Reasons, Calendar Years 1974-2038 . . . . . 37

IV.B6 SSI Recipients with Federal Payments in Current-Payment Status as of December, 1974-2038 38

IV.B7 Federal SSI Prevalence Rates, as of December, 1974-2038 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

IV.B8 SSI Recipients with Federally Administered State Supplementation Payments Only,

in Current-Payment Status as of December, 1974-2038 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

IV.B9 SSI Recipients with Federally Administered Payments in Current-Payment Status 

as of December, 1974-2038. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

IV.C1 SSI Federal Payments in Current Dollars, Calendar Years 1974-2014 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

IV.C2 SSI Federal Payments in Current Dollars, Fiscal Years 1978-2014 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

IV.C3 SSI Federal Payments in CPI-Indexed 2014 Dollars, Calendar Years 1974-2038 . . . . . . . . . . 50

IV.C4 SSI Federally Administered State Supplementation Payments in Current Dollars, 

Calendar Years 1974-2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

IV.D1 SSI Federal Payments as a Percentage of GDP, Calendar Years 1974-2038. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

IV.E1 Selected SSI Costs, Fiscal Years 1978-2014 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

V.A1 Federal Benefit Rates Set by Legislation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

V.C1 Disabled Adult Claims: Disposition of Applications for SSI Disability Benefits by 

Year of Filing and Level of Decision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

V.C2 Disabled Child Claims: Disposition of Applications for SSI Disability Benefits by 

Year of Filing and Level of Decision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

V.D1 SSI Redeterminations and Limited Issues Completed, Fiscal Years 1986-2013. . . . . . . . . . . . 97

V.D2 SSI Continuing Disability Full Medical Reviews by Year of Initial Decision, 

Fiscal Years 1993-2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

V.D3 SSI Disabled Adult Reviews: Disposition of Medical Continuing Disability Reviews by 

Year of Initial Decision and Level of Decision, Fiscal Years 1999-2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

V.D4 SSI Disabled Child Reviews: Disposition of Medical Continuing Disability Reviews by 

Year of Initial Decision and Level of Decision, Fiscal Years 1999-2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
(XVI)

V.E1 SSI Substantial Gainful Activity and Student Earned Income Exclusion Amounts, 

Calendar Years 1974-2014 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

V.E2 SSI Federally Administered Blind or Disabled Working Recipients 

as of December, 1987-2013. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

V.E3 SSI Federally Administered Blind or Disabled Individuals with SSI Recipient 

Status Participating in Other Work Incentives as of December, 1990-2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108

V.E4 Average Monthly Earnings of SSI Federally Administered Blind or Disabled Working 

Recipients, as of December, 1987-2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

V.E5 Vocational Rehabilitation Reimbursement Claims Allowed, Fiscal Years 1987-2013 . . . . . . . 112

V.E6 Employment Network Payments Allowed, Fiscal Years 2002-2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

V.F1 Percentage of SSI Federally Administered Recipients in Current-Payment Status with 

Participationin Selected Programs Based on SSA Administrative Records, 

December 2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
(XVII)

FIGURES

IV.B1 SSI Federally Administered Applications by Age Group, Calendar Years 1975-2040 . . . . . . 32

IV.B2 SSI Federally Administered New Recipients by Age Group, Calendar Years 1975-2040 . . . . 34

IV.B3 SSI Federally Administered Terminations by Age Group, Calendar Years 1975-2040 . . . . . . 38

IV.B4 SSI Recipients with Federal Benefits in Current-Payment Status, by Age Group, 

as of December, 1975-2040. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

IV.B5 Federal SSI Prevalence Rates, by Age Group, as of December, 1975-2040. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

IV.B6 Age-Sex-Adjusted Federal SSI Prevalence Rates, by Eligibility Category, 

as of December, 1975-2040. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

IV.C1 SSI Federal Payments, by Age Group, in CPI-Indexed 2014 Dollars, 

Calendar Years 1975-2040 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

IV.D1 SSI Federal Payments, by Age Group, as a Percentage of GDP, Calendar Years 1975-2040. . 52

V.E1 SSI Federally Administered Blind or Disabled Working Recipients 

as of December, 1987-2013. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
.
2014 SSI Annual Report 1

I. INTRODUCTION

Congress established the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program in 1972 by amending the Social

Security Act (Act) to include title XVI, with payments beginning in 1974. The Social Security Administration (SSA) administers the program. SSI replaced the former Federal-State programs of Old-Age Assistance, Aid to the Blind, and Aid to the Permanently and Totally Disabled in the 50 States and the District

of Columbia. Residents of the Northern Mariana Islands became eligible for SSI in January 1978.

In 2014, the SSI program provides a monthly Federal cash payment of $721 ($1,082 for a couple if both

members are eligible) for an eligible person living in his or her own household and having no other countable income. Since 1975, these Federal SSI benefit rates have increased with the same cost-of-living

adjustment applied to benefits under the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) program.

In addition to setting a Federal benefit standard, the legislation establishing SSI also permitted individual

States to supplement the Federal payment with an additional monthly amount. As described in

section III.G, these State supplementation payments can be either voluntary at the option of the individual

States or, in certain cases, mandatory under requirements in effect when the SSI program began.

Under section 231 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, SSA

must submit a report on the SSI program to the President and Congress no later than May 30 of each

year.1 This is the 18th annual report on the SSI program. The legislative mandate requires that the report

include:

 • A comprehensive description of the SSI program;

 • Historical and current data relating to: (1) claims intake and dispositions at all levels of decision making; (2) demographic information about recipients, including program cost and prior enrollment in

other public benefit programs; (3) redeterminations, continuing disability reviews, and utilization of

work incentives; (4) administrative costs; and (5) State supplementation program operations; 

 • 25-year projections of future recipients and program costs; 

 • A historical summary of statutory changes to title XVI of the Act; and

 • Summaries of any relevant research on the SSI program by SSA or others.

In addition, the legislation specified that the report may include views of the SSI program by the Social

Security Advisory Board.

Much of the required information is the subject of extensive ongoing research. In responding to each of

the specific requests for information, every effort has been made to provide the best information available

at this time. SSA will continue to make improvements upon such information in order to help the President and Congress effectively manage this important part of our social safety net.

 1 The SSI Annual Report projections in Chapter IV use demographic and economic projections from the 2014 Annual Report of the Board of Trustees of the

Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and Federal Disability Insurance Trust Funds and, as a result, could not be released until that report was published. The 2014 Trustees Report was published on July 28, 2014.
Highlights

2 2014 SSI Annual Report

II. HIGHLIGHTS

The SSI program is a nationwide Federal assistance program administered by SSA that guarantees a minimum level of income for aged, blind, or disabled individuals. This section presents highlights of recent

SSI program experience, a summary of important changes to the program in the last year, a discussion of

current issues facing the SSI program, and a summary of the key results from the 25-year projections.

A. RECENT PROGRAM EXPERIENCE

SSI program experience during the past year included the following:

 • During calendar year 2013, 2.1 million individuals applied for SSI benefits based on blindness or disability, a decrease of 10 percent from 2012. Additionally, 148 thousand individuals applied for SSI

benefits based on age, an increase of 1 percent as compared to the 147 thousand who applied in 2012.

In 2013, 918 thousand applicants became new recipients of SSI benefits, a decrease of 6 percent as

compared to the 973 thousand who became new recipients in 2012.

 • Each month on average during calendar year 2013, 8.1 million individuals received Federal SSI benefits. This group was composed of 1.1 million aged recipients and 7.0 million blind or disabled recipients, of which 65 thousand were blind. Of these 7.0 million blind or disabled recipients, 1.3 million

were under age 18, and 0.9 million were aged 65 or older. During the year, 9.1 million aged, blind, or

disabled individuals received at least 1 month’s Federal SSI benefit.

 • Federal expenditures for payments under the SSI program in calendar year 2013 totaled $53.4 billion,

up from $51.7 billion in 2012.

 • Each month on average during calendar year 2013, 2.2 million individuals received federally administered State supplementation payments. This group was composed of 0.5 million aged recipients,

1.7 million disabled recipients, and fewer than 50 thousand blind recipients. During calendar

year 2013, 2.5 million individuals received at least 1 month’s federally administered State supplementation payment.

 • The recent decline in State expenditures for federally administered supplements, excluding fees for

administration, slowed down considerably in 2013 with State expenditures remaining at $3.3 billion,

roughly the same level as in 2012.

 • The percentage of SSI recipients receiving their benefits electronically increased from 83 percent in

fiscal year 2012 to 94 percent in fiscal year 2013. SSI recipient participation in direct deposit

increased gradually in the 2000’s after experiencing a period of sharp growth when it more than doubled from 24 percent in 1995 to 49 percent in 2000. Electronic receipt of benefits again increased significantly in 2013 and is expected to continue to increase somewhat in the next year as most SSI

recipients must receive their benefit payments by direct deposit, the Direct Express® debit card, or an

electronic transfer account.

 • The cost of administering the SSI program in fiscal year 2013 was $3.8 billion, which was roughly

7 percent of total federally administered SSI expenditures.

 • In January 2014, 8.4 million individuals received federally administered monthly SSI benefits averaging $535. Of these, 8.1 million received monthly Federal SSI payments averaging $516, and

2.2 million received monthly State supplementation payments averaging $122.
2014 SSI Annual Report 3

SSI Legislation Since The 2013 Annual Report

B. SSI LEGISLATION SINCE THE 2013 ANNUAL REPORT

Since we submitted the 2013 Annual Report of the Supplemental Security Income Program to the President

and Congress on June 20, 2013, there have been no legislative changes made to the SSI program.

C. CURRENT ISSUES FACING THE SSI PROGRAM

With this edition of the SSI Annual Report, we recognize the 40th anniversary of the SSI program,

acknowledging the enduring legacy of a nationwide cash assistance plan that has meant the difference

between poverty and security for millions of Americans. When President Richard Nixon signed the SSI

program into law on October 30, 1972, he effectively replaced a variety of State programs providing varying levels of income support for the aged, blind, and disabled, with a national system that provided

means-tested, standardized cash payments. Upon SSI’s implementation in January 1974, these most vulnerable individuals found themselves for the first time on equal footing—eligible for the same meanstested benefit based upon the same qualifications, regardless of the State in which they lived.

Today, more than four decades later, the SSI program continues to provide a safety net for the neediest of

aged, blind, and disabled Americans. These individuals frequently have nowhere else to turn, and rely on

the cash assistance provided by SSI for their basic needs of food, clothing, and shelter. Because the program plays such a crucial role in the lives of over 8 million Americans, we have an ongoing obligation to

promote its effective administration and to ensure SSI payments are paid accurately to the right person at

the right time.

Program Integrity Work

SSI is funded from general revenues. SSA is committed to protecting taxpayer dollars, and we strive to

maintain the public’s trust by ensuring effective stewardship of program dollars and administrative

resources. This work involves our efforts to prevent improper payments – including both overpayments

and underpayments – at all stages of program administration, from the initial application to the assessment

of continuing eligibility, and when improper payments are made, to correct or recover them as soon as possible. 

As SSI is a means-tested program, individuals must have income and resources (i.e., assets) below specified levels to be eligible for benefits. Accordingly, we need to be able to determine the income and

resources of recipients on an ongoing basis. Our vital program integrity work supplements recipients’

reports of changing circumstances, helping ensure that only those persons eligible for benefits continue to

receive them. 

One of our most valuable tools used to accomplish this goal is the SSI redetermination process. During the

redetermination, we review all the nonmedical criteria for eligibility, including living arrangements, and

income and asset levels. In fiscal year 2013, we completed 2.6 million redeterminations. We use a statistical model to select many of the cases that are reviewed, selecting those that are most likely to have undergone a change in circumstances potentially affecting eligibility or payment amount. 

In our efforts to accurately pay benefits, we also conduct continuing disability reviews (CDR). CDRs are

periodic reviews of a recipient’s medical impairment to determine if he or she is still disabled according to

agency rules. We conduct two types of reviews as part of the CDR process: full medical reviews and mailers. A full medical CDR requires a medical evaluation and disability determination by our disability determination services (DDS) examiners. Generally, the cases with the highest likelihood of medical

improvement receive a full medical review, whereas, the remaining cases due for review receive a mailer 
Highlights

4 2014 SSI Annual Report

requesting updates on their impairments, medical treatment, and work activities. In fiscal year 2013, we

completed 429,000 full medical CDRs.1

Advances in Program Integrity Methods

As we review recipient eligibility, we rely on emerging technology to support our efforts. For example, the

Access to Financial Institutions (AFI) initiative is one of our most useful tools to detect improper payments caused by excess resources held in financial accounts. AFI is an alternative to the traditional SSI

asset verification practices of beneficiary self-reporting and direct contact with financial institutions. We

use AFI to identify excess resources in bank accounts of SSI applicants and recipients by electronically

checking for known and potentially unreported accounts directly with the financial institution. This process has proven very cost effective and useful in identifying undisclosed accounts. Currently, we use AFI

in processing SSI initial claims and redeterminations in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Another very important tool we use to reduce improper payments is the SSI Telephone Wage Reporting

System (SSITWR). SSITWR is an automated, toll-free telephone number that allows beneficiaries,

deemors (i.e., spouses or parents whose income and resources are considered in determining SSI eligibility

and payment amount), and representative payees to report wages by calling in and using either

voice-recognition or touch-tone software. This system automatically enters the wage data into the SSI system, which eliminates the need to enter a manual report. These telephone reports generally are accurate

and require no additional evidence, which saves time in our field offices. SSITWR has allowed us to process more wage reports automatically, thereby reducing wage-related errors.

In addition to continuing to expand the use of SSITWR, SSA has introduced an alternative for individuals

to make monthly wage reports through an Android or iPhone smartphone application. This alternate

method of wage reporting will help reduce delays in posting of a recipient’s income change to our systems. We expect new tools such as these for wage reporting will help reduce improper SSI payments. 

 Program Complexity

Another area of the SSI program requiring thoughtful attention is program complexity. The process of

evaluating eligibility and payment levels on an ongoing basis and addressing the accuracy of payments

both contribute to the complexity of the SSI program. Income and living arrangements, for example, are

two of the factors used to determine an individual’s monthly benefit. Income can be in cash or in kind, and

is usually anything that a person receives that can be used to obtain food or shelter. It includes cash income

such as wages, Social Security benefits, pensions, and unemployment compensation. In-kind income is

food and shelter or something someone can use to obtain those items. Generally, the amount of the cash

income or the value of the in-kind income is deducted from the Federal benefit rate, which is currently

$721 a month. Additional rules regarding the consideration of earned income, unearned income, and calculation of payments amounts further complicate this picture. 

An individual’s living arrangement also affects his or her monthly benefit. For instance, when an individual moves into a nursing home, the person’s monthly payment may be reduced to as little as $30 per

month. If the person moves from his or her own household into the household of another person, and that

person provides food or shelter, the payment also may be reduced. 

1 This figure is the total number of full medical CDRs completed in fiscal year 2013, including cases involving SSI and/or Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance. In each of the past 10 years, full medical CDRs involving SSI recipients have represented over 60 percent of the total number of full medical

CDRs processed.
2014 SSI Annual Report 5

Key Results From The 25-Year Projections

In another example of SSI program complexity, the value of an individual’s resources also affects eligibility for the program. An individual is not eligible for benefits if his or her countable resources exceed

$2,000, and couples are not eligible if their countable resources exceed $3,000. In general, we count as

resources items individuals can convert to cash and use for their support and maintenance, such as bank

accounts, stocks, and bonds. Congress has amended the Act many times to add new resource exclusions,

further increasing the complexity of the program. In short, the many factors SSA must evaluate in determining eligibility and payment amounts result in a program that is especially complicated to explain and

labor-intensive to manage.

Conclusion

More than 40 years after its implementation, the SSI program continues to provide support for millions of

vulnerable Americans. However, the program faces challenges related to its requirement to respond to

changing circumstances of beneficiaries. Fluctuations in either income or resources may affect eligibility

or payment amounts. And while the SSI program was never simple, it has become increasingly complex

over the years. Some of these complexities stem from the way SSI payments are calculated, which is

defined by statute, while others are related to administrative rules we use to determine program eligibility.

Although we continue to make positive strides in improving the administration of the SSI program, legislators and program administrators will be pressed to find ways to reduce this complexity. Our goal remains

consistent: to pay the right person the right benefit at the right time, and we will use every tool at our disposal to ensure that SSI payments are accurate. Moving forward, we will continue to search for ways to

simplify the SSI program and to pursue technological improvements, resulting in a program that is easier

for the public to understand, more efficient for us to administer, and continues to provide support to vulnerable Americans.

D. KEY RESULTS FROM THE 25-YEAR PROJECTIONS

The major findings in the 25-year projections prepared for this report are:

 • Following small declines in the SSI recipient population in the late 1990s due to the combined impact

of Public Law 104-121 (the Contract With America Advancement Act of 1996) and Public Law 104-

193 (the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996), modest growth

in the SSI rolls resumed in 2000. The economic recession that began in late 2007 led to faster growth

in the SSI recipient population in recent years. We expect a somewhat higher level of growth to continue for a few years due to the still-elevated unemployment rates during the remainder of the recovery from the recent economic downturn. That brief period of elevated growth is projected to be

followed by a return to more modest growth throughout the remainder of the projection period at a

rate somewhat slower than the rate of growth in the U.S. population. By 2038, we estimate that the

Federal SSI recipient population will reach 9.2 million. As a percentage of the total U.S. population,

we project the number of Federal SSI recipients to decrease very gradually from 2.52 in 2013 to 2.35

percent of the population by 2038.

 • We estimate that Federal expenditures for SSI payments in calendar year 2014 will increase by

$1.2 billion to $54.6 billion, an increase of 2.3 percent from 2013 levels. In dollars adjusted by the

Consumer Price Index to 2014 levels, we project that SSI program outlays will increase to $61.2 billion in 2038, a real increase of 0.5 percent per year.

 • Federal SSI expenditures were 0.32 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2013. We project

that such expenditures will decrease to 0.31 percent of GDP in 2014, and continue to decline thereafter to 0.22 percent of GDP by 2038.
The Supplemental Security Income Program

6 2014 SSI Annual Report

III. THE SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME PROGRAM 

This section presents a brief history and comprehensive description of the SSI program. This section also

includes information on the administration of the program and coordination with other programs.

A. BACKGROUND

Federal entitlement programs for the aged, blind, or disabled have their roots in the original Act of 1935.

The Act established an old-age social insurance program administered by the Federal Government and an

old-age means-tested assistance program administered by the States. Congress added similar programs for

the blind or disabled to the Act in later years. Means-tested assistance provided a safety net for individuals

who were either ineligible for Social Security or whose benefits could not provide a basic level of income.

This means-tested assistance comprised three separate programs—Old-Age Assistance, Aid to the Blind,

and Aid to the Permanently and Totally Disabled. Despite substantial Federal financing, these programs

were essentially State programs. Federal law established only broad guidelines for assistance. The Federal

Government provided matching funds to support whatever payment levels the States established, with no

maximum or minimum standards. Consequently, each State was responsible for setting its own standards

for determining who would get assistance and how much they would receive.

Beginning in the early 1960s, this State-operated, federally assisted system drew criticism directed at the

“crazy quilt” eligibility requirements and payment levels. Other criticism centered on specific requirements, such as lien laws and provisions that required certain relatives to bear responsibility for the maintenance of family members in need.

Responding to these concerns, Congress passed and the President approved the SSI program in 1972,

which substantially reversed the Federal and State roles with regard to adult assistance. Under the new

arrangement, SSI provides a uniform Federal income floor while optional State programs supplement that

floor. The new program was historic in that it shifted responsibility from the States to the Federal Government for determining who would receive assistance and how much assistance they would receive. 

B. THE BASIC PLAN

The main objective of the SSI program is to provide basic financial support of aged, blind, or disabled

individuals whose income and resources are below certain limits. Congress designed the SSI program

based on the following principles:

 • Eligibility requirements and benefit standards that are nationally uniform and eligibility determinations based on objective criteria;

 • An assistance source of last resort for the aged, blind, or disabled whose income and resources are

below specified levels;

 • Incentives and opportunities for those recipients able to work or to be rehabilitated that would enable

them to reduce their dependency on public assistance;

 • An efficient and economical method of providing assistance;

 • Inducements to encourage States to provide supplementation of the basic Federal benefit and protection for former recipients of State adult assistance programs who were converted to the SSI program;

and
2014 SSI Annual Report 7

Uniform Standards and Objective Criteria

 • Appropriate coordination of the SSI program with the food stamp, medical assistance, and other programs.1

C. UNIFORM STANDARDS AND OBJECTIVE CRITERIA

Prior to the SSI program, the eligibility of aged, blind, or disabled individuals for federally funded adult

assistance depended on the State in which they lived. Benefit levels varied from State to State. The SSI

program replaced the State-run programs with a national program with uniform standards and objective

eligibility criteria. These standards include:

 • A uniform limitation on the dollar amount or value of income and resources that an individual can

have and still qualify for SSI assistance. The countable income limits for individuals and couples are

equal to their respective Federal benefit rates2 and increase annually according to changes in the cost

of living. For 2014, the Federal benefit rate is $721 a month for individuals and $1,082 a month for

couples. The resource limit is $2,000 in countable resources for individuals and $3,000 for couples.

 • A uniform standard of 65 as the minimum age for assistance based on age.

 • A uniform definition of disability and blindness. The definitions for individuals age 18 or older are

the same as those used for the Social Security Disability Insurance program. In order to be considered

disabled, an individual must have a medically determinable physical or mental impairment that is

expected to last or has lasted at least 12 continuous months or is expected to result in death and: (1) if

age 18 or older, prevents him or her from doing any substantial gainful activity (SGA);3 or (2) if

under age 18, results in marked and severe functional limitations. However, individuals for whom

addiction to drugs or alcoholism is a contributing factor material to the determination of their disabilities are not eligible for benefits. In order to be considered blind, an individual must have central

visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye with the use of a correcting lens or have tunnel vision

of 20 degrees or less.

 • A uniform standard for citizenship and residency. In order to be eligible for SSI, an individual

must be a citizen or national of the United States, an American Indian born in Canada who is admitted to the United States under section 289 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), an

American Indian born outside the United States who is a member of a federally recognized Indian

tribe under section 4(e) of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, a noncitizen

who was receiving SSI benefits on August 22, 1996, or a qualified alien4 in one of the following categories:5

 — Certain noncitizens who are blind or disabled and were lawfully residing in the United States on

August 22, 1996;

1 For example, as explained in section III.H, SSI recipients in most States are also automatically eligible for Medicaid, which generally provides for their

medical needs.

2 See table IV.A2 for historical and estimated future Federal benefit rates.

3 “SGA” describes a level of work activity that is both substantial (i.e., involves the performance of significant physical or mental activities) and gainful

(i.e., activities in work for pay or profit, or in work generally performed for pay or profit). SGA rules do not apply to the SSI blind. Generally, earnings from

work activity of over $1,070 a month are evidence of ability to engage in SGA. If an SSI applicant is earning over $1,070 a month, he or she generally would

not be considered disabled. However, if an SSI recipient is earning over $1,070 a month, he or she could continue to be eligible for SSI. (See “Incentives for

Work and Opportunities for Rehabilitation” section III.E.) The SGA level of $1,070 was increased from $1,040 effective January 1, 2014 (78 FR 66413).

According to regulation, SSA bases yearly increases in the SGA level on increases in the national average wage index. See table V.E1 for the history of SGA

level amounts.

4 A complete list of noncitizens who are considered qualified aliens can be found in the Glossary under “Qualified Alien.” However, to be eligible to

receive SSI benefits, these qualified aliens also must be in one of the categories listed.

5 Generally, the law limits SSI eligibility for humanitarian immigrants to 7 years. However, under the “SSI Extension for Elderly and Disabled Refugees

Act,” which became law on September 30, 2008, lawmakers extended the 7-year period to 9 years during the window of October 1, 2008 through

September 30, 2011. Afterwards, the SSI eligibility period reverted back to 7 years. Noncitizens who had naturalization applications pending during this

same 3-year window were exempt from the 7-year limitation.
The Supplemental Security Income Program

8 2014 SSI Annual Report

 — Refugees (eligibility generally limited to the 7-year period after their arrival in the United

States);

 — Asylees (eligibility generally limited to the 7-year period after the date they are granted asylum);

 — Noncitizens who have had their deportations withheld under section 243(h) of the INA as in

effect prior to April 1, 1997, or who have had their removals withheld under section 241(b)(3) of

the INA (eligibility generally limited to the 7-year period after the date that deportation or

removal is withheld);

 — Cuban and Haitian entrants as defined by Federal statute, including: 1) section 501(e) of the Refugee Education Assistance Act of 1980; 2) former parolees and other aliens who became residents under the Cuban Adjustment Act of 1966; 3) aliens who became permanent residents

under the Nicaraguan and Central American Relief Act; 4) aliens who adjusted status as Cuban/

Haitian entrants under the provisions of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986; and

5) aliens who became permanent residents under the Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act

(eligibility for these categories generally limited to the 7-year period after the date that entrant

status is granted);

 — Amerasian immigrants admitted pursuant to section 584 of the Foreign Operations, Export

Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 1988 and subsequent amendments (eligibility generally limited to the 7-year period after their arrival in the United States);

 — Noncitizen active duty U.S. Armed Forces personnel, honorably discharged veterans, and their

spouses and dependent children; or

 — Lawful permanent residents (LPR) who have earned or can be credited (from their spouses or

parents) with 40 qualifying quarters of earnings. Qualified aliens in this category must also serve

a 5-year waiting period in which they cannot receive SSI. This waiting period begins with the

date they either entered the United States as an LPR or were adjusted to LPR status.

In addition, certain noncitizens are treated as refugees for SSI purposes:

 — Noncitizens certified by the Department of Health and Human Services to be victims of trafficking in persons in the United States1 (eligibility generally limited to the 7 years after a determination is made that they are trafficking victims); and 

 — Iraqi or Afghan noncitizens granted special immigrant status under emergency conditions, such

as Iraqis or Afghans who have provided service to the U.S. government and, as a result, may be

in danger within their country of origin (eligibility for SSI generally limited to the 7 years after

the special immigrant status is granted).

In addition to being a U.S. citizen (or national) or in one of the potentially eligible noncitizen categories, an individual must reside in one of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, or the Northern Mariana Islands. An individual also must be physically present in the United States.2 There are two

exceptions to the residency and physical presence requirements: 

1 Generally defined as the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services through the use of force, fraud, or

coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery.

2 Fifty States, the District of Columbia, or the Northern Mariana Islands.
2014 SSI Annual Report 9

Assistance of Last Resort

 — Blind or disabled children who are citizens of the United States may continue to be eligible for

payments if they are living outside the United States with a parent who is on duty as a member of

the U.S. Armed Forces. This exception also applies to blind or disabled children of military personnel who: (1) are born overseas; (2) become blind or disabled overseas; or (3) applied for SSI

benefits while overseas.

 — Students studying abroad for not more than 1 year also may continue to be eligible for payments

if the studies are sponsored by a U.S. educational institution but could not be conducted in the

United States.

D. ASSISTANCE OF LAST RESORT

As a means-tested program, SSI takes into account all income and resources that an individual has or can

access. The amount of an individual’s countable income and resources are the measure of his or her need

for assistance.

1. Income

The Act requires us to consider an individual’s income in determining both eligibility for and the amount

of his or her SSI benefit. We first compute an individual’s “countable” income (i.e., income less all applicable exclusions) on a calendar month basis. We then compute his or her monthly benefit by subtracting

countable income from the applicable Federal benefit rate.1 Generally, ineligibility for SSI occurs when

countable income equals the Federal benefit rate plus the amount of an applicable federally administered

State supplementation payment.2

When an individual lives in the household of another and receives support and maintenance in-kind (i.e.,

room and board) from the householder, the Federal benefit rate decreases by one-third. This reduction is in

lieu of counting the actual value of the support and maintenance as unearned income. In contrast, we count

the value of food or shelter-related items the individual receives in-kind from persons other than the

householder (including in-kind assistance from outside the household in which he or she lives) as

unearned income. However, the amount that is countable is limited to an amount equal to one-third of the

applicable Federal benefit rate plus $20.

The Act defines two kinds of income—earned and unearned. Earned income is wages, net earnings from

self-employment, remuneration for work in a sheltered workshop, royalties on published work, and honoraria for services. All other income is unearned including, for example, Social Security benefits, pensions,

and unemployment compensation. The distinction between earned and unearned income is significant

because different exclusions apply to each type of income. 

However, under the law, not everything an individual receives is income. Generally, if the item received is

not food or shelter or cannot be used to obtain food or shelter, it will not be considered as income. For

example, if someone pays an individual’s medical bills or offers free medical care, or if the individual

receives money from a social services agency that is a repayment of an amount he or she previously spent,

that value is not considered income to the individual. In addition, some items that are considered to be

income are excluded when determining the amount of an individual’s benefit.

1 See table IV.A2 for historical and estimated future Federal benefit rates. We adjust Federal benefit rates in January to reflect changes in the cost of living.

2 We discuss State supplementation payments in section III.G.
The Supplemental Security Income Program

10 2014 SSI Annual Report

Income Exclusions1

The principal earned income exclusions are: 

 • The first $65 per month plus one-half of the remainder; 

 • Impairment-related work expenses of the disabled and work expenses of the blind; 

 • Income set aside or being used to pursue a plan to achieve self-support (PASS) by a disabled or blind

individual; and 

 • The first $30 of infrequent or irregularly received income in a quarter. 

The principal unearned income exclusions are: 

 • The first $20 per month;2

 • Income set aside or being used to pursue a PASS by a disabled or blind individual; 

 • State or locally funded assistance based on need; 

 • Rent subsidies under the Department of Housing and Urban Development programs;

 • The value of food stamps; and 

 • The first $60 of infrequent or irregularly received income in a quarter. 

2. Resources 

The Act also requires us to consider the value of an individual’s resources in determining whether he or

she is eligible for SSI in any given month. The statute states that eligibility is restricted to individuals who

have countable resources, determined monthly, that do not exceed $2,000 ($3,000 for a couple). Although

the statute does not define “resources,” it lists those items that are not considered resources. Our regulations define a resource to be a liquid asset, such as cash, or any real or personal property that individuals,

spouses of individuals, or parents of a child under the age of 18 own and could convert to cash for their

support and maintenance, but there are numerous and complex exceptions to this general rule.

If an applicant disposes of resources at less than fair market value within the 36-month period prior to his

or her application for SSI or at any time thereafter, he or she may be penalized. The penalty is a loss of SSI

benefits for a number of months (up to a 36-month maximum).3 The penalty does not apply if the applicant can show that the resources were disposed of exclusively for a purpose other than establishing SSI

eligibility.

1 A complete list of the SSI income exclusions can be found in section V.B.

2 Any portion of this $20 amount not used to exclude unearned income may be used to exclude earned income.

3 We calculate the number of months of penalty by dividing the uncompensated value of disposed-of-resources by the Federal benefit rate plus the maximum federally administered State supplementation payment, if any, applicable to the individual’s living arrangement.
2014 SSI Annual Report 11

Assistance of Last Resort

Resource Exclusions1

The principal resource exclusions are:

 • The home and land appertaining to it, regardless of value;

 • Life insurance policies whose total face value does not exceed $1,500;

 • Burial funds not in excess of $1,500 each for an individual and spouse (plus accrued interest);

 • Household goods, if needed for maintenance, use and occupancy of the home;

 • Personal effects;

 • An automobile, if used to provide necessary transportation;

 • Property essential to self-support;

 • Resources set aside to fulfill a PASS; and

 • Amounts deposited into either a Temporary Assistance for Needy Families or an Assets for Independence Act individual development account, including matching funds, and interest earned on such

amounts.

3. Filing for Other Benefits 

As the “program of last resort,” eligible individuals receive SSI benefits only to the extent other income

and resources do not satisfy their needs. After evaluating all other income and resources, SSI pays what is

necessary to bring an individual to the statutorily prescribed income floor. In keeping with this principle,

the Act requires that SSI applicants and recipients file for other payments for which they may be eligible,

such as annuities, pensions, retirement or disability benefits, workers’ compensation, and unemployment

insurance benefits. 

We must provide an individual with written notice of potential eligibility for other benefits and of the

requirement to take all appropriate steps to pursue these benefits. The individual has 30 days from receipt

of the notice to file for the benefits involved. 

4. Eligibility Issues for Residents of Public Institutions or Medical Treatment Facilities 

State and local governments—rather than the Federal Government—traditionally have taken the financial

responsibility for residents of their public institutions. The SSI program continues this long-standing public assistance policy. Residents of public institutions for a full calendar month are generally ineligible for

SSI unless one of the following exceptions applies:

 • The public institution is a medical treatment facility and Medicaid pays more than 50 percent of the

cost of care, or in the case of a child under age 18, Medicaid or private health insurance pays more

than 50 percent of the cost of care—in these situations, the SSI payment is limited to $30;

 • The public institution is a publicly-operated community residence that serves no more than

16 residents;

1 We include a more detailed list of the SSI resource exclusions in section V.B.
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12 2014 SSI Annual Report

 • The public institution is an emergency shelter for the homeless—in these situations payments are limited to no more than 6 months in any 9-month period;

 • The recipient was eligible under section 1619(a) or (b)1 for the month preceding the first full month in

the public institution and permitted by the institution to retain any benefits—in this situation, payments are limited to 2 months; or

 • A physician certifies that the recipient’s stay in a medical treatment facility is likely not to exceed

3 months, and SSA determines that continued SSI eligibility is necessary to maintain and provide for

the expenses of the home to which the individual will return. In this situation, the recipient may continue to receive the full benefit for any of the first 3 full months of medical confinement if he or she

meets all other conditions for payment.

5. Personal Needs Allowance 

When individuals enter medical treatment facilities in which Medicaid pays more than half of the bill, the

law generally requires us to reduce their monthly Federal benefit rate to $30 beginning with the first full

calendar month they are in the facility. In the case of an individual under age 18, the $30 payment amount

is also applicable if private insurance or a combination of Medicaid and private insurance pays more than

half the bill. In these cases, the SSI program provides up to $30 a month for small comfort items not provided by the facility. 

6. Deeming 

The Act requires us to count, in certain situations, the income and resources of others in determining

whether an individual’s income and resources fall within the income and resource limits established by

law. We call this process “deeming”; it applies in cases where an eligible individual lives with an ineligible

spouse, an eligible child lives with an ineligible parent, or an eligible noncitizen has a sponsor.2 In concept, the practice takes into account the responsibility of the spouse, parent, or sponsor to provide for the

basic needs of the eligible individual. 

a. Spouse-to-Spouse Deeming 

When an eligible individual lives in the same household with a spouse who is not eligible for SSI, we

deem the ineligible spouse’s income and resources to be available to the eligible individual. In determining

the amount of income and resources available to the eligible individual, we use all applicable exclusions.

In addition, the law provides a living allowance for the ineligible spouse as well as for any ineligible children under age 18 (or under age 22 and a student) living in the household. The allowance reduces the

amount of income to be deemed. Spouse-to-spouse deeming generally results in approximately the same

amount of income available to the couple that would be available if both members of the couple were

aged, blind, or disabled and eligible for SSI.

Deeming does not apply when the eligible individual is not living in the same household as the ineligible

spouse. However, if the ineligible spouse’s absence is temporary or is due solely to an active duty assignment as a member of the U.S. Armed Forces, deeming continues to apply. 

1 See section III.E.6 of this report for a description of the special section 1619 provisions for disabled individuals who work.

2 Deeming also applies to an individual who lives with an essential person (a concept carried over from the former State assistance plans). However, there

are fewer than 30 of these cases remaining.
2014 SSI Annual Report 13

Incentives for Work and Opportunities for Rehabilitation

b. Parent-to-Child Deeming 

A child under age 18 is subject to deeming from an ineligible natural or adoptive parent (and that parent’s

spouse if any) living in the same household. Deeming does not apply if: (1) a child lives in a household

with only the spouse of a parent (i.e., a stepparent); and (2) the natural or adoptive parent has permanently

left the household. Deeming to a child continues if the parent is absent from the household only if the

absence is temporary or due solely to active duty assignment as a member of the U.S. Armed Forces. If a

child lives in a household in which all members are receiving public assistance benefits, we do not consider that child to be receiving any support, and deeming does not apply.

In the deeming computation, we first calculate the parent’s income, using any exclusions that apply. Then

we subtract a living allowance for the parent(s) and each ineligible child under age 18 (or under age 22 if a

student) who is living in the household. We deem the remainder to be available to the eligible child(ren). 

c. Sponsor-to-Alien Deeming 

We deem the income and resources of noncitizens to include those of their sponsors. The way we deem the

income and resources and the length of the deeming period depends on whether the sponsor signed a

legally enforceable affidavit of support1 or the previous version of the affidavit. Generally, noncitizens

who entered the country before 1998 did so under the old version of the affidavit.2

Under the old version of the affidavit, deeming of the sponsor’s income and resources lasts until the noncitizen has been in the United States for 3 years.3 The law provides living allowances equal to the Federal

benefit rate for the sponsor as well as allowances equal to one-half of the Federal benefit rate for each of

the sponsor’s dependents. The law also provides allowances for the sponsor and his or her family members

in determining deemed resources. These allowances reduce the amount of the sponsor’s income and

resources deemed to the noncitizen.

For noncitizens admitted into the United States under a legally enforceable affidavit of support, deeming

generally applies until the noncitizen becomes a U.S. citizen. Deeming ends before citizenship if the noncitizen has earned, or can be credited with, 40 qualifying quarters of earnings. Children and spouses of

workers may be credited with quarters earned by the worker. A quarter otherwise earned after 1996 does

not count as 1 of the required 40 if the noncitizen or worker received Federal means-tested public benefits

during the relevant period. 

For this group of noncitizens, deeming also does not apply for specified periods if the noncitizens or their

children or parents have been battered or subjected to extreme cruelty while in the United States or if

sponsors leave the noncitizens indigent by not providing them with sufficient support. 

E. INCENTIVES FOR WORK AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR REHABILITATION

SSI benefits provide a basic level of assistance for individuals who are blind or disabled with limited earnings capacity due to their impairments. Nonetheless, for recipients who want to work, the SSI program is

designed to encourage and support their work attempts in order to help them achieve greater degrees of

independence. The SSI program includes a number of work incentives that enable recipients who are blind

or disabled to work and retain benefits or to increase their levels of work activity without the loss of SSI

1 Legally enforceable affidavits of support are required by Public Law 104-208.

2 The Immigration and Naturalization Service now known as the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services began using the new, legally enforceable affidavits on December 19, 1997. However, if a potential immigrant had a visa issued before that date, the sponsor would sign an old version of the affidavit even if the affidavit was signed after December 19, 1997.

3 For a temporary period—January 1994 through September 1996—the deeming period was 5 years.
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14 2014 SSI Annual Report

disability status or Medicaid. These incentives provide higher amounts of income or resource exclusions

as recognition of the expenses associated with working or as inducements to seek rehabilitation services

and support for work efforts. 

The SSI program also includes provisions to help disabled recipients obtain vocational rehabilitation (VR)

and employment support services. These provisions were revised by legislation establishing the Ticket to

Work program, which we describe in section III.E.7.

1. Earned Income Exclusion 

We exclude the first $65 ($85 if the individual has no income other than earnings) of any monthly earned

income plus one-half of remaining earnings for SSI benefit computation purposes. This general earned

income exclusion offsets expenses incurred when working.

2. Impairment-Related Work Expense Exclusion 

We exclude the costs of certain impairment-related services and items that a disabled (but not blind) individual needs in order to work from earned income in determining SSI eligibility and payment amounts.

In calculating these expenses, amounts equal to the costs of certain attendant care services, medical

devices, equipment, prostheses, vehicle modifications, residential modifications to accommodate wheelchairs, and similar items and services are deductible from earnings. The costs of routine drugs and routine

medical services are not deductible unless these drugs and services are necessary to control the disabling

condition.

3. Work Expenses of the Blind Exclusion 

We exclude any earned income by a blind individual used to meet expenses needed to earn that income

from earned income in determining SSI eligibility and payment amounts. A deductible expense need not

be directly related to the worker’s blindness; it need only be an ordinary and necessary work expense of

the worker.

Some frequently excluded work expenses include transportation to and from work, meals consumed

during work hours, job equipment, licenses, income or Federal Insurance Contributions Act taxes, and

costs of job training. 

4. Student Earned Income Exclusion 

The student earned income exclusion is an additional exclusion for an individual who is under age 22 and

regularly attending school. Under current regulations, we exclude up to $1,750 of earned income per

month but no more than $7,060 per year.1

5. Plan to Achieve Self-Support 

A PASS allows a disabled or blind individual to set aside income and resources to get a specific type of job

or to start a business. A PASS may involve setting aside funds for education or vocational training. A

recipient can also set aside funds to purchase work-related equipment or pay for transportation related to

1 Increased from $1,730 and $6,960, respectively, effective January 1, 2014 (78 FR 66413). Under current regulations, this amount increases yearly based

on changes in the cost of living.
2014 SSI Annual Report 15

Incentives for Work and Opportunities for Rehabilitation

the work goal. We exclude the income and resources that a recipient sets aside under the SSI income and

resources tests. 

The individual must have a feasible work goal, must have a specific savings or spending plan, and must

provide for a clearly identifiable accounting for the funds that he or she sets aside. We must approve the

PASS; the individual must then follow the plan and negotiate revisions as needed. SSA monitors the plans

by reviewing them periodically to evaluate the individual’s progress towards attaining the work goal. 

6. Special Provisions for Disabled Recipients Who Work 

This work incentive generally is known by its section number in the Act—section 1619. Under section

1619(a), disabled individuals who would cease to be eligible because of earnings over the SGA level may

receive special cash benefits as long as they:

 • Continue to have the disabling condition;

 • Have income under the amount that would cause ineligibility for any payment under SSI income

counting rules; and

 • Meet all other nondisability requirements for SSI payment.

In many States, being a recipient of the special benefit permits the individual to be eligible for Medicaid

benefits.

Section 1619(b) also provides “SSI recipient” status for Medicaid eligibility purposes to individuals:

 • Whose earnings preclude any SSI payment but are not sufficient to provide a reasonable equivalent of

SSI benefits, social services, and Medicaid benefits that an individual would have in the absence of

earnings; and 

 • Whose ability to continue working would be seriously inhibited by the loss of social services and

Medicaid benefits. 

To qualify for extended Medicaid coverage under section 1619(b) an individual must: 

 • Have a disabling condition;

 • Need Medicaid in order to work;

 • Not be able to afford equivalent medical coverage and publicly funded personal or attendant care

without assistance; 

 • Meet all nondisability requirements for SSI payment other than earnings; and 

 • Have received a regular SSI cash payment in a previous month within the current period of eligibility.

In some States, the individual must have qualified for Medicaid the month preceding the first month

of 1619 eligibility.

In determining whether individuals’ earnings are not sufficient to provide them with the equivalent benefits they would be eligible for if they stopped working, we compare their earnings to a threshold amount

for their State of residence. Section 1619(b) status continues if the earnings are at or below the threshold.

If earnings exceed the State threshold, we make an individualized assessment of the need for Medicaid and

1619(b) status may continue. 
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16 2014 SSI Annual Report

7. Vocational Rehabilitation/Ticket to Work Program

Since the beginning of the SSI program, State VR agencies have provided services to those blind or disabled SSI recipients whom they have accepted as clients. SSA has traditionally reimbursed the VR agency

for services provided in situations where the services result in the individual’s working at the SGA level

for a continuous period of 9 months and in certain other limited situations.

The Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999 established a Ticket to Work and SelfSufficiency program under which a blind or disabled beneficiary may obtain VR, employment, and other

support services from a qualified private or public provider, referred to as an “employment network” (EN),

or from a State VR agency. In addition, the Ticket to Work legislation provided that ENs would be compensated under an outcome or outcome-milestone payment system.1 By expanding the pool of providers

and giving the providers incentives for achieving success, this program seeks to expand a disabled beneficiary’s access to these services in order to assist the beneficiary in finding, entering, and retaining employment and reducing his or her dependence on cash benefits.

The Ticket to Work program has been in operation nationwide since September 2004. Under this program,

SSA provides access to employment support services to eligible individuals who receive SSI benefits due

to blindness or disability. These individuals may obtain the VR services, employment services, and other

support services needed to return to work or go to work for the first time. The Ticket to Work program provides that as long as the beneficiary is “using a ticket” SSA will not initiate a continuing disability review

to determine whether the beneficiary has medically improved.

ENs and State VR agencies are the only providers of VR services to disabled SSI recipients that SSA can

compensate for those services. All ENs receive their compensation through the Ticket to Work program’s

milestone or outcome-based payment system. Unless State VR agencies have elected to participate as an

EN for specific cases, they receive compensation under the traditional VR reimbursement system. Any

services provided by the State VR agencies to SSI recipients who are not yet eligible for a ticket receive

compensation under the traditional VR reimbursement system.

Individuals who improve medically and, therefore, are no longer considered disabled or blind may continue to receive SSI benefits if they are actively participating in the Ticket to Work program or another

approved program of VR services, employment services, or other support services. For benefits to continue, SSA must determine that continuing or completing the program will increase the likelihood that the

individual will be permanently removed from the SSI rolls. SSI benefits and Medicaid generally continue

until the recipient completes the approved program or the individual ceases to participate in the program.

In 2008, SSA revised the Ticket to Work regulations to enhance beneficiary choice and improve the effectiveness of the program. The revisions extended the program to all adult OASDI disabled and SSI blind or

disabled beneficiaries, removed disincentives for ENs to participate in the program, provided incentives

for ENs to support beneficiaries through a more gradual return to work and positioned ENs to better support ongoing retention of employment. The regulations also encourage partnership between State VR

agencies and ENs to provide long-term services to a beneficiary by allowing the beneficiary to assign a

ticket to an EN after receiving VR services.

1 State VR agencies generally have the option on a case-by-case basis of electing to be paid under an EN payment system or under the traditional cost reimbursement payment system. Effective July 21, 2008, a State VR agency under the traditional cost reimbursement option and an EN under the EN payment

system may be compensated for providing successive services to a beneficiary.
2014 SSI Annual Report 17

Administration of the SSI Program

8. Expedited Reinstatement

A disabled or blind individual whose eligibility for SSI payments ended because of earnings can request

expedited reinstatement of SSI benefits without filing a new application. To qualify for expedited reinstatement, the individual must make the request within 60 months after his or her eligibility ended and

must have a disabling medical condition that: (1) is the same as (or related to) the disabling medical condition that led to the previous period of eligibility; and (2) prevents the performance of SGA. In determining

whether the individual is disabled or blind, the medical improvement review standard is applied. Normal

nonmedical requirements for SSI eligibility still apply.

An individual requesting expedited reinstatement may receive up to 6 months of provisional benefits while

his or her request is pending. These benefits generally are not considered an overpayment if we deny the

request. Provisional benefits may include Medicaid but do not include any State supplementation payments.

F. ADMINISTRATION OF THE SSI PROGRAM

The framers of the program chose SSA to administer the SSI program because the basic system for paying

monthly benefits to a large number of individuals was already in place in the form of the Social Security

program, and SSA had a long-standing reputation for thoughtfully and respectfully serving the public.

1. Application Process

Individuals can apply for SSI benefits at any one of the approximately 1,250 SSA field offices around the

country or through SSA teleservice centers. Although many of the eligibility requirements for the Social

Security program and the SSI program are different, the application process is very similar. Individuals

typically file for benefits under both programs at the same time.

SSA corroborates information provided by applicants for SSI through independent or collateral sources.

Generally, the basic responsibility for obtaining evidence lies with the claimant, although SSA frequently

gives advice and assistance on obtaining it. However, due to the special circumstances of the SSI population (e.g., financial need, old age, or illness), SSA often provides applicants with extra help obtaining

needed information.

With regard to disability and blindness claims, SSA determines the nonmedical eligibility factors and each

State’s DDS determines the medical eligibility factors.1

2. Determination of Eligibility for Benefits

SSI applications have no retroactivity and become effective in the month after the month of filing or the

month after all eligibility requirements are met, whichever is later. Eligibility for benefits in a month is

based on income received in that month. We generally calculate the amount of the monthly benefit using

income in the second month preceding the month for which the benefit is paid.2 However, at the start of a

period of eligibility or re-eligibility, we determine the amount of benefits for both the first and second

months using the income received in the first month.

1 The applicant can appeal unfavorable determinations related to either the nonmedical or medical eligibility factors. The administrative review process

consists of several steps, which must be requested within certain time periods.

2 This method of calculating the benefit is called retrospective monthly accounting.
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18 2014 SSI Annual Report

3. Payment of Benefits

In general, we pay SSI benefits on the first day of each month. If the first of the month falls on a weekend

or legal public holiday, we deliver benefit payments on the working day immediately preceding such Saturday, Sunday, or holiday. Monthly benefit payments include both the Federal SSI and State amounts if the

recipient lives in a State in which SSA administers the State supplementation payment. (See section III.G.)

Effective May 1, 2011, applicants filing for SSI benefit payments must choose direct deposit, the Direct

Express® debit card, or an electronic transfer account (ETA). Effective March 1, 2013, individuals must

receive their SSI benefits electronically through direct deposit, the Direct Express® debit card, or ETA

unless they qualify for an automatic exemption (e.g., based on age) or are granted a waiver on the basis of

hardship. Examples of such hardship situations include inability to manage an account at a financial institution or Direct Express® due to mental impairment, or to living in a remote geographic location lacking

the necessary infrastructure to support electronic financial transactions. As of March 2014, about 94 percent of SSI recipients received their benefits electronically.

4. Ensuring Continued Eligibility for Benefits

SSI recipients have their nonmedical eligibility factors redetermined periodically; the frequency of these

reviews depends on a variety of factors.

In addition to these nonmedical reviews, we conduct medical reviews on disabled or blind recipients in

order to determine if they continue to be disabled or blind. For administrative efficiency, we generally conduct the medical reviews most often on those disabled or blind recipients whose medical conditions are

most likely to improve. The Act provides for medical reviews for disabled or blind recipients under the

following circumstances:

 • When earnings of recipients exceed the SGA level;1

 • At least once every 3 years for recipients under age 18 whose medical conditions are likely to

improve;

 • Not later than 12 months after birth for recipients whose low birth weight is a contributing factor

material to the determination of their disability, unless SSA determines that the impairment is not

likely to improve within 12 months of the child’s birth; and 

 • Within 1 year after attaining age 18 for those recipients whose eligibility we established under the disabled child eligibility criteria. We conduct the required review using the adult eligibility criteria.

The Act requires applicants and recipients to report events and changes of circumstances that may affect

their SSI eligibility and benefit amounts. The Act requires such reports, for example, when an individual

has a change in the amount of his or her income or resources, changes living arrangements, or leaves the

United States. Failure or delay in reporting such a change can result in monetary penalties or ineligibility

for SSI benefits.

The basic “failure to report” penalty is $25 for the first such failure or delay, $50 for the second such failure or delay, and $100 for each subsequent failure or delay. However, in cases of fraud or false representation of material facts, SSA’s Inspector General can assess civil monetary penalties in amounts as large as

$5,000. In such cases of fraud or false representation, SSA also has the authority to suspend eligibility to

1 A medical review cannot be initiated while the SSI recipient is “using a ticket” under the Ticket to Work program.
2014 SSI Annual Report 19

Administration of the SSI Program

SSI cash benefits by imposing administrative sanctions for specific periods of 6 months for the first occurrence, 12 months for the second occurrence, and 24 months for each subsequent occurrence.

Additionally, SSA may use an accelerated rate of overpayment recovery to encourage accurate reporting.

Overpayments to SSI recipients are generally recovered by withholding from the monthly benefit an

amount equal to 10 percent of the individual’s countable monthly income. For many recipients whose only

income is SSI, this withheld amount is 10 percent of their monthly SSI payment. However, if SSA determines that the recipient misrepresented or concealed material information, 100 percent of the monthly SSI

benefit may be subject to recovery.

5. Representative Payees 

When SSI recipients are incapable of managing their benefits or are declared legally incompetent, we

appoint representative payees for them, and we send their SSI benefits to the representative payees. In

many cases the representative payee is a spouse, a parent, or other close relative who will act in the recipient’s best interest. In some cases, SSA approves an organization to serve as a payee. SSA authorizes certain types of organizations to collect a fee from the benefit for acting as payee. The fee cannot exceed the

lesser of 10 percent of the payment amount or a specified amount ($40 a month in 2014).1

Representative payees may use an SSI recipient’s benefit only for the use and benefit of the recipient and

must account for all benefits received. The Act requires representative payees to report any changes that

may affect SSI recipients’ eligibility and payment amount. SSA may hold representative payees liable for

certain overpayments that occur. In cases in which a child is due a retroactive payment that exceeds

six times the Federal benefit rate, the Act requires the representative payee to establish a dedicated account

at a financial institution to maintain the retroactive payment. Representatives must make expenditures

from the account primarily for certain expenses related to the child’s impairment.

6. Appeal Rights 

Individuals who disagree with an SSA determination (e.g., eligibility for or the amount of SSI benefits)

can appeal. There are four levels of appeal: reconsideration, hearing, Appeals Council review, and Federal

court review. If individuals do not agree with the decision they receive at one level, they may appeal to the

next. A reconsideration is a complete review by SSA (or by the DDS if applicants are appealing a disability determination).2 A hearing gives applicants the opportunity to appear before an administrative law

judge (ALJ) who had no part in the initial determination or the reconsideration. The Social Security

Appeals Council may dismiss a request for review, deny a request for review if it believes the hearing

decision was correct, decide the case itself, or remand the case to the ALJ for further action. A Federal district court may look at cases when applicants disagree with the Appeal Council’s decision or denial of the

request for review.

SSI recipients must receive advance notice of any adverse action SSA plans to take against them and may

continue to receive monthly benefits if they appeal the adverse action. For reconsiderations involving the

amount of an SSI payment, recipients qualify for benefit continuation if they file the appeal within 10 days

of receipt of the notice of adverse action. For appeals of medical cessations or determinations reopened

and revised due to medical reasons, recipients qualify for benefit continuation at the reconsideration and

hearing levels if they file the appeal and elect benefit continuation within 10 days of receipt of the initial

or reconsideration determination.

1 For disabled recipients who also have a drug addiction or alcoholism condition, the maximum permitted fee in 2014 is $77 a month (78 FR 66413).

2 SSA introduced a modification of this process in 10 States for disability applications filed October 1, 1999 and later. Under this revised process, applicants appeal initial disability denial determinations directly to the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review, thereby eliminating the reconsideration step.

The options for appeal beyond the hearing level are unchanged.
The Supplemental Security Income Program

20 2014 SSI Annual Report

7. Fees for Attorneys and Non-attorney Representatives

At any time, an individual may appoint a representative in any dealings with SSA. If such a representative

is an attorney, he or she must be in good standing and: (1) admitted to practice law before the U.S.

Supreme Court, a U.S. Federal, State, territorial, insular possession, or District of Columbia court; or (2) a

member of a State bar if that membership carries with it the authority to practice law in that State. Nonattorneys must be known to possess good character and reputation and must be able to competently advise

and assist claimants in presenting their cases. A person cannot be a representative if he or she is disqualified or suspended from acting as a representative with SSA or is prohibited by any law from acting as a

representative. 

With a limited exception, representatives must use one of SSA’s fee authorization processes to request a

fee for their services.1 They can request a fee by either submitting a fee agreement or filing a fee petition.

SSA reviews the documents and authorizes the fee the representative may charge or receive. Under the

statute, the fee under an approved fee agreement is the lesser of 25 percent of the past-due benefits or a

maximum amount (currently $6,000) adjustable by the Commissioner at his or her discretion. There is no

limit on the amount of the fee based on a fee petition; a reasonable fee is determined after reviewing the

specific services provided by the representative. After SSA authorizes the fee, the representative may not

charge or receive more than the amount authorized.

The SSI program previously differed from the Social Security program in that we did not withhold

amounts from an individual’s SSI benefits to directly pay the representative his or her authorized fee. SSI

claimants were responsible for paying such fees directly to their representatives. However, beginning February 28, 2005, Congress extended direct payment of both attorney and non-attorney representative fees to

the SSI program.2 As in the fee process for the Social Security program, we can withhold up to 25 percent

of the individual’s SSI past-due benefits to pay an eligible representative’s fee directly. The law also

requires that we charge representatives an assessment of the smaller of 6.3 percent of each authorized fee

withheld or the flat-rate cap of $89. This assessment applies to authorized fees withheld under the SSI program and the Social Security program; however, in concurrent cases, we only charge the assessment once

based on the total fee we directly pay to the representative. We adjust the flat-rate cap based on annual

cost-of-living adjustments that we round down to the next lower dollar. This flat-rate cap has prevented

SSA from recouping much of the costs incurred in the fee-withholding program.

Non-attorney representatives must meet specified prerequisites in order to be paid directly by SSA out of

SSI applicants’ past-due benefits. These prerequisites include: (1) having a bachelor’s degree or equivalent

qualifications from training and work experience; (2) securing and maintaining adequate professional liability insurance; (3) passing a criminal background check; (4) passing an examination given by SSA that

tests knowledge of the relevant provisions of the Act and recent court decisions; and (5) demonstrating

ongoing completion of qualified courses of continuing education.

8. Advance Payments 

The SSI program has procedures that help to respond to the immediate needs of new claimants. These procedures are in addition to State and local programs designed to help those in need as they await decisions

on their SSI status. 

1 We do not need to authorize a fee when the representative informs us in a prescribed manner that a third-party entity will pay the representative’s fee and

the claimant and affected parties are not liable for it in any way. We also do not need to authorize a fee that the court authorized based on actions as a legal

guardian or court-appointed representative.

2 Public Law 108-203, enacted March 2, 2004, granted temporary extension of the attorney fee payment system to SSI claims for a period of 5 years. Public

Law 111-142, enacted February 27, 2010, made this extension permanent.
2014 SSI Annual Report 21

State Supplementation

a. Emergency Advance Payments 

A new claimant who faces a financial emergency and for whom there is a strong likelihood of being found

eligible may receive up to 1 month of SSI benefits (i.e., the Federal payment amount plus any applicable

State supplement). We recover the amount paid from later SSI payments in full from the first payment or

in increments over no more than a 6-month period depending upon the circumstances. However, if we subsequently deny the claim because the claimant is not disabled or blind, we waive repayment. If we deny

the claim for other reasons, we treat the amount paid as an overpayment.

b. Presumptive Disability or Blindness 

A claimant applying for benefits based on disability or blindness may be paid up to 6 months of benefits

when the available evidence reflects a high degree of probability that his or her impairment will meet the

definition of disability or blindness and he or she is otherwise eligible for disability benefits. We do not

treat these payments as overpayments if we later determine that the individual is not disabled or blind. If

we disallow the claim for other reasons, the amount paid is an overpayment.

G. STATE SUPPLEMENTATION

In designing the SSI program, Congress recognized that States,1 in many instances, may want to provide a

higher level of income maintenance than that provided by the Federal program. At the same time the law

gave the States the option either to provide no supplementation to the Federal assistance payments or to

supplement those payments based on their views of the needs of their citizens. Lawmakers also mandated

that States not provide lower benefits under the Federal program than they had provided under the former

State program. The following paragraphs describe the various forms of State supplementation that currently exist. Table III.H1 summarizes State-specific participation in these programs as well as other programs requiring State and Federal coordination as discussed in section III.H.

1. Optional State Supplementation Programs 

For individuals who first became eligible for SSI in 1974 or later, each State could supplement Federal

payments to whatever extent it found appropriate with respect to the needs of its citizens and resources of

the State. Currently, 44 States and the District of Columbia have optional State supplementation programs.

Some States provide supplementary payments to all individuals eligible for SSI benefits while others limit

them to certain SSI recipients (e.g., the blind or residents of domiciliary-care facilities), or extend them to

persons ineligible for SSI because of excess income. Congress significantly restricted States’ flexibility in

setting supplementary payments, however, by the passalong provisions (see Passalong Provisions,

section III.G.4).

2. Mandatory State Supplementation Programs 

Congress requires States to maintain the December 1973 income levels of individuals who were transferred in 1974 from the former State adult assistance programs to the SSI program, except for Texas,

which has a constitutional bar against mandatory State supplementation. This requirement does not affect

West Virginia because, in 1973, SSI Federal benefit rates exceeded the applicable income standards under

that State’s adult assistance programs. Over the years, many individuals who converted to SSI from the

1 References to State include, in addition to the 50 States, the District of Columbia. The applicable State supplementation provisions would also apply to the

Northern Mariana Islands if it began making State supplementation payments.
The Supplemental Security Income Program

22 2014 SSI Annual Report

State benefit rolls have died and others have had their incomes increase above the December 1973 level.

As a result, few individuals continue to receive mandatory State supplementation payments.

3. Administration of State Supplementation Payments 

A State may administer its supplementary program or enter into an agreement under which SSA will make

eligibility determinations and payments on behalf of the State. Under State administration, the State pays

its own program benefits and absorbs the full administrative costs. Under Federal administration, States

are required to pay SSA a fee for each supplementary payment issued. In fiscal year 2014, the fee is

$11.32 per payment issued. Fees increase in succeeding fiscal years based on increases in the Consumer

Price Index for All Urban Consumers.

States that administer their own supplementary payment programs to SSI recipients establish their own eligibility criteria for the supplementary payments. States with federally administered programs may supplement the Federal benefit among a limited number of geographical and living arrangement variations for

SSI recipients.1

4. Passalong Provisions

When the SSI program began in 1974, Congress did not require States to maintain their efforts with regard

to levels of State supplementation payments. However, in 1976, in reaction to States reducing their supplementary payment amounts when SSI payments increased, Congress mandated that States pass along SSI

benefit increases resulting from cost-of-living adjustments. 

To meet the passalong requirement, a State may either maintain each State payment level from year to

year—the “payment levels” method—or it may spend the same amount of money, in the aggregate, that it

spent for supplementary benefits in the 12-month period preceding the increase in the SSI benefit rate—

the “total expenditures” method. Currently, 39 States use the levels method and 8 States plus the District

of Columbia use the expenditure method. West Virginia has no optional supplementary plan and the legislation did not require it to establish a mandatory plan because Federal SSI income standards exceeded all

payments made under the State’s adult assistance programs in 1973. Arizona and North Dakota have no

optional supplementary plan and no mandatory minimum State supplementation recipients remaining.

H. COORDINATION WITH OTHER PROGRAMS

SSI benefits are not the only form of assistance available to aged, blind, or disabled individuals with limited means. Medicaid, nutrition benefits, and temporary State assistance are also important supports that

help prevent further impoverishment and improve health outcomes.

The SSI statute includes provisions that are intended to prevent duplication between SSI benefits and other

benefits that the Social Security program or States may provide. For example, the “windfall offset” prevents windfall payments to individuals entitled to receive Social Security and SSI payments for the same

period.

SSA also plays a limited but important role in helping States administer the Medicaid Program and the

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).2

1 Includes, for this purpose, those eligible for SSI benefits but for income.

2 In 2008, the Food Stamp program changed its name to SNAP.
2014 SSI Annual Report 23

Coordination with Other Programs

1. Windfall Offset 

If a person receives SSI payments and we later determine that person is entitled to retroactive Social Security benefits, we reduce such retroactive Social Security benefits by the amount of SSI payments the person would not have been eligible for had the Social Security benefits been paid in the month they were

due. Congress enacted this “windfall offset” to prevent windfall payments to individuals entitled to receive

Social Security and SSI payments for the same period.

2. Interim Assistance Reimbursement

SSA may enter into agreements under which States or local governments are reimbursed for basic needs

assistance provided during the period that either an eligible individual’s SSI application for benefits was

pending or we suspended and subsequently reinstated the individual’s SSI benefits.

Under these interim assistance reimbursement (IAR) agreements, if the individual has given SSA written

authorization, SSA first reimburses the State, then pays the appointed representative’s fee, and pays the

remainder in installments to the recipient or his or her representative payee. Thirty-six States and the District of Columbia have IAR agreements with SSA. 

3. Medicaid Determinations 

Most SSI recipients are categorically eligible for Medicaid. A State may either use SSI eligibility criteria

for determining Medicaid eligibility or use its own criteria as long as the criteria are no more restrictive

than the State’s January 1972 medical assistance standards. Forty States and the District of Columbia use

SSI criteria and 10 States use eligibility criteria more restrictive than those of the SSI program. 

States also may enter into agreements with SSA for SSA to make Medicaid eligibility determinations on

their behalf for as long as the eligibility requirements of the State’s Medicaid plans match those for the SSI

program. Under these agreements, SSA determines only when an individual is eligible for Medicaid; SSA

does not determine Medicaid ineligibility. SSA has Medicaid determination agreements with 33 States and

the District of Columbia. 

The Act provides continued Medicaid eligibility for certain Social Security beneficiaries who lose SSI eligibility due to: (1) entitlement to Social Security benefits; or (2) a change in Social Security benefits

resulting from:

 • Cost-of-living adjustments;

 • Actuarial increases in disabled widow(er)’s benefits before age 60;

 • Changes in the definition of disability for widow(er)’s benefits; or

 • Increases in or entitlement to childhood disability benefits.

4. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Applications 

SSI recipients in all States, except California,1 may be eligible for SNAP benefits. Under agreements

entered into by the Department of Agriculture and SSA, Social Security offices notify Social Security and

SSI applicants and recipients of their potential benefits under the SNAP and make SNAP applications

available to them.

1 California “cashes out” nutrition benefits and SSI recipients there receive a cash payment in their State supplementation payment in lieu of benefits.
The Supplemental Security Income Program

24 2014 SSI Annual Report

The law also provides for Social Security offices to take SNAP applications from eligible or potentially eligible SSI households that are not already receiving nutrition benefits and do not have an application pending.

Social Security offices forward the SNAP applications and any supporting documents to the local SNAP

offices within 1 day of taking the application. The SNAP office determines eligibility for nutrition benefits. 
2014 SSI Annual Report 25

Coordination with Other Programs

Table III.H1.—SSI State Supplementationa and Coordination with Other Programs

a See body of text for description of the various forms of State supplementation.

 United States and 

District of Columbia

Optional State program—

Administered by:

Method of mandatory 

passalong of benefit 

increases from 

cost-of-living adjustments

Medicaid eligibility 

determination— Interim 

assistance 

reimbursement 

agreement 

with SSA

Based on: Agreement 

with SSA 

to 

determine 

State eligibility

Federal 

(SSA)

Federal 

& State

Payment

levels

Total

expenditures

Federal 

criteria

State

criteria

Alabama b

b State has no recipients receiving mandatory minimum State supplementation.

* * ** Alaska * * * * Arizona * **c

c State no longer pays State or local payment that meet the IAR criteria. State still has a valid IAR agreement with SSA. 

Arkansas d

d Mandatory minimum State supplementation program is federally administered. No optional program.

* * * California e

e Mandatory minimum State supplementation program is federally administered.

* * * ** Colorado * * * * * Connecticut b * * ** Delaware e * * * * District of Columbia e * ** * * Florida b * * * * * Georgia e * * * ** Hawaii b * * * * Idaho * ** Illinois * * * * Indiana b * * * ** Iowa e * * * * * Kansas d * * * * 

Kentucky b * * * * * Louisiana e * * ** Maine * * * * * Maryland e * * * ** Massachusetts * * * * * Michigan e * * * * * 

Minnesota b * * * * Mississippi d * ** Missouri * * * * Montana e * * * ** Nebraska * * * * Nevada b ** * * New Hampshire * * * * f

f State provides assistance only in initial application cases. No assistance provided during periods that SSI benefits are suspended or terminated. 

New Jersey e * * * ** New Mexico * * * * * f

New York e g

g Effective October 1, 2014 New York will take over administration of its State supplementation program.

** * * * North Carolina * * * * * North Dakota b * Ohio e * * * * Oklahoma * ** Oregon * * * * 

Pennsylvania e * * * * * c

Rhode Island b * * * * * f

South Carolina b * * ** South Dakota e * * * * Tennessee d * ** Texas h

h State does not have a mandatory minimum State supplementation program.

* * * * Utah b * ** * Vermont b * * * * * Virginia b * * * * c

Washington * * * * * West Virginia h * * Wisconsin * * * * * Wyoming * * **

Total 32 6 7 39 9 41 10 34 37
Program Recipients and Federal Expenditures

26 2014 SSI Annual Report

IV. ESTIMATES OF PROGRAM RECIPIENTS AND FEDERAL EXPENDITURES

UNDER THE SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME PROGRAM, 2014-2038

As section III explains, an individual must meet certain requirements related to his or her income and

resources to be eligible for SSI payments. In addition, all persons under age 65, and certain individuals age

65 or older, must be blind or disabled. Consequently, future SSI program expenditures will depend on a

variety of difficult-to-foresee factors, including the performance of national and local economies, distribution of personal income, the prevalence of disability in the general population, and the determination of

disability according to the definition in the Act. Nonetheless, for planning purposes, we must develop the

best possible projections of future SSI program recipients and expenditures.

This section presents projections of program recipients and expenditures under the SSI program for a

period of 25 years. The projections rely on the intermediate demographic and economic assumptions

developed for the 2014 Annual Report of the Board of Trustees of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors

Insurance and Federal Disability Insurance Trust Funds,1 and they assume that the present statutory provisions and regulations under which the SSI program operates will not change during the projection period.

The current projection model starts with estimates of the general population by single year of age and gender. We project transitions into SSI payment status separately for: (1) new recipients resulting from an

application for program benefits; and (2) returns to payment status from suspended status. We project

movements out of payment status separately for: (1) terminations due to death; and (2) suspensions of payment for all other reasons.2 We re-examine and if warranted, revise the assumptions and methods the

model uses each year in light of recent experience and new information about future conditions. 

A. DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC ASSUMPTIONS

We first present select demographic and economic projections from the 2014 Trustees Report that we used

for the SSI projections in this SSI Annual Report. The single economic parameter that has the most direct

effect on the level of SSI benefits is the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (hereafter denoted as CPI),3 which is used for indexing the SSI Federal benefit rate. Sections V.A and

V.B of the Trustees Report present a detailed discussion of these demographic and economic projections.

An important feature of the intermediate assumptions in the 2014 Trustees Report is a gradual recovery

from the economic downturn that began in late 2007. This downturn generated a significant increase in

applications for SSI disability payments, resulting in an increase in projected SSI expenditures. We expect

the level of applications to decline over the next several years as the economy recovers.

The following two tables summarize two key parameters underlying the estimates in this report. Table

IV.A1 presents population projections by selected age subgroups that are consistent with the presentation

of SSI recipient projections in the next section. Table IV.A2 presents a complete history of the Federal

benefit rates and Federal benefit rate increases since the inception of the program, along with projections

of such amounts consistent with the economic assumptions underlying the SSI expenditure estimates in

section IV.C.

1 House Document 113-139 published July 28, 2014.

2 The two main reasons for suspension of SSI payments are: (1) failure to satisfy income and resource limitations of the SSI program; and (2) recovery

from a qualifying disability.

3 Historical values of the CPI are developed and published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
2014 SSI Annual Report 27

Demographic and Economic Assumptions

Notes:

1. Totals do not necessarily equal the sums of rounded components.

2. Historical data are estimated and subject to revision.

Table IV.A1.—Historical and Projected Social Security Area Population based on the 

Intermediate Assumptions of the 2014 OASDI Trustees Report, as of July 1, 1974-2038

[In thousands]

Year

Age groups a

a Age as of last birthday.

Total

0-17 18-34 35-49 50-64 65-74 75 or older all ages

Historical data:

1974 .................. 71,012 59,833 36,386 32,823 13,862 8,917 222,833

1975 .................. 70,011 61,815 36,360 33,185 14,175 9,141 224,687

1976 .................. 68,983 63,743 36,474 33,466 14,495 9,416 226,576

1977 .................. 68,072 65,469 36,803 33,739 14,828 9,682 228,594

1978 .................. 67,254 67,051 37,342 33,978 15,181 9,935 230,741

1979 .................. 66,536 68,641 37,962 34,137 15,511 10,211 232,999

1980 .................. 65,982 70,196 38,520 34,256 15,813 10,495 235,263

1981 .................. 65,570 71,431 39,328 34,318 16,089 10,793 237,529

1982 .................. 65,269 72,152 40,701 34,269 16,367 11,112 239,870

1983 .................. 65,096 72,620 42,251 34,175 16,607 11,436 242,186

1984 .................. 65,082 72,979 43,747 34,082 16,828 11,743 244,461

1985 .................. 65,243 73,199 45,255 33,946 17,097 12,048 246,788

1986 .................. 65,490 73,317 46,821 33,778 17,403 12,350 249,158

1987 .................. 65,723 73,379 48,460 33,659 17,683 12,646 251,551

1988 .................. 65,961 73,422 50,134 33,624 17,915 12,943 253,999

1989 .................. 66,352 73,314 51,875 33,675 18,105 13,263 256,584

1990 .................. 67,191 72,935 53,659 33,790 18,329 13,606 259,510

1991 .................. 68,382 72,304 55,454 33,994 18,599 13,942 262,676

1992 .................. 69,561 71,551 57,170 34,420 18,829 14,279 265,811

1993 .................. 70,636 70,831 58,738 35,043 18,998 14,606 268,852

1994 .................. 71,578 70,121 60,334 35,696 19,105 14,932 271,766

1995 .................. 72,351 69,446 62,026 36,299 19,149 15,285 274,557

1996 .................. 72,964 68,912 63,462 37,154 19,128 15,652 277,271

1997 .................. 73,390 68,566 64,430 38,494 19,056 16,019 279,955

1998 .................. 73,653 68,411 65,246 40,007 18,946 16,359 282,622

1999 .................. 73,852 68,373 66,056 41,496 18,823 16,669 285,269

2000 .................. 74,156 68,515 66,689 43,019 18,743 16,944 288,067

2001 .................. 74,537 68,851 67,096 44,575 18,704 17,186 290,948

2002 .................. 74,877 69,186 67,276 46,191 18,712 17,399 293,641

2003 .................. 75,181 69,508 67,297 47,860 18,791 17,594 296,230

2004 .................. 75,479 69,795 67,284 49,585 18,948 17,802 298,893

2005 .................. 75,780 70,019 67,285 51,345 19,184 18,000 301,614

2006 .................. 76,100 70,306 67,183 53,077 19,534 18,178 304,377

2007 .................. 76,375 70,830 66,811 54,734 20,074 18,351 307,174

2008 .................. 76,507 71,609 66,200 56,279 20,776 18,490 309,862

2009 .................. 76,482 72,468 65,492 57,809 21,506 18,644 312,402

2010 .................. 76,343 73,288 64,764 59,377 22,201 18,846 314,819

2011................... 76,159 74,045 64,072 60,698 23,099 19,058 317,133

2012 .................. 76,059 74,715 63,490 61,611 24,322 19,307 319,505

2013 .................. 76,180 75,305 63,039 62,412 25,563 19,613 322,113

Projected:

2014 .................. 76,418 75,809 62,761 63,205 26,702 19,961 324,856

2015 .................. 76,729 76,224 62,724 63,831 27,819 20,351 327,678

2016 .................. 77,105 76,629 62,912 64,223 28,909 20,817 330,595

2017 .................. 77,529 77,079 63,235 64,422 29,953 21,396 333,614

2018 .................. 78,005 77,600 63,571 64,509 30,976 22,068 336,730

2019 .................. 78,576 78,145 63,830 64,563 32,058 22,759 339,931

2020 .................. 79,213 78,607 64,015 64,623 33,207 23,436 343,101

2021 .................. 79,855 79,030 64,239 64,590 34,218 24,294 346,225

2022 .................. 80,459 79,438 64,653 64,307 34,983 25,440 349,279

2023 .................. 81,023 79,778 65,306 63,798 35,708 26,629 352,241

2024 .................. 81,540 80,049 66,138 63,203 36,486 27,744 355,160

2025 .................. 81,997 80,266 67,080 62,574 37,261 28,853 358,032

2026 .................. 82,456 80,439 68,039 61,963 37,975 29,980 360,852

2027 .................. 82,987 80,569 68,903 61,441 38,578 31,139 363,616

2028 .................. 83,631 80,639 69,626 61,028 39,063 32,333 366,320

2029 .................. 84,402 80,632 70,182 60,774 39,404 33,565 368,959

2030 .................. 85,190 80,648 70,578 60,750 39,547 34,817 371,528

2031 .................. 85,905 80,753 70,890 60,930 39,471 36,077 374,025

2032 .................. 86,550 80,910 71,179 61,232 39,231 37,346 376,447

2033 .................. 87,116 81,113 71,495 61,540 38,942 38,589 378,795

2034 .................. 87,594 81,353 71,868 61,770 38,698 39,788 381,070

2035 .................. 87,979 81,639 72,251 61,945 38,509 40,953 383,276

2036 .................. 88,277 82,021 72,586 62,172 38,300 42,058 385,415

2037 .................. 88,501 82,500 72,867 62,587 37,959 43,077 387,491

2038 .................. 88,665 83,017 73,105 63,235 37,479 44,009 389,509
Program Recipients and Federal Expenditures

28 2014 SSI Annual Report

Table IV.A2.—SSI Federal Benefit Rate Increases and Levels: Historical and Projected on the Basis of the Intermediate

Assumptions of the 2014 OASDI Trustees Report, 1974-2038

Year

Benefit rate

increase a

a Increases prior to 1984 were effective for the payment due on July 1 of the year. Increases shown for 1984 and later are effective for the payment due on

January 1 of the year.

Federal benefit rate

Individual Couple Essential person b

b A concept carried over from the former State assistance plans. Fewer than 30 of those cases currently remain.

Historical data:

Initial benefit paid January 1, 1974 c ...............

c SSA paid benefits in January 1974 using the Federal benefit rates established by Public Law 92-603, enacted October 30, 1972: $130.00 for individuals;

$195.00 for couples; and $65.00 for essential persons. SSA subsequently made retroactive payments to adjust initial payments to the higher Federal benefit

rates established by Public Law 93-233, enacted December 31, 1973.

— $140.00 $210.00 $70.00

1974....................................................... d 4.3%

d Ad hoc increases as specified in the law.

146.00 219.00 73.00

1975....................................................... 8.0 157.70 236.60 78.90

1976....................................................... 6.4 167.80 251.80 84.00

1977....................................................... 5.9 177.80 266.70 89.00

1978....................................................... 6.5 189.40 284.10 94.80

1979....................................................... 9.9 208.20 312.30 104.20

1980....................................................... 14.3 238.00 357.00 119.20

1981....................................................... 11.2 264.70 397.00 132.60

1982....................................................... 7.4 284.30 426.40 142.50

1983....................................................... d 7.0 304.30 456.40 152.50

1984....................................................... 3.5 314.00 472.00 157.00

1985....................................................... 3.5 325.00 488.00 163.00

1986....................................................... 3.1 336.00 504.00 168.00

1987....................................................... 1.3 340.00 510.00 170.00

1988....................................................... 4.2 354.00 532.00 177.00

1989....................................................... 4.0 368.00 553.00 184.00

1990....................................................... 4.7 386.00 579.00 193.00

1991....................................................... 5.4 407.00 610.00 204.00

1992....................................................... 3.7 422.00 633.00 211.00

1993....................................................... 3.0 434.00 652.00 217.00

1994....................................................... 2.6 446.00 669.00 223.00

1995....................................................... 2.8 458.00 687.00 229.00

1996....................................................... 2.6 470.00 705.00 235.00

1997....................................................... 2.9 484.00 726.00 242.00

1998....................................................... 2.1 494.00 741.00 247.00

1999....................................................... 1.3 500.00 751.00 250.00

2000....................................................... e 2.5

e Originally determined as 2.4 percent, but pursuant to Public Law 106-554, enacted December 21, 2000, is effectively now 2.5 percent.

f

 513.00

f SSA originally paid benefits in 2000 and through July 2001 based on Federal benefit rates of $512.00 and $530.00, respectively. Pursuant to Public Law

106-554, beginning in August 2001 SSA made monthly payments based on the higher $531 amount. SSA made lump-sum compensation payments based on

an adjusted benefit rate for months prior to August 2001.

769.00 257.00

2001....................................................... 3.5 f 531.00 796.00 266.00

2002....................................................... 2.6 545.00 817.00 273.00

2003....................................................... 1.4 552.00 829.00 277.00

2004....................................................... 2.1 564.00 846.00 282.00

2005....................................................... 2.7 579.00 869.00 290.00

2006....................................................... 4.1 603.00 904.00 302.00

2007....................................................... 3.3 623.00 934.00 312.00

2008....................................................... 2.3 637.00 956.00 319.00

2009....................................................... 5.8 674.00 1,011.00 338.00

2010....................................................... 0.0 674.00 1,011.00 338.00

2011....................................................... 0.0 674.00 1,011.00 338.00

2012....................................................... 3.6 698.00 1,048.00 350.00

2013....................................................... 1.7 710.00 1,066.00 356.00

2014....................................................... 1.5 721.00 1,082.00 361.00

Projected:

2015....................................................... 1.5 732.00 1,098.00 366.00

2016....................................................... 2.0 746.00 1,120.00 374.00

2017....................................................... 2.2 763.00 1,144.00 382.00

2018....................................................... 2.4 781.00 1,172.00 391.00

2019....................................................... 2.6 801.00 1,202.00 401.00

2020....................................................... 2.7 823.00 1,235.00 412.00

2021....................................................... 2.7 845.00 1,268.00 423.00

2022....................................................... 2.7 868.00 1,302.00 435.00

2023....................................................... 2.7 892.00 1,338.00 447.00

2024....................................................... 2.7 916.00 1,374.00 459.00

2025....................................................... 2.7 940.00 1,411.00 471.00

2026....................................................... 2.7 966.00 1,449.00 484.00

2027....................................................... 2.7 992.00 1,488.00 497.00

2028....................................................... 2.7 1,019.00 1,528.00 510.00

2029....................................................... 2.7 1,046.00 1,570.00 524.00

2030....................................................... 2.7 1,075.00 1,612.00 538.00

2031....................................................... 2.7 1,104.00 1,655.00 553.00

2032....................................................... 2.7 1,133.00 1,700.00 568.00

2033....................................................... 2.7 1,164.00 1,746.00 583.00

2034....................................................... 2.7 1,195.00 1,793.00 599.00

2035....................................................... 2.7 1,228.00 1,842.00 615.00

2036....................................................... 2.7 1,261.00 1,891.00 632.00

2037....................................................... 2.7 1,295.00 1,943.00 649.00

2038....................................................... 2.7 1,330.00 1,995.00 666.00
2014 SSI Annual Report 29

Demographic and Economic Assumptions

An adjustment is made to the monthly Federal benefit rate in January of each year for which there is an

increase in the CPI, and it is identical to the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA)1 applied to Social Security

benefits under the OASDI program after initial benefit eligibility. In previous years, the Federal benefit

rate was subject to occasional ad hoc increases, either in place of or in addition to the automatic adjustments. Table V.A1 presents a history of legislation affecting the Federal benefit rate.

1 The COLA applicable in January of a given year is equal to the percentage increase in the average CPI for the third quarter of the prior year over the average CPI in the third quarter of the year prior to the last year in which a COLA became effective. If there is an increase, it must be rounded to the nearest tenth

of one percent. If there is no increase, or if the rounded increase is zero, there is no COLA. This unusual situation occurred in 2010 and 2011, as shown in

table IV.A2.
Program Recipients and Federal Expenditures

30 2014 SSI Annual Report

B. NUMBERS OF SSI PROGRAM RECIPIENTS

This section presents projections of the numbers of persons receiving federally administered SSI payments

by category and age group.1 The SSI recipient categories of: (1) aged; or (2) blind or disabled identify the

criteria under which the recipient established eligibility for SSI benefits. The following paragraphs discuss

the recipient categories in more detail.

 • Aged recipients establish their eligibility for SSI benefits by meeting the age-65-or-older requirement2 and other SSI eligibility requirements. In December 2013, 1.2 million aged individuals

received federally administered SSI payments. 

 • Blind or disabled recipients establish their eligibility for SSI benefits by meeting the definition of

blindness or disability and the applicable income and resource limits as well as any other SSI eligibility requirements. In December 2013, there were 7.2 million blind or disabled recipients of federally

administered SSI payments. These recipients can fall into two subcategories based on age: blind or

disabled adults (age 18 or older) and blind or disabled children (under age 18). 

 — Blind or disabled adults meet the definition of blindness or disability for individuals age 18 or

older and SSI income and resource limits. Students age 18 to 21 must meet the adult definition of

disability; they differ from other adults only in that they qualify for a special student earned

income exclusion. When blind or disabled adult recipients reach age 65, we generally continue

to classify them as blind or disabled adults (rather than aged). In December 2013, 5.9 million

blind or disabled individuals age 18 or older received federally administered SSI payments,

including 950 thousand disabled or blind recipients age 65 or older.

 — Blind or disabled children meet the definition of blindness or disability for individuals under age

18. These children are subject to parent-to-child deeming until they reach the age of 18. At age

18 these individuals continue to be eligible for SSI if they meet the definition of blindness or disability for individuals age 18 or older as well as other eligibility criteria. We reclassify those who

continue to be eligible after age 18 as blind or disabled adults. In December 2013, 1.3 million

blind or disabled individuals under age 18 received federally administered SSI payments.

Table IV.B1 presents historical and projected numbers of persons applying for SSI benefits by calendar

year. Figure IV.B1 presents the same information as a graph. Following a 4-year period in the mid-2000s

when applications remained fairly level at 2.1 million per year, applications started increasing in 2008,

largely due to the severe economic recession that began at the end of 2007 and continued into 2009. The

level of applications, which continued to increase through 2010, decreased only slightly in 2011 as the

economy recovered slowly but decreased at a faster rate in 2012 and 2013 as the economic recovery continued. We are projecting that applications will decline to 2.1 million in 2014 and remain roughly at that

lower level through 2023, reflecting the impact of some individuals having come on the SSI rolls earlier

due to the economic downturn, and then grow slightly, leveling off at about 2.2 million per year in 2024.

The projected ultimate growth pattern of the applications incorporates continued refinement in our projection methodology designed to make the projections more consistent with the assumptions underlying the

OASDI Trustees Report. Those projected applications reflect: (1) the expectation that the portion of the

population that meets SSI income and resource requirements will decline over time as the CPI, and therefore the SSI Federal benefit rate, is projected to grow at a slower rate than average wages and income generally; and (2) the slower growth projected for the portion of the Social Security area population composed

of U.S. citizens or legal immigrants as compared to the overall population because SSI recipients must

come from this portion of the population.

1 We project recipient flows on a calendar-year-age basis, with activity throughout a given year tabulated according to age at the end of the calendar year.

Tabulations of recipients in current-payment status are provided as of December of each calendar year at which time calendar year of age and age last birthday are the same. However, we summarize the tabulations that reflect activity throughout the calendar year according to calendar year of age, and thus they

will not correspond precisely to tabulations summarized according to age last birthday. For example, applications for the 0-17 age group for a given calendar

year include applications only for those individuals who are under 18 at the end of the calendar year.

2 Individuals may apply for SSI benefits based on age as of the day preceding their 65th birthday.
2014 SSI Annual Report 31

Numbers of SSI Program Recipients

Note: Totals do not necessarily equal the sums of rounded components. We estimate the historical split among age groups on a calendar year of age basis.

Table IV.B1.—SSI Federally Administered Applications,a Calendar Years 1974-2038

[In thousands]

a Based on data reported in the Integrated Workload Management System (formerly known as the District Office Workload Report).

Calendar year

Blind or disabled, by age group Aged, by age group Totals

0-17 18-34 35-49 50-64 65-74

75 or

older 65-74

75 or

older

Blind or

disabled Aged All

Historical data:

1974 b, c ...

b “All” column estimated by the Office of Research, Evaluation, and Statistics using a 10-percent sample and published in the SSI Annual Statistical

Report.

c Includes conversions from State programs and applications received in 1973.

125 590 626 1,303 158 20 1,434 1,496 2,822 2,931 5,752

1975 b....... 94 276 258 443 15 d

d Fewer than 500.

238 145 1,086 382 1,468

1976 ......... 82 260 250 384 8 d 175 80 984 254 1,239

1977 ......... 100 286 246 401 7 1 174 84 1,040 259 1,298

1978 ......... 94 276 256 413 7 d 170 88 1,046 258 1,304

1979 ......... 106 282 268 426 7 d 178 84 1,090 262 1,352

1980 ......... 122 310 272 438 8 1 187 89 1,151 276 1,427

1981 ......... 78 206 173 271 5 d 88 42 733 130 864

1982 ......... 88 246 206 278 11 1 93 48 830 141 971

1983 ......... 102 258 225 311 5 1 122 68 902 190 1,092

1984 ......... 103 267 247 321 7 d 178 108 944 286 1,230

1985 ......... 114 294 297 409 7 d 151 73 1,122 223 1,345

1986 ......... 122 316 334 426 7 1 150 81 1,205 231 1,437

1987 ......... 108 287 299 331 7 1 134 66 1,033 200 1,233

1988 ......... 114 282 301 317 7 1 131 69 1,021 200 1,221

1989 ......... 116 297 323 329 7 d 146 76 1,072 222 1,294

1990 ......... 149 335 380 356 6 d 156 71 1,226 227 1,454

1991 ......... 237 391 453 391 7 d 159 68 1,479 227 1,706

1992 ......... 339 453 522 407 8 d 163 64 1,728 226 1,955

1993 ......... 473 506 570 416 7 d 158 61 1,973 218 2,191

1994 ......... 517 492 571 402 6 d 136 52 1,989 188 2,177

1995 ......... 473 435 524 363 6 d 121 44 1,801 165 1,966

1996 ......... 431 393 500 345 9 1 108 44 1,678 153 1,831

1997 ......... 306 317 438 307 8 1 82 35 1,377 117 1,494

1998 ......... 318 317 453 331 9 1 96 39 1,428 136 1,563

1999 ......... 338 317 470 336 6 d 107 39 1,468 145 1,614

2000 ......... 337 321 486 341 6 d 102 39 1,493 140 1,633

2001 ......... 351 346 502 354 4 d 98 35 1,558 134 1,691

2002 ......... 385 388 550 384 4 d 105 38 1,711 142 1,853

2003 ......... 400 404 565 408 4 d 100 36 1,781 135 1,916

2004 ......... 420 438 604 452 4 d 101 37 1,919 138 2,057

2005 ......... 429 439 604 477 5 d 112 44 1,954 156 2,110

2006 ......... 415 437 584 484 4 d 109 41 1,925 150 2,075

2007 ......... 421 442 578 502 5 d 105 39 1,948 143 2,091

2008 ......... 434 482 593 535 5 d 109 38 2,048 147 2,195

2009 ......... 497 578 666 612 5 d 110 37 2,359 147 2,506

2010 ......... 503 599 666 645 5 1 110 38 2,419 148 2,567

2011 ......... 498 588 646 662 6 1 114 39 2,400 153 2,553

2012 ......... 474 555 605 651 5 1 111 36 2,291 147 2,438

2013 ......... 425 484 534 618 5 1 112 36 2,066 148 2,214

Projected:

2014 ......... 403 454 513 562 6 d 114 35 1,939 149 2,088

2015 ......... 412 473 529 558 6 d 118 37 1,978 155 2,133

2016 ......... 410 471 526 554 6 d 121 37 1,967 158 2,125

2017 ......... 409 467 523 548 6 d 123 38 1,954 162 2,115

2018 ......... 407 462 518 540 6 d 126 39 1,934 166 2,099

2019 ......... 407 459 514 535 6 d 129 40 1,921 170 2,090

2020 ......... 408 457 510 530 7 d 133 41 1,912 174 2,085

2021 ......... 410 457 509 525 7 d 135 43 1,908 178 2,086

2022 ......... 416 463 518 524 7 d 137 45 1,928 181 2,109

2023 ......... 426 472 532 524 7 d 138 46 1,961 184 2,146

2024 ......... 430 475 542 518 7 d 139 48 1,972 187 2,159

2025 ......... 431 474 548 508 7 d 141 49 1,969 190 2,159

2026 ......... 433 473 554 500 7 d 141 51 1,967 192 2,158

2027 ......... 434 471 559 493 7 d 141 52 1,964 193 2,157

2028 ......... 436 469 562 488 7 d 141 53 1,962 194 2,157

2029 ......... 439 466 564 486 7 d 140 55 1,961 195 2,155

2030 ......... 440 464 564 485 7 d 137 56 1,960 194 2,154

2031 ......... 441 463 565 485 6 d 134 58 1,960 192 2,152

2032 ......... 442 462 565 485 6 d 132 59 1,960 191 2,151

2033 ......... 442 462 566 484 6 d 130 60 1,960 190 2,151

2034 ......... 442 462 567 484 6 d 128 62 1,961 190 2,152

2035 ......... 442 462 567 485 6 d 127 63 1,963 190 2,153

2036 ......... 441 463 568 487 6 d 125 64 1,965 189 2,154

2037 ......... 440 465 567 490 6 d 122 65 1,968 186 2,154

2038 ......... 439 466 567 495 6 d 118 65 1,972 183 2,155
Program Recipients and Federal Expenditures

32 2014 SSI Annual Report

As part of SSA’s adjudication of these applications, we evaluate levels of income and resources available

to the applicants as well as other eligibility factors including marital and citizenship status and living

arrangements. In addition, well over 90 percent of the SSI applications are for disability payments that

require the DDS to evaluate the alleged impairment. Applicants may appeal an unfavorable disability

determination through several administrative levels of appeal. If an applicant exhausts all administrative

levels of appeal, he or she may appeal to the Federal courts.1

Table IV.B2 and figure IV.B2 present historical and projected numbers of persons who start receiving SSI

payments as a result of this decision process. We count individuals as of the first month that they move

into SSI payment status. For this reason, we refer to these individuals as “new recipients” rather than

“awards.”2 From 2004 to 2007, the numbers of new recipients remained fairly level, roughly consistent

with the applications received during this period. Starting in 2008, however, the numbers of new recipients

increased substantially. This increase is attributable to: (1) the sharp increase in applications due to the

economic downturn; (2) improvements in claims processing; and (3) initiatives to accelerate the processing of cases pending adjudication.

 Figure IV.B1.—SSI Federally Administered Applications by Age Group, Calendar Years 1975-2040

[In thousands]

1 See section V.C for data on recent experience in the disability decision process.

2 In addition, these counts differ slightly from other similar totals identified as “awards” and published by the Office of Research, Evaluation, and Statistics

(ORES) in the Annual Statistical Supplement to the Social Security Bulletin. The ORES totals are similar in concept to those used in this report, but differ

slightly due to the timing of the action being tabulated. For example, ORES does not count a disability benefit as being awarded until the disability decision

is made. In contrast, under the procedures used in this report, individuals first coming on the SSI rolls through a finding of presumptive disability would be

counted as a “new recipient” in the first month of presumptive disability payment.

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040

Calendar year

35-49

65-74

50-64

18-34

0-17

Historical Projected

75 or older
2014 SSI Annual Report 33

Numbers of SSI Program Recipients

Note: Totals do not necessarily equal the sums of rounded components. We estimate the historical split among age groups on a calendar year of age basis.

Table IV.B2.—SSI Federally Administered New Recipients, Calendar Years 1974-2038

[In thousands]

Calendar year a

a Represents period in which first payment was made, not date of first eligibility for payments.

Blind or disabled, by age group Aged, by age group Totals b

b Historical totals estimated based on 1-percent or 10-percent sample data.

0-17 18-34 35-49 50-64 65-74

75 or

older 65-74

75 or

older

Blind or

disabled Aged All

Historical data:

1974 c ......

c Totals for 1974 include recipients converted from previous State programs as well as new recipients to the SSI program during 1974.

63 390 381 925 141 18 1,211 1,268 1,919 2,479 4,398

1975......... 58 133 105 272 16 d

d Fewer than 500.

216 131 584 347 931

1976......... 43 105 88 207 9 d 147 70 452 218 669

1977......... 48 104 84 184 8 1 140 69 429 209 637

1978......... 43 92 76 154 6 d 127 66 370 193 563

1979......... 44 87 62 133 4 d 116 53 330 169 499

1980......... 41 92 61 142 4 d 125 59 341 184 524

1981......... 37 77 49 106 3 d 80 37 272 117 389

1982......... 38 63 51 90 4 d 72 31 245 103 348

1983......... 47 88 62 117 3 d 95 51 317 146 463

1984......... 47 109 78 142 4 d 131 78 380 209 589

1985......... 48 104 80 148 4 d 106 46 384 152 536

1986......... 55 127 109 153 5 d 110 51 449 161 610

1987......... 48 119 106 157 5 d 116 52 435 167 602

1988......... 50 101 108 146 5 1 112 56 412 167 579

1989......... 48 113 115 155 5 d 127 62 436 189 625

1990......... 76 136 134 182 5 d 149 66 533 215 748

1991......... 126 146 172 200 6 d 139 54 650 193 844

1992......... 221 199 221 233 6 d 133 48 881 181 1,062

1993......... 235 194 221 225 6 d 136 49 881 185 1,066

1994......... 204 164 207 215 6 d 116 42 796 157 953

1995......... 177 147 207 218 5 d 105 36 755 141 895

1996......... 145 134 193 203 6 1 93 35 681 128 809

1997......... 116 111 171 178 4 d 68 25 580 93 673

1998......... 135 117 181 194 7 1 78 30 634 108 742

1999......... 140 114 186 195 5 d 88 33 640 120 760

2000......... 145 112 180 191 5 d 84 31 633 115 748

2001......... 157 121 185 198 4 d 79 28 665 107 772

2002......... 171 128 195 212 4 d 82 29 710 111 821

2003......... 180 132 194 214 4 d 77 27 724 104 828

2004......... 183 138 202 231 4 d 78 27 757 105 862

2005......... 178 131 192 238 4 d 81 29 744 111 854

2006......... 175 128 190 243 3 d 81 28 739 109 849

2007......... 172 128 186 252 3 d 75 27 741 103 844

2008......... 183 146 204 289 4 d 79 26 825 105 930

2009......... 198 161 214 322 4 d 80 26 900 106 1,006

2010......... 205 173 221 346 4 d 80 26 949 106 1,055

2011......... 202 163 206 356 4 d 83 27 932 110 1,042

2012......... 190 148 181 340 4 d 85 25 863 110 973

2013......... 177 134 158 333 4 d 86 26 806 112 918

Projected:

2014......... 167 127 157 297 5 d 90 26 752 116 868

2015......... 170 132 167 300 5 d 89 26 774 115 889

2016......... 171 134 169 297 5 d 91 26 776 118 894

2017......... 170 136 170 291 6 d 93 27 773 120 893

2018......... 170 136 169 286 6 d 95 27 766 122 889

2019......... 174 138 171 288 6 d 99 29 777 127 904

2020......... 171 135 167 280 6 d 98 28 759 126 886

2021......... 172 135 166 278 6 d 99 29 758 129 886

2022......... 174 136 168 276 7 d 100 31 762 131 893

2023......... 177 138 172 275 7 d 101 32 769 133 902

2024......... 182 142 178 276 7 d 104 34 785 138 923

2025......... 180 139 177 267 7 d 103 34 769 137 906

2026......... 180 138 179 262 7 d 103 35 765 138 903

2027......... 180 138 180 258 7 d 103 36 763 139 901

2028......... 181 137 181 255 7 d 103 37 760 139 900

2029......... 182 136 182 253 6 d 102 38 758 139 898

2030......... 186 138 186 257 6 d 102 39 772 141 913

2031......... 183 135 182 252 6 d 98 40 758 137 895

2032......... 182 134 182 251 6 d 95 41 756 136 892

2033......... 182 135 182 250 6 d 94 41 756 135 891

2034......... 182 135 183 250 6 d 93 42 756 135 891

2035......... 182 135 183 250 6 d 92 43 757 135 892

2036......... 185 138 187 256 6 d 92 44 773 136 909

2037......... 181 136 183 253 5 d 88 44 758 131 889

2038......... 181 136 182 255 5 d 85 44 759 129 888
Program Recipients and Federal Expenditures

34 2014 SSI Annual Report

The numbers of new recipients declined slightly in 2011 and more sharply in 2012 and 2013, similar to the

change in applications. Consistent with the pattern of projected applications, we project the total number

of new recipients to continue to decline through 2014. Over the longer term, we project the number of new

recipients to level off and remain roughly level throughout the projection period.

Some persons receiving SSI benefits in a year will stop receiving payments during the year because of

death or the loss of SSI eligibility. SSA uses two primary tools to assess continuing eligibility: (1) a nonmedical redetermination; and (2) a medical continuing disability review (CDR).1 In a redetermination, we

reexamine the recipient's nonmedical factors of eligibility, including income and resources. In a medical

CDR, we determine whether the recipient continues to meet the Social Security Act's definition of disability. For example, disabled children, upon attainment of age 18, lose eligibility if they do not qualify for

benefits under the disabled adult eligibility criteria. We refer to the net reduction in the number of SSI

recipients in current-payment status during a period as the number of SSI terminations for that period. 

For purposes of presentation in the following tables, we use the general label “terminations” to refer to the

total of: (1) deaths while in current-payment status during the period; plus (2) the number of persons

during the period moving out of payment status into suspended status less those returning to payment status from suspended status. In these tables, we have separated the numbers of total terminations into those

two categories: (1) terminations due to death (table IV.B3); and (2) net suspensions of payments for all

other reasons (table IV.B4). Table IV.B5 and figure IV.B3 present historical and projected numbers of total

terminations by calendar year. The overall total number of terminations in 2013 decreased by about 1 percent from 2012. This decrease in the number of federally administered terminations is primarily attributable to a decrease in the number of new SSI recipients concurrently eligible for OASDI disability benefits

 Figure IV.B2.—SSI Federally Administered New Recipients by Age Group, Calendar Years 1975-2040

[In thousands]

1 Including redeterminations of disabled children at age 18 under the adult disability standard. We present some historical details on income and resource

redeterminations and the results of continuing disability reviews in section V.D. Section V.E presents information on certain incentive programs intended to

encourage disabled SSI recipients to return to work.

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040

Calendar year

35-49

65-74

50-64

18-34

0-17

75 or older

Historical Projected
2014 SSI Annual Report 35

Numbers of SSI Program Recipients

who received SSI benefits only temporarily during the 5-month Social Security Disability Insurance waiting period.

.

Note: Totals do not necessarily equal the sums of rounded components. We estimate the historical split among age groups on a calendar year of age basis.

Table IV.B3.—SSI Federally Administered Terminations Due to Deatha, Calendar Years 1974-2038

[In thousands]

a Terminations where the death of the SSI recipient was recorded in SSA administrative systems as of the first month of nonpayment of SSI benefits.

Calendar year

Blind or disabled, by age group Aged, by age group Totals b

b Historical totals estimated based on 1-percent or 10-percent sample data.

0-17 18-34 35-49 50-64 65-74

75 or

older 65-74

75 or

older

Blind or

disabled Aged All

Historical data:

1974 ......... c

c Fewer than 500.

3 8 34 7 2 40 97 55 137 192

1975 ......... 1 5 12 35 10 2 39 108 65 147 212

1976 ......... 2 5 9 36 12 1 34 103 64 137 201

1977 ......... 1 5 12 30 15 1 36 101 65 137 203

1978 ......... 2 5 8 34 16 2 31 95 67 126 193

1979 ......... 2 6 9 32 18 2 29 92 67 121 189

1980 ......... 3 5 9 31 22 1 27 100 71 127 198

1981 ......... 3 5 8 31 24 2 21 92 73 112 186

1982 ......... 3 4 8 28 21 2 16 80 65 96 161

1983 ......... 3 6 8 25 21 3 15 79 65 94 158

1984 ......... 3 4 9 29 18 5 13 83 67 96 163

1985 ......... 2 6 10 29 24 6 17 84 77 101 178

1986 ......... 2 8 12 28 22 8 15 83 80 98 178

1987 ......... 3 8 13 30 23 10 15 82 87 97 184

1988 ......... 5 8 14 31 25 12 16 81 95 97 191

1989 ......... 3 8 16 33 23 12 15 78 95 93 187

1990 ......... 4 9 18 36 22 14 16 75 103 92 194

1991 ......... 4 9 20 39 23 17 17 74 112 91 203

1992 ......... 4 11 22 38 22 15 16 69 111 84 195

1993 ......... 6 13 27 41 23 17 16 72 127 88 215

1994 ......... 6 14 27 41 23 17 16 69 127 85 212

1995 ......... 6 13 30 43 24 18 16 65 135 81 216

1996 ......... 7 12 30 44 24 18 16 67 135 83 218

1997 ......... 5 10 24 43 24 19 15 64 127 79 206

1998 ......... 5 9 24 43 25 20 14 64 127 78 205

1999 ......... 5 9 25 45 25 21 13 63 131 76 207

2000 ......... 5 8 27 46 25 21 12 61 132 73 205

2001 ......... 5 8 28 47 25 22 11 60 135 71 207

2002 ......... 5 8 28 49 24 21 11 58 135 70 205

2003 ......... 5 9 28 51 26 21 10 56 138 66 204

2004 ......... 5 8 27 52 25 22 10 56 140 65 205

2005 ......... 5 8 28 54 25 22 9 54 141 63 204

2006 ......... 5 8 27 55 25 22 9 54 143 62 205

2007 ......... 5 8 26 57 25 23 8 54 145 62 207

2008 ......... 5 8 25 60 25 21 8 53 144 62 206

2009 ......... 5 9 25 64 26 22 8 52 150 60 210

2010 ......... 4 8 22 63 26 22 8 50 146 58 204

2011 ......... 5 9 21 66 26 23 8 50 149 58 207

2012 ......... 5 9 22 69 27 23 8 51 154 58 212

2013 ......... 4 9 21 70 28 25 7 50 157 58 215

Projected:

2014 ......... 4 9 20 74 27 25 7 47 160 54 214

2015 ......... 4 9 20 75 28 25 7 47 161 54 215

2016 ......... 4 9 19 74 29 26 7 47 162 54 216

2017 ......... 4 9 19 74 30 26 7 47 162 54 216

2018 ......... 4 9 19 72 31 26 7 47 162 55 216

2019 ......... 4 9 19 71 33 27 7 47 161 55 216

2020 ......... 4 9 18 69 34 27 7 47 161 55 216

2021 ......... 4 9 18 68 35 27 8 47 161 55 216

2022 ......... 4 9 18 66 36 28 7 47 161 55 216

2023 ......... 4 9 18 65 37 28 7 48 161 55 216

2024 ......... 4 9 19 64 38 29 8 48 161 55 217

2025 ......... 4 9 19 62 38 30 8 48 162 56 217

2026 ......... 3 9 19 61 39 31 8 48 162 56 218

2027 ......... 3 8 19 60 39 32 8 49 162 57 218

2028 ......... 3 8 19 59 39 33 8 49 162 57 219

2029 ......... 3 8 19 58 38 35 7 50 162 58 219

2030 ......... 3 8 19 58 37 36 7 51 162 58 220

2031 ......... 3 8 19 58 37 37 7 52 162 59 221

2032 ......... 3 8 19 57 36 39 7 52 162 60 222

2033 ......... 3 8 19 57 35 40 7 53 162 60 222

2034 ......... 3 8 19 57 34 41 7 54 162 61 223

2035 ......... 3 8 19 56 33 42 7 55 162 62 224

2036 ......... 3 8 19 56 33 44 6 56 162 63 225

2037 ......... 3 8 19 56 32 44 6 57 162 63 225

2038 ......... 3 8 18 57 31 45 6 58 162 64 226
Program Recipients and Federal Expenditures

36 2014 SSI Annual Report

Note: Totals do not necessarily equal the sums of rounded components. We estimate the historical split among age groups on a calendar year of age basis.

Table IV.B4.—SSI Federally Administered Terminations Due to Reasons Other Than Death,a Calendar Years 1974-2038

[In thousands]

a Represents the number of persons during the period moving out of payment status into suspended status less those returning to payment status from suspended status.

Calendar year

Blind or disabled, by age group Aged, by age group Totals b

b Historical totals estimated based on 1-percent or 10-percent sample data.

0-17 18-34 35-49 50-64 65-74

75 or

older 65-74

75 or

older

Blind or

disabled Aged All

Historical data:

1974 ......... 5 33 34 69 12 2 27 29 154 56 210

1975 ......... 7 50 44 104 15 2 88 91 221 180 401

1976 ......... 11 70 61 139 24 1 107 133 306 240 546

1977 ......... 13 65 56 110 19 1 76 92 265 168 433

1978 ......... 11 64 49 97 18 1 64 86 241 150 391

1979 ......... 12 59 43 96 23 1 58 85 234 144 378

1980 ......... 19 48 43 80 23 1 44 77 214 121 334

1981 ......... 17 43 39 72 21 1 49 86 192 134 326

1982 ......... 19 48 43 79 23 1 50 87 212 137 348

1983 ......... 18 43 36 63 14 1 25 61 175 86 261

1984 ......... 13 51 37 77 21 1 37 60 200 98 298

1985 ......... 11 42 37 68 13 2 23 54 172 77 249

1986 ......... 18 49 47 73 16 3 34 60 206 94 300

1987 ......... 19 51 48 75 17 3 32 57 214 89 302

1988 ......... 19 52 51 74 15 5 33 59 216 93 309

1989 ......... 19 55 52 72 16 4 33 58 218 91 308

1990 ......... 14 52 57 73 17 8 40 68 221 108 330

1991 ......... 20 50 70 84 18 5 33 58 248 91 339

1992 ......... 39 68 94 103 19 8 34 56 329 90 419

1993 ......... 34 73 97 106 22 8 37 55 340 92 433

1994 ......... 41 73 101 107 18 8 32 49 348 81 429

1995 ......... 47 81 111 115 20 7 32 48 382 80 461

1996 ......... 47 89 128 119 21 8 29 49 413 78 491

1997 ......... 128 105 147 115 18 8 24 40 522 64 586

1998 ......... 67 89 112 110 19 8 22 38 406 61 466

1999 ......... 119 111 120 116 20 9 24 43 495 68 563

2000 ......... 84 99 111 112 22 9 22 38 437 61 498

2001 ......... 65 95 111 118 20 9 22 38 418 60 478

2002 ......... 78 100 122 133 20 9 20 35 463 55 517

2003 ......... 72 95 122 135 20 9 20 36 453 56 509

2004 ......... 85 101 136 156 23 9 24 38 510 62 572

2005 ......... 64 101 129 157 20 8 15 30 479 45 524

2006 ......... 56 96 131 162 21 8 19 30 473 50 522

2007 ......... 46 108 124 160 20 8 18 29 466 48 513

2008 ......... 63 112 131 185 20 8 18 27 518 45 563

2009 ......... 61 124 141 214 27 10 25 37 576 63 639

2010 ......... 76 122 131 209 21 8 22 28 565 50 615

2011 ......... 73 128 126 222 23 8 23 31 580 54 634

2012c........

c Terminations for 2012 reflect the reclassification of about 23,000 Federal recipients from the aged to the blind or disabled category because the State of

Massachusetts took over the administration of its State Supplementation program.

66 125 119 214 8 2 37 41 533 78 611

2013 ......... 76 120 108 214 22 9 22 31 549 53 602

Projected:

2014d........

d Projected terminations for 2014 reflect the decision of the State of New York to take over the administration of its State supplementation program.

69 136 116 225 27 11 26 33 586 59 645

2015 ......... 68 140 113 212 23 11 21 26 567 48 615

2016 ......... 76 136 110 211 24 11 22 27 569 49 618

2017 ......... 105 138 112 213 26 12 23 27 606 50 656

2018 ......... 79 144 118 217 28 12 23 28 597 51 649

2019 ......... 68 141 116 211 29 13 23 29 578 53 630

2020 ......... 71 142 115 206 30 13 23 30 578 53 631

2021 ......... 75 139 114 200 32 13 24 30 573 54 628

2022 ......... 72 142 114 194 33 14 24 31 569 55 624

2023 ......... 72 139 116 190 34 14 24 32 565 56 621

2024 ......... 73 139 118 186 35 14 25 32 565 57 622

2025 ......... 73 139 120 183 35 15 25 33 566 58 624

2026 ......... 73 139 122 181 36 15 25 34 567 59 625

2027 ......... 73 140 123 179 36 16 25 34 567 60 627

2028 ......... 74 140 125 177 36 17 25 35 568 60 628

2029 ......... 74 139 126 176 36 18 25 36 569 61 629

2030 ......... 75 139 126 176 35 18 25 36 570 61 631

2031 ......... 76 139 127 176 35 19 25 37 571 62 633

2032 ......... 76 139 127 177 34 20 24 38 573 62 635

2033 ......... 76 139 127 177 34 21 24 39 574 63 637

2034 ......... 77 140 128 177 33 21 23 40 575 63 639

2035 ......... 77 140 128 177 33 22 23 41 577 64 641

2036 ......... 77 141 129 178 33 23 23 42 580 64 645

2037 ......... 77 142 129 179 32 23 22 42 582 65 647

2038 ......... 77 143 129 181 32 23 22 43 584 65 649
2014 SSI Annual Report 37

Numbers of SSI Program Recipients

Note: Totals do not necessarily equal the sums of rounded components. We estimate the historical split among age groups on a calendar year of age basis.

Table IV.B5.—SSI Federally Administered Terminations for All Reasons,a Calendar Years 1974-2038

[In thousands]

a Annual figures represent the sum of: (1) terminations from current-payment status due to death during the year; and (2) the number of persons during the

year moving out of payment status into suspended status less those returning to payment status from suspended status.

Calendar year

Blind or disabled, by age group Aged, by age group Totals b

b Historical totals estimated based on 1-percent or 10-percent sample data.

0-17 18-34 35-49 50-64 65-74

75 or

older 65-74

75 or

older

Blind or

disabled Aged All

Historical data:

1974 ........ 5 36 42 103 19 4 67 126 209 193 402

1975 ........ 8 55 56 140 25 3 127 199 287 326 613

1976 ........ 13 75 71 174 35 3 141 236 371 377 748

1977 ........ 14 71 68 140 34 3 112 194 330 305 636

1978 ........ 14 70 58 130 34 3 94 181 308 276 584

1979 ........ 13 65 52 128 41 2 88 177 301 265 566

1980 ........ 22 53 52 111 45 2 70 177 284 248 532

1981 ........ 20 48 47 103 45 3 69 177 266 246 512

1982 ........ 21 52 51 107 43 2 65 168 277 233 510

1983 ........ 21 49 44 87 34 4 39 140 240 180 419

1984 ........ 16 55 46 106 39 6 50 144 267 194 461

1985 ........ 13 47 47 97 37 8 40 138 249 178 427

1986 ........ 21 58 59 101 38 11 48 143 287 192 478

1987 ........ 22 59 61 106 40 13 47 138 301 185 486

1988 ........ 24 60 65 105 39 18 49 140 311 189 500

1989 ........ 22 63 69 105 39 15 47 136 312 183 496

1990 ........ 18 61 75 109 39 22 56 144 324 200 524

1991 ........ 25 60 90 123 40 22 50 132 360 182 542

1992 ........ 42 78 115 140 41 23 50 125 440 175 614

1993 ........ 40 86 124 148 45 24 54 127 467 181 648

1994 ........ 47 87 128 148 41 24 48 118 475 166 642

1995 ........ 54 94 142 158 44 25 47 113 517 160 677

1996 ........ 54 101 158 163 45 27 45 116 548 161 710

1997 ........ 133 116 172 159 43 26 39 105 648 143 792

1998 ........ 73 98 136 153 44 29 36 102 533 138 671

1999 ........ 124 120 146 161 45 31 38 106 626 144 770

2000 ........ 89 107 138 159 46 29 35 99 569 134 703

2001 ........ 70 103 139 166 45 31 34 98 554 132 685

2002 ........ 83 108 150 182 44 30 31 93 598 124 722

2003 ........ 76 104 149 186 46 30 31 92 591 122 713

2004 ........ 90 109 163 208 48 31 34 93 650 127 777

2005 ........ 69 109 157 211 45 30 24 84 621 107 728

2006 ........ 61 104 158 217 46 31 28 84 615 112 727

2007 ........ 51 116 150 218 46 31 27 83 610 110 720

2008 ........ 68 120 155 245 45 29 26 80 663 106 769

2009 ........ 66 133 166 278 52 32 33 90 726 123 849

2010 ........ 80 130 153 272 46 30 29 79 712 108 820

2011 ........ 77 137 147 288 49 31 31 81 729 112 841

2012c.......

c Terminations for 2012 reflect the reclassification of about 23,000 Federal recipients from the aged to the blind or disabled category because the State of

Massachusetts took over the administration of its State Supplementation program.

70 134 140 283 35 25 44 92 687 136 823

2013 ........ 80 129 129 284 50 34 29 81 706 111 817

Projected:

2014d.......

d Projected terminations for 2014 reflect the decision of the State of New York to take over the administration of its State supplementation program.

74 146 137 300 55 36 33 80 746 113 860

2015 ........ 72 149 133 287 51 36 28 74 728 102 830

2016 ........ 80 145 130 286 53 37 30 74 731 103 834

2017 ........ 109 147 132 286 56 38 30 74 768 104 872

2018 ........ 83 153 137 289 59 39 31 75 759 106 865

2019 ........ 72 150 135 282 62 39 31 77 739 107 846

2020 ........ 75 151 133 275 64 40 31 77 739 108 847

2021 ........ 79 148 132 268 67 40 31 78 734 109 843

2022 ........ 76 151 132 261 69 41 31 78 730 110 840

2023 ........ 76 148 134 255 71 42 32 79 726 111 837

2024 ........ 77 148 136 249 73 44 32 80 726 112 838

2025 ........ 76 148 139 246 74 45 32 81 727 113 841

2026 ........ 77 148 141 242 75 46 33 82 728 115 843

2027 ........ 77 148 143 239 75 48 33 83 729 116 845

2028 ........ 77 148 144 236 75 50 33 84 730 117 847

2029 ........ 77 148 145 235 74 52 33 86 730 118 849

2030 ........ 78 147 145 234 73 54 32 87 732 120 852

2031 ........ 79 147 146 234 71 57 32 89 734 121 854

2032 ........ 79 147 146 234 70 59 31 91 735 122 857

2033 ........ 80 147 146 234 68 61 31 92 736 123 859

2034 ........ 80 148 147 233 67 63 30 94 737 124 862

2035 ........ 80 148 147 233 67 64 30 96 739 126 865

2036 ........ 80 149 148 234 66 66 29 98 742 127 869

2037 ........ 80 150 148 235 64 67 28 100 744 128 872

2038 ........ 80 150 148 237 62 69 28 101 746 129 875
Program Recipients and Federal Expenditures

38 2014 SSI Annual Report

Our projected terminations reflect the assumption that within the next few years increased resources will

be available to SSA for processing medical CDRs, which would result in higher levels of SSI terminations,

although that assumption is uncertain and it has been difficult to anticipate Congressional action on appropriations. Projected terminations for 2014 reflect the decision by the State of New York to take over administration of its State supplementation program effective October 1, 2014, resulting in the termination from

federally administered SSI recipients payment rolls of all SSI recipients who are only receiving New York

State supplementation payments.

 Figure IV.B3.—SSI Federally Administered Terminations by Age Group, Calendar Years 1975-2040

[In thousands]

Table IV.B6.—SSI Recipients with Federal Payments in Current-Payment Status as of December, 1974-2038

[In thousands]

Year

Blind or disabled, by age group Aged, by age group Totals

0-17 18-34 35-49 50-64 65-74

75 or

older 65-74

75 or

older

Blind or

disabled Aged All

Historical data:

1974 ......... 70 338 321 756 109 13 1,010 1,019 1,606 2,029 3,635

1975 ......... 106 395 352 838 164 14 963 1,062 1,869 2,025 3,893

1976 ......... 124 420 352 813 208 14 864 1,003 1,932 1,867 3,799

1977 ......... 147 442 358 800 249 16 785 980 2,013 1,765 3,778

1978 ......... 165 460 361 791 277 16 728 958 2,069 1,686 3,755

1979 ......... 176 472 359 764 307 16 656 938 2,094 1,593 3,687

1980 ......... 188 500 351 750 342 17 609 925 2,149 1,533 3,682

1981 ......... 194 514 349 720 366 17 541 888 2,160 1,430 3,590

1982 ......... 191 517 346 683 386 21 459 871 2,144 1,329 3,473

1983 ......... 198 555 366 692 412 28 449 890 2,250 1,339 3,590

1984 ......... 210 595 393 700 406 48 463 884 2,352 1,347 3,699

1985 ......... 226 634 426 717 402 72 462 860 2,477 1,322 3,799

1986 ......... 240 688 475 739 397 91 465 827 2,630 1,291 3,922

1987 ......... 249 717 524 756 392 113 464 804 2,751 1,268 4,019

1988 ......... 254 738 564 774 387 127 468 777 2,844 1,245 4,089

1989 ......... 263 757 613 799 382 145 488 760 2,959 1,247 4,206

1990 ......... 306 788 677 840 389 156 508 749 3,156 1,257 4,412

1991 ......... 395 833 769 897 390 166 542 736 3,451 1,279 4,730

1992 ......... 555 920 877 970 402 173 577 727 3,898 1,304 5,202

1993 ......... 721 990 979 1,034 410 179 604 720 4,312 1,324 5,636

1994 ......... 839 1,032 1,071 1,089 425 182 610 716 4,638 1,326 5,965

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040

Calendar year

Historical Projected

75 or older

35-49

65-74

50-64

18-34

0-17
2014 SSI Annual Report 39

Numbers of SSI Program Recipients

Note: Totals do not necessarily equal the sums of rounded components. We estimate the historical split among age groups on a calendar year of age basis.

Combining the number of persons coming on the SSI payment rolls during a year with the number of those

already receiving benefits at the end of the previous year, and subtracting the number leaving the rolls

during the year, yields the number of persons receiving federally administered SSI payments at the end of

the year. Table IV.B6 and figure IV.B4 present the number of individuals receiving Federal SSI payments,

who comprise the great majority of federally administered recipients. The number of Federal SSI recipients at the end of 2013 increased by about 1.3 percent over the corresponding number at the end of 2012, a

smaller increase than experienced between 2011 and 2012.

As figure IV.B4 illustrates, the implementation of Public Law 104-121 and Public Law 104-193 resulted in

a decline in the Federal recipient population from 1996 to 1997. From the end of 1997 through the end of

2000, the Federal SSI recipient population grew at an annual rate of less than 1 percent. From the end of

2000 to the end of 2008, the Federal SSI recipient population grew an average of 1.7 percent per year.

From the end of 2008 to the end of 2012, the Federal recipient population grew an average of 2.7 percent

per year due largely to the economic recession and the slow recovery from that economic downturn. As

the economy continues to recover, we project the numbers of Federal SSI recipients to grow more slowly

at an average rate of less than 1 percent per year for the remainder of the 25-year projection period. In

order to place this projected growth in the context of overall population growth, table IV.B7 and figure

Historical data: (Cont.)

1995 ......... 915 1,058 1,150 1,134 435 188 601 713 4,880 1,315 6,194

1996 ......... 954 1,066 1,198 1,176 444 192 586 711 5,029 1,296 6,326

1997 ......... 878 1,039 1,196 1,198 457 193 547 704 4,960 1,251 6,212

1998 ......... 885 1,038 1,238 1,243 464 197 521 705 5,063 1,226 6,289

1999 ......... 845 1,005 1,274 1,278 474 195 499 704 5,072 1,203 6,275

2000 ......... 844 994 1,303 1,313 484 196 483 703 5,134 1,186 6,320

2001 ......... 879 995 1,329 1,353 493 196 461 703 5,245 1,165 6,410

2002 ......... 912 1,002 1,344 1,394 502 200 447 705 5,354 1,152 6,505

2003 ......... 956 1,023 1,353 1,436 511 204 430 703 5,482 1,133 6,614

2004 ......... 990 1,044 1,350 1,476 515 208 412 699 5,584 1,111 6,695

2005 ......... 1,034 1,065 1,347 1,523 522 215 408 705 5,706 1,113 6,819

2006 ......... 1,076 1,095 1,334 1,575 529 220 405 704 5,830 1,109 6,939

2007 ......... 1,119 1,124 1,316 1,634 540 228 397 704 5,960 1,101 7,061

2008 ......... 1,151 1,173 1,306 1,704 550 234 396 704 6,119 1,100 7,219

2009 ......... 1,198 1,229 1,302 1,793 559 241 396 704 6,322 1,101 7,423

2010 ......... 1,238 1,294 1,307 1,900 566 251 394 704 6,557 1,099 7,656

2011 ......... 1,276 1,345 1,305 2,002 577 260 398 703 6,765 1,101 7,866

2012 a....... 1,311 1,381 1,287 2,089 608 278 391 694 6,955 1,085 8,040

2013 ......... 1,321 1,400 1,263 2,161 624 287 398 689 7,056 1,087 8,144

Projected:

2014 ......... 1,329 1,402 1,238 2,193 643 293 409 689 7,099 1,098 8,196

2015 ......... 1,337 1,397 1,227 2,207 666 300 417 689 7,133 1,106 8,239

2016 ......... 1,333 1,406 1,228 2,208 693 304 428 689 7,173 1,116 8,289

2017 ......... 1,299 1,416 1,234 2,189 726 310 437 692 7,173 1,129 8,302

2018 ......... 1,289 1,421 1,234 2,154 763 315 448 695 7,176 1,143 8,319

2019 ......... 1,293 1,431 1,237 2,126 801 320 461 699 7,208 1,160 8,368

2020 ......... 1,291 1,435 1,237 2,094 840 325 472 703 7,223 1,175 8,398

2021 ......... 1,285 1,443 1,243 2,061 876 333 479 713 7,241 1,192 8,433

2022 ......... 1,284 1,450 1,258 2,025 909 344 481 729 7,270 1,210 8,481

2023 ......... 1,286 1,460 1,280 1,993 939 354 487 743 7,311 1,230 8,541

2024 ......... 1,289 1,473 1,308 1,969 965 365 495 758 7,368 1,253 8,621

2025 ......... 1,289 1,482 1,333 1,940 986 378 501 774 7,408 1,275 8,683

2026 ......... 1,290 1,490 1,357 1,912 1,003 393 506 790 7,444 1,296 8,740

2027 ......... 1,294 1,495 1,375 1,889 1,011 411 509 808 7,477 1,317 8,794

2028 ......... 1,304 1,497 1,389 1,872 1,014 431 511 827 7,506 1,338 8,844

2029 ......... 1,317 1,495 1,399 1,860 1,011 452 511 847 7,533 1,357 8,891

2030 ......... 1,334 1,496 1,407 1,861 1,002 472 510 867 7,572 1,378 8,950

2031 ......... 1,347 1,496 1,411 1,862 988 493 505 888 7,596 1,393 8,989

2032 ......... 1,358 1,495 1,414 1,865 971 513 498 909 7,617 1,407 9,023

2033 ......... 1,367 1,496 1,419 1,866 957 530 490 929 7,636 1,418 9,054

2034 ......... 1,372 1,498 1,425 1,865 947 546 481 947 7,654 1,428 9,082

2035 ......... 1,375 1,501 1,431 1,865 939 560 472 965 7,671 1,437 9,108

2036 ......... 1,379 1,508 1,438 1,874 929 573 464 982 7,701 1,446 9,147

2037 ......... 1,378 1,514 1,440 1,886 914 583 454 996 7,715 1,449 9,164

2038 ......... 1,375 1,520 1,441 1,904 897 590 442 1,008 7,728 1,450 9,178

a Number of recipients in 2012 reflects the reclassification of around 23,000 Federal recipients from the aged to the blind or disabled category because the

State of Massachusetts took over administration of its State Supplementation program.

Table IV.B6.—SSI Recipients with Federal Payments in Current-Payment Status as of December, 1974-2038 (Cont.)

[In thousands]

Year

Blind or disabled, by age group Aged, by age group Totals

0-17 18-34 35-49 50-64 65-74

75 or

older 65-74

75 or

older

Blind or

disabled Aged All
Program Recipients and Federal Expenditures

40 2014 SSI Annual Report

IV.B5 present Federal SSI prevalence rates, defined as SSI recipients with Federal benefits in current-payment status as percentages of selected Social Security area population totals. 

In table IV.B7, we calculated the age group percentages using the corresponding population age group

totals. We computed the ratios for the separate recipient categories—total blind or disabled and total

aged—as percentages of differing base populations, the total Social Security area population and the 65

and older Social Security population, respectively. As a result of this method of calculation, the percentage

for the total SSI recipient population is not the arithmetic sum of the percentages for the respective recipient categories. The prevalence rate for all Federal SSI recipients declined from 1975 through the early

1980s. In 1983, this percentage started increasing and continued to increase through 1996. The prevalence

rate then declined in 1997, due to the implementation of Public Law 104-121 and Public Law 104-193, but

leveled out over the next few years. It has increased slightly over the past few years, but we expect it to

decline gradually throughout the projection period.

 Figure IV.B4.—SSI Recipients with Federal Benefits in Current-Payment Status, by Age Group, 

as of December, 1975-2040

[In thousands]

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

9,000

10,000

11,000

1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040

Year

35-49

65-74

50-64

18-34

0-17

75 or older

Historical Projected
2014 SSI Annual Report 41

Numbers of SSI Program Recipients

Table IV.B7.—Federal SSI Prevalence Rates, as of December, 1974-2038

Year

Blind or disabled, by age group Aged, by age group Totals

0-17 18-34 35-49 50-64 65-74

75 or

older 65-74

75 or

older

Blind or

disableda

a Blind or disabled recipients as a percentage of the total Social Security area population.

Agedb

b Aged recipients as a percentage of the 65 or older Social Security area population.

Allc

c Total recipients as a percentage of the total Social Security area population. Totals do not equal sums of components due to overlapping populations.

Historical data:

1974 ........ 0.10 0.56 0.88 2.29 0.77 0.14 7.19 11.23 0.72 8.78 1.63

1975 ........ .15 .63 .97 2.51 1.14 .15 6.70 11.38 .83 8.54 1.73

1976 ........ .18 .65 .96 2.42 1.41 .14 5.88 10.43 .85 7.68 1.67

1977 ........ .22 .67 .97 2.36 1.66 .17 5.21 9.94 .88 7.09 1.65

1978 ........ .25 .68 .96 2.32 1.80 .15 4.73 9.46 .89 6.61 1.62

1979 ........ .27 .68 .94 2.23 1.96 .15 4.17 9.00 .89 6.10 1.58

1980 ........ .29 .71 .91 2.18 2.14 .16 3.81 8.64 .91 5.74 1.56

1981 ........ .30 .72 .87 2.10 2.25 .16 3.33 8.07 .91 5.24 1.51

1982 ........ .29 .71 .83 1.99 2.33 .18 2.77 7.68 .89 4.77 1.44

1983 ........ .31 .76 .85 2.02 2.46 .24 2.68 7.63 .93 4.71 1.48

1984 ........ .32 .81 .88 2.06 2.39 .40 2.72 7.39 .96 4.65 1.51

1985 ........ .35 .87 .93 2.11 2.32 .58 2.67 7.00 1.00 4.47 1.53

1986 ........ .37 .94 1.00 2.19 2.26 .72 2.64 6.57 1.05 4.28 1.57

1987 ........ .38 .98 1.06 2.25 2.20 .87 2.60 6.25 1.09 4.13 1.59

1988 ........ .39 1.01 1.11 2.30 2.14 .97 2.59 5.90 1.12 3.99 1.60

1989 ........ .40 1.03 1.16 2.37 2.10 1.07 2.67 5.62 1.15 3.93 1.63

1990 ........ .45 1.08 1.24 2.48 2.10 1.12 2.74 5.40 1.21 3.88 1.69

1991 ........ .58 1.16 1.36 2.62 2.08 1.17 2.89 5.19 1.31 3.88 1.79

1992 ........ .80 1.29 1.51 2.79 2.12 1.19 3.04 5.00 1.46 3.89 1.95

1993 ........ 1.02 1.40 1.64 2.92 2.15 1.20 3.16 4.85 1.60 3.90 2.09

1994 ........ 1.17 1.48 1.75 3.02 2.22 1.20 3.18 4.71 1.70 3.86 2.19

1995 ........ 1.26 1.53 1.83 3.10 2.27 1.21 3.13 4.59 1.77 3.78 2.25

1996 ........ 1.31 1.55 1.87 3.12 2.32 1.21 3.06 4.46 1.81 3.70 2.27

1997 ........ 1.20 1.52 1.85 3.05 2.40 1.18 2.87 4.32 1.76 3.54 2.21

1998 ........ 1.21 1.52 1.88 3.05 2.45 1.18 2.75 4.24 1.78 3.45 2.22

1999 ........ 1.15 1.47 1.92 3.02 2.52 1.15 2.65 4.16 1.77 3.37 2.19

2000 ........ 1.14 1.45 1.95 3.00 2.58 1.14 2.57 4.09 1.77 3.30 2.18

2001 ........ 1.18 1.44 1.98 2.98 2.63 1.13 2.46 4.04 1.80 3.22 2.19

2002 ........ 1.22 1.45 2.00 2.96 2.67 1.13 2.38 4.00 1.82 3.17 2.21

2003 ........ 1.28 1.47 2.01 2.95 2.70 1.14 2.27 3.95 1.84 3.09 2.22

2004 ........ 1.32 1.49 2.01 2.92 2.70 1.15 2.16 3.88 1.86 2.99 2.23

2005 ........ 1.37 1.52 2.00 2.92 2.69 1.18 2.11 3.87 1.88 2.96 2.25

2006 ........ 1.42 1.55 1.99 2.92 2.67 1.20 2.04 3.83 1.91 2.91 2.27

2007 ........ 1.47 1.58 1.98 2.94 2.64 1.23 1.95 3.80 1.93 2.83 2.29

2008 ........ 1.51 1.63 1.98 2.99 2.60 1.25 1.87 3.77 1.97 2.76 2.32

2009 ........ 1.58 1.69 2.00 3.06 2.55 1.28 1.81 3.74 2.02 2.70 2.37

2010 ........ 1.63 1.76 2.03 3.16 2.51 1.32 1.75 3.69 2.08 2.64 2.42

2011 ........ 1.69 1.81 2.05 3.27 2.44 1.35 1.68 3.65 2.13 2.56 2.47

2012 ........ 1.73 1.84 2.04 3.37 2.43 1.42 1.56 3.55 2.17 2.43 2.51

2013 ........ 1.74 1.85 2.01 3.44 2.38 1.44 1.52 3.46 2.18 2.36 2.52

Projected:

2014 ........ 1.74 1.84 1.98 3.45 2.36 1.45 1.50 3.40 2.18 2.31 2.51

2015 ........ 1.75 1.83 1.95 3.44 2.34 1.45 1.47 3.33 2.17 2.25 2.51

2016 ........ 1.73 1.83 1.95 3.43 2.35 1.43 1.45 3.25 2.16 2.20 2.50

2017 ........ 1.68 1.83 1.95 3.39 2.38 1.42 1.43 3.17 2.14 2.16 2.48

2018 ........ 1.66 1.83 1.94 3.34 2.42 1.40 1.42 3.08 2.12 2.11 2.46

2019 ........ 1.65 1.83 1.93 3.29 2.45 1.38 1.41 3.01 2.11 2.07 2.45

2020 ........ 1.63 1.82 1.93 3.24 2.48 1.36 1.39 2.94 2.10 2.03 2.44

2021 ........ 1.61 1.82 1.93 3.19 2.53 1.34 1.38 2.86 2.08 2.00 2.43

2022 ........ 1.60 1.82 1.94 3.16 2.57 1.31 1.36 2.78 2.07 1.97 2.42

2023 ........ 1.59 1.83 1.95 3.14 2.60 1.29 1.35 2.72 2.07 1.94 2.42

2024 ........ 1.58 1.84 1.96 3.13 2.61 1.28 1.34 2.67 2.07 1.92 2.42

2025 ........ 1.58 1.85 1.97 3.11 2.62 1.28 1.33 2.62 2.06 1.90 2.42

2026 ........ 1.57 1.85 1.98 3.10 2.61 1.28 1.32 2.57 2.06 1.88 2.41

2027 ........ 1.56 1.85 1.98 3.09 2.60 1.29 1.31 2.53 2.05 1.86 2.41

2028 ........ 1.56 1.86 1.99 3.07 2.58 1.30 1.30 2.50 2.04 1.85 2.41

2029 ........ 1.56 1.85 1.99 3.06 2.55 1.32 1.29 2.46 2.04 1.84 2.40

2030 ........ 1.57 1.85 1.99 3.06 2.53 1.33 1.29 2.44 2.03 1.83 2.40

2031 ........ 1.57 1.85 1.99 3.05 2.50 1.34 1.28 2.41 2.03 1.83 2.40

2032 ........ 1.57 1.85 1.98 3.04 2.48 1.34 1.27 2.38 2.02 1.82 2.39

2033 ........ 1.57 1.84 1.98 3.02 2.46 1.35 1.26 2.36 2.01 1.81 2.38

2034 ........ 1.57 1.84 1.98 3.01 2.45 1.35 1.24 2.34 2.00 1.80 2.38

2035 ........ 1.57 1.84 1.98 3.01 2.44 1.34 1.23 2.31 2.00 1.79 2.37

2036 ........ 1.57 1.83 1.98 3.01 2.43 1.34 1.21 2.29 1.99 1.78 2.37

2037 ........ 1.56 1.83 1.97 3.00 2.42 1.33 1.20 2.27 1.99 1.78 2.36

2038 ........ 1.56 1.83 1.97 2.99 2.41 1.32 1.19 2.26 1.98 1.77 2.35
Program Recipients and Federal Expenditures

42 2014 SSI Annual Report

The various subcategories of Federal SSI recipients follow significantly different growth patterns in relation to their respective population totals. The overall aged prevalence rate has declined steadily throughout

the historical period. We project that it will continue to decline gradually throughout the projection period.

In contrast, except for decreases in the late 1990s due to the eligibility redeterminations and CDRs mandated by Public Law 104-193, the prevalence rate for blind or disabled children increased steadily

throughout the historical period, with the increase being quite steep in the early 1990s. The total blind or

disabled prevalence rate (as a percentage of the total population at all ages) remained fairly level until the

early 1980s, when it started increasing and then continued to increase through 1996. The blind or disabled

prevalence rate declined slightly in the late 1990s due to the effects of welfare reform legislation but

resumed its upward trend in 2000. That upward trend has continued through 2013, but we estimate that the

overall prevalence rate for blind or disabled recipients will gradually decline throughout the projection

period due to: (1) the SSI-eligible population growing more slowly than the overall population, (2) a

smaller proportion of the population becoming new recipients than during the recent economic slowdown;

(3) the changing age distribution in the population; and (4) our assumption that SSA will receive the

resources authorized to process CDR and nonmedical redetermination workloads in the Budget Control

Act of 2011.1

Figure IV.B6 presents prevalence rates on an age-sex-adjusted basis, adjusted to the age-sex distribution of

the Social Security area population for the year 2004. Adjusting these rates in this manner is useful when

comparing rates over a long period of time because the age-sex-adjusted rates control for the effects that a

changing age-sex distribution in the population can have on prevalence rates over time. That adjustment,

however, obviously does not account for the change over time of other factors that may affect the percentage of the Social Security area population that is SSI eligible. 

1 Public Law 112-25 enacted August 2, 2011.

 Figure IV.B5.—Federal SSI Prevalence Rates, by Age Group, as of December, 1975-2040

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040

Year

0-17

18-34

35-49

50-64

65-74 (Blind or Disabled)

75 or older (Blind or Disabled)

65-74 (Aged)

75 or older (Aged)

Total

Historical Projected
2014 SSI Annual Report 43

Numbers of SSI Program Recipients

The chart below shows that the age-sex adjustment does not fundamentally change the overall pattern of

the prevalence rates. The total SSI prevalence rate on an age-sex adjusted basis is higher before 2004 and

lower after 2004 than the gross prevalence rate due to the changing aged distribution of the total population. The adjustment generally results in a more noticeable effect for the aged, especially in the early years

of the SSI program, because the prevalence rate for ages 75 and older was much higher than for ages 65 to

74.

Table IV.B8 presents historical and projected numbers of individuals who receive only a federally administered State supplement. The projected drop in these numbers from 2013 to 2014 reflects the decision of

the State of New York to take over administration of its State supplementation program mentioned earlier

in this section.

 Figure IV.B6.—Age-Sex-Adjusted Federal SSI Prevalence Rates, by Eligibility Category, as of December, 1975-2040

Table IV.B8.—SSI Recipients with Federally Administered State Supplementation Payments Only,

in Current-Payment Status as of December, 1974-2038

[In thousands]

Year

Blind or disabled, by age group Aged, by age group Totals

0-17 18-34 35-49 50-64 65-74

75 or

older 65-74

75 or

older

Blind or

disabled Aged All

Historical data:

1974 ......... 1 12 20 57 13 1 138 120 104 257 361

1975 ......... 1 15 25 74 21 2 144 138 139 282 421

1976 ......... 1 14 27 87 26 2 134 146 156 280 437

1977 ......... 1 16 27 94 35 2 136 150 174 286 460

1978 ......... 1 16 26 93 41 2 127 155 180 282 462

1979 ......... 1 18 25 89 49 2 121 157 184 278 462

1980 ......... 2 20 26 82 52 2 112 162 185 274 460

1981 ......... 1 19 26 75 58 2 94 155 181 248 429

1982 ......... 1 18 23 68 53 2 82 137 165 219 384

1983 ......... 1 17 19 50 44 4 65 111 136 176 312

1984 ......... 1 18 23 50 47 7 68 116 147 184 331

1985 ......... 1 21 28 53 45 8 67 115 157 182 339

1986 ......... 1 23 31 55 45 11 66 116 166 182 348

1987 ......... 1 26 36 60 43 12 72 115 178 187 366

0%

1%

2%

3%

4%

5%

6%

7%

8%

9%

10%

1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040

Year

Gross rates

Age-sex-adjusted rates

Historical Projected

Aged 

Total 

Blind or disabled 
Program Recipients and Federal Expenditures

44 2014 SSI Annual Report

Note: Totals do not necessarily equal the sums of rounded components. We estimate the historical split among age groups on a calendar year of age basis.

Table IV.B9 displays the combined numbers of persons receiving either a Federal SSI payment or a federally administered State supplement.

Certain noteworthy patterns appear in the numbers of SSI recipients in the recent past and projections of

such numbers for the near future. The total number of SSI recipients increased rapidly in the early 1990s

due to the growth in the numbers of disabled adults and children. The growth in the numbers of children

receiving SSI resulted in large part from the Supreme Court decision in the case of Sullivan v. Zebley,

110 S. Ct. 885 (1990), which greatly expanded the criteria used for determining disability for children.

The growth in the numbers of disabled adults is a more complicated phenomenon. Extensive research

conducted under contract to SSA and the Department of Health and Human Services suggests that this

growth was the result of a combination of factors including: (1) demographic trends; (2) a downturn in the

Historical data: (Cont.)

1988 ......... 1 26 42 59 44 14 74 114 187 188 375

1989 ......... 2 28 45 60 45 16 76 115 195 192 387

1990 ......... 2 31 54 60 44 17 82 116 208 197 405

1991 ......... 2 29 54 59 42 17 78 108 203 186 389

1992 ......... 2 29 55 59 37 16 70 97 197 167 364

1993 ......... 2 29 58 59 34 15 64 88 197 151 348

1994 ......... 2 28 59 56 32 14 59 81 192 139 331

1995 ......... 3 25 59 56 32 14 54 77 188 131 320

1996 ......... 2 21 54 53 29 13 49 68 172 116 288

1997 ......... 2 20 55 53 29 13 46 65 172 111 283

1998 ......... 2 18 54 55 28 13 43 63 171 106 277

1999 ......... 2 18 57 58 28 13 43 62 177 105 282

2000 ......... 2 17 57 60 29 13 42 61 179 103 282

2001 ......... 2 17 56 62 29 12 41 59 179 100 278

2002 ......... 3 17 57 64 30 12 42 58 183 100 283

2003 ......... 3 18 58 67 30 12 42 58 188 100 288

2004 ......... 3 18 58 70 31 12 43 58 193 100 293

2005 ......... 3 18 56 73 31 12 44 58 193 102 295

2006 ......... 3 18 55 76 32 12 45 58 194 103 297

2007 ......... 2 18 53 77 32 12 46 57 195 103 298

2008 ......... 3 18 52 80 34 12 46 57 198 103 301

2009 ......... 2 16 43 69 29 11 38 48 168 85 254

2010 ......... 2 16 42 71 29 11 37 48 171 85 257

2011 ......... 2 16 39 70 29 11 35 45 166 81 246

2012 ........ 1 14 34 64 28 11 31 40 152 71 223

2013 ........ 1 13 32 64 29 11 30 39 150 70 220

Projected:

2014 ........ a 6 22 50 26 10 27 35 114 62 175

2015 ........ 1 11 24 53 27 10 30 36 125 66 192

2016 ........ 1 12 25 54 29 11 33 37 132 70 202

2017 ........ 1 13 26 55 30 11 34 38 136 73 209

2018 ........ 1 13 27 56 32 11 36 40 141 76 216

2019 ........ 1 14 28 57 33 12 38 41 146 79 225

2020 ........ 1 15 30 59 35 12 40 42 152 82 234

2021 ........ 1 15 31 59 37 13 41 44 156 85 241

2022 ........ 1 15 32 59 39 13 42 46 159 88 247

2023 ........ 1 15 32 59 41 13 42 48 161 90 252

2024 ........ 1 15 33 58 42 14 43 50 163 93 256

2025 ........ 1 15 33 57 43 14 44 51 165 95 259

2026 ........ 1 15 34 56 44 15 44 53 166 97 262

2027 ........ 1 15 35 56 44 16 44 54 167 98 265

2028 ........ 1 15 35 55 45 17 44 56 168 100 268

2029 ........ 1 15 35 55 44 17 44 57 168 102 270

2030 ........ 1 15 35 54 44 18 44 59 169 103 272

2031 ........ 1 16 36 55 43 19 44 60 169 104 274

2032 ........ 1 16 36 55 43 20 43 62 170 105 275

2033 ........ 1 16 36 55 42 21 42 63 170 105 276

2034 ........ 1 16 36 55 42 21 42 64 171 106 276

2035 ........ 1 16 36 55 41 22 41 65 171 106 277

2036 ........ 1 16 36 55 41 22 40 66 171 107 278

2037 ........ 1 16 36 55 40 23 39 67 171 107 278

2038 ........ 1 16 36 55 39 23 38 68 171 106 278

a Fewer than 500.

Table IV.B8.—SSI Recipients with Federally Administered State Supplementation Payments Only,

in Current-Payment Status as of December, 1974-2038 (Cont.)

[In thousands]

Year

Blind or disabled, by age group Aged, by age group Totals

0-17 18-34 35-49 50-64 65-74

75 or

older 65-74

75 or

older

Blind or

disabled Aged All
2014 SSI Annual Report 45

Numbers of SSI Program Recipients

economy in the late 1980s and early 1990s; (3) long-term structural changes in the economy; and (4)

changes in other support programs (in particular, the reduction or elimination of general assistance programs in certain States).1 The 1996 welfare reform legislation, the economic downturn in the early 2000s,

and the recent economic recession that began late in 2007 have contributed to the more recent changes in

program participation.

1 Stapleton, David, Burt Barnow, Kevin Coleman, Kimberly Dietrich, Jeff Furman, and Gilbert Lo. Labor Market Conditions, Socioeconomic Factors, and

the Growth of Applications and Awards for SSDI and SSI Disability Benefits, final report and appendix prepared under contract to the Office of the Assistant

Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Department of Health and Human Services and the Social Security Administration, May 23, 1995.

Table IV.B9.—SSI Recipients with Federally Administered Payments in Current-Payment Status 

as of December, 1974-2038

[In thousands]

Year

Blind or disabled, by age group Aged, by age group Totals

0-17 18-34 35-49 50-64 65-74

75 or

older 65-74

75 or

older

Blind or

disabled Aged All

Historical data:

1974 ......... 71 349 341 813 122 14 1,148 1,138 1,710 2,286 3,996

1975 ......... 107 410 378 911 185 16 1,107 1,200 2,007 2,307 4,314

1976 ......... 125 434 379 900 234 15 999 1,149 2,088 2,148 4,236

1977 ......... 147 458 385 893 284 18 921 1,130 2,187 2,051 4,238

1978 ......... 166 476 387 884 319 17 855 1,113 2,249 1,968 4,217

1979 ......... 177 490 384 852 357 17 777 1,095 2,278 1,872 4,150

1980 ......... 190 521 377 833 393 20 721 1,086 2,334 1,808 4,142

1981 ......... 195 533 375 795 424 19 635 1,043 2,341 1,678 4,019

1982 ......... 192 535 369 751 439 23 541 1,008 2,309 1,549 3,858

1983 ......... 198 572 386 742 456 32 514 1,001 2,386 1,515 3,901

1984 ......... 212 613 417 751 453 54 531 999 2,499 1,530 4,029

1985 ......... 227 655 454 769 447 80 530 975 2,634 1,504 4,138

1986 ......... 241 711 506 794 442 102 531 942 2,796 1,473 4,269

1987 ......... 251 743 560 816 436 124 536 920 2,930 1,455 4,385

1988 ......... 255 764 606 833 431 142 543 891 3,030 1,433 4,464

1989 ......... 265 785 658 859 427 160 564 875 3,154 1,439 4,593

1990 ......... 309 819 731 900 432 172 589 865 3,363 1,454 4,817

1991 ......... 397 863 823 956 432 183 620 845 3,654 1,465 5,118

1992 ......... 556 949 932 1,029 440 189 647 824 4,095 1,471 5,566

1993 ......... 723 1,019 1,036 1,093 445 194 667 808 4,509 1,475 5,984

1994 ......... 841 1,060 1,130 1,146 457 196 669 797 4,830 1,466 6,296

1995 ......... 917 1,083 1,209 1,190 467 202 656 790 5,068 1,446 6,514

1996 ......... 955 1,087 1,252 1,229 472 205 634 778 5,201 1,413 6,614

1997 ......... 880 1,059 1,251 1,252 486 205 593 770 5,133 1,362 6,495

1998 ......... 887 1,056 1,292 1,298 492 209 564 768 5,234 1,332 6,566

1999 ......... 847 1,024 1,331 1,336 503 208 543 765 5,249 1,308 6,557

2000 ......... 847 1,011 1,360 1,373 513 209 525 764 5,312 1,289 6,602

2001 ......... 882 1,012 1,385 1,415 522 209 502 762 5,424 1,264 6,688

2002 ......... 915 1,019 1,401 1,458 532 212 489 763 5,536 1,252 6,788

2003 ......... 959 1,040 1,410 1,503 541 216 471 761 5,670 1,233 6,902

2004 ......... 993 1,062 1,408 1,546 546 221 455 756 5,777 1,211 6,988

2005 ......... 1,036 1,083 1,404 1,596 553 228 452 763 5,900 1,214 7,114

2006 ......... 1,079 1,113 1,388 1,651 560 232 450 762 6,024 1,212 7,236

2007 ......... 1,121 1,142 1,369 1,711 572 240 443 761 6,155 1,205 7,360

2008 ......... 1,154 1,191 1,358 1,784 584 246 442 761 6,317 1,203 7,521

2009 ......... 1,200 1,244 1,345 1,862 588 252 434 752 6,491 1,186 7,677

2010 ......... 1,239 1,311 1,350 1,971 595 262 432 752 6,728 1,184 7,912

2011 ......... 1,277 1,361 1,344 2,072 606 271 434 748 6,931 1,182 8,113

2012 ........ 1,312 1,395 1,321 2,154 637 289 422 734 7,107 1,156 8,263

2013 ........ 1,322 1,414 1,295 2,226 653 298 429 728 7,206 1,157 8,363

Projected:

2014 ........ 1,329 1,408 1,260 2,243 669 303 436 724 7,212 1,159 8,372

2015 ........ 1,338 1,408 1,250 2,260 693 310 447 725 7,259 1,172 8,431

2016 ........ 1,334 1,419 1,253 2,262 721 314 461 726 7,304 1,186 8,490

2017 ........ 1,300 1,429 1,260 2,244 756 321 472 730 7,309 1,202 8,511

2018 ........ 1,290 1,435 1,261 2,211 795 326 484 735 7,316 1,219 8,535

2019 ........ 1,294 1,445 1,265 2,183 835 332 499 740 7,354 1,239 8,593

2020 ........ 1,292 1,450 1,267 2,153 875 337 512 745 7,374 1,257 8,631

2021 ........ 1,286 1,459 1,274 2,120 913 346 520 757 7,398 1,277 8,675

2022 ........ 1,286 1,465 1,290 2,084 948 357 523 775 7,430 1,298 8,728

2023 ........ 1,287 1,475 1,312 2,052 980 367 530 791 7,472 1,320 8,792

2024 ........ 1,290 1,488 1,340 2,027 1,007 379 538 808 7,532 1,346 8,877

2025 ........ 1,290 1,497 1,367 1,997 1,029 393 545 825 7,573 1,369 8,942

2026 ........ 1,291 1,505 1,391 1,968 1,047 408 550 843 7,610 1,393 9,003

2027 ........ 1,296 1,510 1,410 1,945 1,056 427 554 862 7,643 1,416 9,059

2028 ........ 1,305 1,512 1,424 1,927 1,058 448 556 882 7,674 1,438 9,111

2029 ........ 1,318 1,510 1,434 1,915 1,056 469 555 904 7,701 1,459 9,160

2030 ........ 1,336 1,511 1,442 1,915 1,046 491 555 926 7,741 1,481 9,222

2031 ........ 1,349 1,511 1,446 1,916 1,031 512 549 948 7,765 1,497 9,263

2032 ........ 1,360 1,511 1,450 1,919 1,014 533 541 970 7,786 1,512 9,298
Program Recipients and Federal Expenditures

46 2014 SSI Annual Report

Note: Totals do not necessarily equal the sums of rounded components. We estimate the historical split among age groups on a calendar year of age basis.

Projected: (Cont.)

2033 ........ 1,368 1,512 1,455 1,921 999 551 532 991 7,806 1,524 9,330

2034 ........ 1,373 1,514 1,461 1,920 989 567 522 1,012 7,825 1,534 9,359

2035 ........ 1,376 1,517 1,467 1,920 981 582 513 1,031 7,842 1,543 9,385

2036 ........ 1,381 1,524 1,474 1,928 970 595 504 1,048 7,872 1,553 9,425

2037 ........ 1,379 1,530 1,476 1,941 954 606 493 1,063 7,886 1,556 9,442

2038 ........ 1,377 1,535 1,477 1,960 937 613 481 1,076 7,899 1,556 9,455

Table IV.B9.—SSI Recipients with Federally Administered Payments in Current-Payment Status 

as of December, 1974-2038 (Cont.)

[In thousands]

Year

Blind or disabled, by age group Aged, by age group Totals

0-17 18-34 35-49 50-64 65-74

75 or

older 65-74

75 or

older

Blind or

disabled Aged All
2014 SSI Annual Report 47

Federal Payments Under SSI

C. FEDERAL PAYMENTS UNDER SSI

To estimate future amounts of Federal expenditures under SSI, we first modify the projected Federal benefit rates (table IV.A2) to reflect actual payment levels, taking into account historical and projected levels of

adjustments for other actual or deemed income. We combine these actual payment levels with the projected numbers of persons receiving Federal SSI payments to generate estimates of the amounts of Federal

SSI payments. Table IV.C1 shows historical amounts of such payments by calendar year. We compute

these payment amounts on a payment-date basis, which is consistent with the concepts used to define SSI

obligations for the Federal Budget. As a result, for months after January 1978, when SSI payments are due

on the first of the month and the first of the month falls on a weekend or Federal holiday, we tabulate these

payments in the previous month.1

Note: Totals do not necessarily equal the sums of rounded components. We estimate the historical split among age groups on a calendar year of age basis.

1 Public Law 95-216, the Social Security Amendments of 1977, enacted December 20, 1977, requires that SSI payments, which are normally due on the

first of the month, be delivered early when the normal delivery date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or Federal holiday. 

Table IV.C1.—SSI Federal Payments in Current Dollars,a Calendar Years 1974-2014

[In millions]

a Total historical payments for 1974-77 agree with those presented in the Annual Statistical Supplement to the Social Security Bulletin. Total historical payments for 1978-83 are estimated.

Calendar 

year

Blind or disabled, by age group Aged, by age group Totals

0-17 18-34 35-49 50-64 65-74

75 or

older 65-74

75 or

older

Blind or

disabled Aged All

1974........... $40 $438 $452 $968 $135 $17 $825 $958 $2,050 $1,783 $3,833

1975............ 128 537 499 1,099 190 17 812 1,031 2,471 1,843 4,314

1976............ 176 605 541 1,147 241 17 762 1,023 2,727 1,785 4,512

1977............ 227 671 579 1,174 298 17 721 1,016 2,966 1,737 4,703

1978 b .........

b Includes 13 months of payments since payments due on January 1, 1978 and January 1, 1979 were both paid in calendar year 1978.

302 781 655 1,312 381 18 736 1,111 3,449 1,847 5,296

1979........... 340 809 650 1,296 429 21 667 1,093 3,546 1,760 5,306

1980............ 397 931 731 1,420 544 28 642 1,230 4,051 1,872 5,923

1981............ 458 1,079 821 1,542 654 32 643 1,320 4,586 1,963 6,549

1982............ 512 1,211 883 1,590 704 38 630 1,364 4,937 1,994 6,931

1983............ 574 1,372 985 1,704 774 58 624 1,440 5,466 2,064 7,530

1984............ 659 1,576 1,128 1,835 836 102 670 1,512 6,136 2,182 8,318

1985............ 736 1,709 1,250 1,924 833 160 699 1,499 6,611 2,198 8,809

1986............ 831 1,929 1,452 2,043 848 209 731 1,479 7,312 2,210 9,522

1987............ 900 2,081 1,618 2,157 846 259 765 1,444 7,860 2,210 10,069

1988............ 955 2,228 1,818 2,303 874 304 814 1,449 8,481 2,263 10,744

1989............ 1,025 2,431 2,048 2,481 936 366 881 1,479 9,286 2,361 11,647

1990............ 1,201 2,660 2,395 2,792 969 407 987 1,532 10,423 2,519 12,943

1991............ 1,678 3,129 2,966 3,305 1,060 463 1,169 1,637 12,601 2,806 15,407

1992............ 3,154 3,900 3,577 3,790 1,124 487 1,303 1,690 16,033 2,993 19,026

1993............ 3,909 4,465 4,164 4,188 1,208 513 1,471 1,759 18,447 3,230 21,677

1994............ 4,167 4,504 4,666 4,533 1,274 538 1,566 1,814 19,682 3,380 23,063

1995............ 4,657 4,777 5,155 4,896 1,357 565 1,599 1,900 21,407 3,499 24,906

1996............ 4,947 5,004 5,614 5,298 1,427 590 1,643 1,977 22,880 3,621 26,501

1997............ 4,920 5,031 5,564 5,410 1,505 614 1,586 2,046 23,044 3,632 26,675

1998............ 4,965 5,150 5,901 5,777 1,588 635 1,542 2,136 24,017 3,678 27,695

1999............ 4,835 5,132 6,185 6,037 1,660 654 1,503 2,206 24,503 3,709 28,212

2000............ 4,789 5,121 6,404 6,293 1,717 675 1,470 2,309 24,999 3,779 28,778

2001............ 5,104 5,354 6,817 6,783 1,838 713 1,470 2,454 26,608 3,924 30,532

2002............ 5,353 5,484 7,048 7,131 1,909 738 1,433 2,520 27,663 3,953 31,616

2003............ 5,686 5,715 7,243 7,532 1,984 771 1,408 2,601 28,932 4,009 32,941

2004............ 6,036 5,954 7,384 7,943 2,054 809 1,366 2,657 30,179 4,023 34,202

2005............ 6,488 6,291 7,624 8,437 2,148 871 1,358 2,778 31,859 4,136 35,995

2006............ 6,948 6,656 7,760 8,943 2,235 924 1,413 2,895 33,467 4,308 37,775

2007............ 7,346 7,067 7,871 9,539 2,333 981 1,406 2,970 35,137 4,376 39,514

2008 c..........

c Payments for 2008 include $1.4 billion for SSI checks mailed in late December 2008, but reported by the Department of the Treasury in January 2009.

7,831 7,623 8,172 10,387 2,459 1,051 1,438 3,078 37,523 4,516 42,040

2009 c ......... 8,635 8,493 8,618 11,556 2,644 1,153 1,528 3,277 41,099 4,805 45,904

2010............ 9,020 9,013 8,735 12,283 2,689 1,213 1,521 3,294 42,953 4,815 47,767

2011 ........... 9,312 9,379 8,658 12,871 2,739 1,267 1,520 3,292 44,226 4,811 49,038

2012 ........... 9,877 9,921 8,756 13,834 2,980 1,417 1,534 3,384 46,785 4,918 51,703

2013............ 10,170 10,257 8,723 14,593 3,129 1,508 1,591 3,432 48,379 5,023 53,402

2014 d .........

d Partially estimated.

10,368 10,480 8,677 15,082 3,291 1,580 1,647 3,487 49,478 5,134 54,611
Program Recipients and Federal Expenditures

48 2014 SSI Annual Report

Since we use this payment-date concept, payments in table IV.C1 differ from similar amounts in other

SSA publications, such as the Annual Statistical Supplement to the Social Security Bulletin, in two main

ways. First, tabulations of payments in the Annual Statistical Supplement group payments by the month

the payment is due, while table IV.C1 groups payments by the month in which we actually make the payments. In particular, since January 1 of each year is a Federal holiday, SSI payments due on January 1 of

years 1979 and later are actually paid in December of the previous year. For example, the calendar year

2013 payment amounts shown in table IV.C1 reflect payments made in January-December 2013, and

include the payments due on January 1, 2014 (which were actually paid in December 2013), but not the

payments due on January 1, 2013 (which were actually paid in December 2012). Second, beginning in

1991, SSA remitted overpayment recoveries directly to the Department of the Treasury and did not use

them to reduce SSI obligations as accounted for in the Federal Budget. Tabulations in the Annual Statistical Supplement continue to report payment amounts that are reduced by such overpayment recoveries.

Table IV.C2 presents corresponding amounts of SSI outlays on a fiscal year basis for fiscal years1 1978-

2014. We omit fiscal years prior to 1978 because SSI payment amounts are not readily available on a fiscal

Note: Totals do not necessarily equal the sums of rounded components. We estimate the historical split among age groups on a calendar year of age basis.

1 Fiscal years 1977 and later cover the 12-month period ending September 30. For example, fiscal year 2013 payments include payments made from

October 1, 2012 through September 30, 2013.

Table IV.C2.—SSI Federal Payments in Current Dollars, Fiscal Years 1978-2014

[In millions]

Fiscal

year

Blind or disabled, by age group Aged, by age group Totals

0-17 18-34 35-49 50-64 65-74

75 or

older 65-74

75 or

older

Blind or

disabled Aged All

1978............ $206 $740 $668 $1,438 $312 $22 $772 $1,076 $3,386 $1,848 $5,234

1979 a..........

a Payment due on October 1 of fiscal year paid in previous fiscal year.

226 711 620 1,265 331 20 656 954 3,172 1,610 4,782

1980............ 372 877 698 1,360 506 26 629 1,184 3,840 1,813 5,653

1981............ 442 1,039 797 1,508 625 31 647 1,307 4,442 1,954 6,396

1982............ 499 1,181 861 1,570 693 36 640 1,356 4,840 1,996 6,836

1983............ 596 1,416 1,024 1,783 806 56 660 1,510 5,680 2,170 7,850

1984 a ......... 588 1,411 1,005 1,665 760 85 613 1,391 5,514 2,004 7,517

1985............ 713 1,662 1,215 1,895 828 145 691 1,502 6,459 2,193 8,652

1986............ 800 1,864 1,386 1,995 840 196 723 1,487 7,080 2,209 9,290

1987............ 880 2,030 1,565 2,119 845 242 755 1,448 7,681 2,203 9,884

1988............ 1,009 2,356 1,898 2,425 932 316 860 1,559 8,935 2,419 11,354

1989 a ......... 1,012 2,378 1,997 2,452 910 345 862 1,473 9,094 2,335 11,430

1990 a ......... 1,039 2,378 2,115 2,479 876 362 879 1,394 9,247 2,273 11,521

1991............ 1,519 2,975 2,772 3,141 1,032 447 1,120 1,608 11,886 2,728 14,614

1992............ 2,684 3,621 3,398 3,653 1,099 476 1,269 1,680 14,932 2,949 17,881

1993............ 3,817 4,377 3,977 4,033 1,175 502 1,420 1,730 17,880 3,150 21,029

1994............ 4,328 4,771 4,866 4,756 1,344 569 1,659 1,930 20,635 3,588 24,223

1995 a ......... 4,554 4,719 5,031 4,822 1,341 560 1,596 1,884 21,027 3,480 24,507

1996 a ......... 4,543 4,595 5,123 4,830 1,305 540 1,510 1,808 20,936 3,317 24,254

1997............ 4,933 5,004 5,529 5,340 1,478 606 1,602 2,027 22,890 3,629 26,519

1998............ 4,915 5,114 5,816 5,688 1,567 630 1,548 2,110 23,729 3,658 27,387

1999............ 4,901 5,152 6,123 5,975 1,638 648 1,506 2,180 24,438 3,685 28,123

2000............ 5,152 5,500 6,827 6,692 1,822 718 1,599 2,453 26,710 4,052 30,763

2001 a ......... 4,597 4,869 6,170 6,125 1,670 652 1,352 2,236 24,083 3,588 27,671

2002............ 5,290 5,456 6,998 7,041 1,889 731 1,444 2,500 27,405 3,944 31,349

2003............ 5,558 5,623 7,170 7,390 1,957 759 1,417 2,572 28,456 3,989 32,445

2004............ 5,910 5,868 7,327 7,797 2,031 796 1,380 2,638 29,729 4,018 33,748

2005............ 6,856 6,669 8,150 8,928 2,282 916 1,463 2,945 33,800 4,409 38,208

2006 a ......... 6,832 6,560 7,739 8,813 2,207 908 1,404 2,863 33,060 4,267 37,327

2007 a ......... 6,659 6,427 7,207 8,630 2,135 895 1,297 2,731 31,952 4,028 35,981

2008............ 7,651 7,411 8,063 10,106 2,416 1,027 1,419 3,035 36,673 4,454 41,127

2009 ........... 8,389 8,241 8,493 11,208 2,598 1,126 1,505 3,233 40,056 4,737 44,793

2010............ 8,899 8,846 8,710 12,057 2,674 1,194 1,524 3,289 42,379 4,813 47,192

2011 ........... 9,938 9,981 9,355 13,650 2,921 1,341 1,636 3,532 47,186 5,168 52,354

2012 a ......... 8,986 9,042 8,075 12,549 2,699 1,276 1,409 3,111 42,627 4,521 47,147

2013............ 10,073 10,134 8,720 14,325 3,075 1,477 1,565 3,405 47,804 4,971 52,775

2014 b .........

b Partially estimated.

10,246 10,394 8,649 14,899 3,232 1,557 1,628 3,465 48,977 5,093 54,070
2014 SSI Annual Report 49

Federal Payments Under SSI

year basis for these years. As with the calendar year figures, we show these fiscal year amounts on a payment-date basis. Consequently, fiscal year totals may contain 11, 12, or 13 months of payments.1

Price inflation can make it difficult to make meaningful comparisons of dollar amounts over longer periods of time. For this reason, it is desirable to have some means of adjusting for inflation from the 25-year

projections of SSI expenditures. The CPI, which we discuss in section IV.A, is an appropriate means of

price-adjusting historical and projected SSI costs over time. Table IV.C3 presents CPI-indexed dollar values of Federal SSI payments (those adjusted by the CPI) for both the historical period, calendar years

1974-2013, and the full 25-year projection period, 2014-2038. We present this same information as a

graph in figure IV.C1. We use the projections of the CPI from the intermediate economic assumptions of

the 2014 OASDI Trustees Report.

1 Public Law 95-216, the Social Security Amendments of 1977, enacted December 20, 1977, requires that SSI payments, which are normally due on the

first of the month, be delivered early when the normal delivery date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or Federal holiday. As such, fiscal year 1978 contained 13

months of payments. Generally, for fiscal years 1979 and later, if October 1 of:

a) the current, but not the succeeding, fiscal year falls on a weekend, there are 11 months of payments;

b) both the current and succeeding fiscal years falls on a weekday, there are 12 months of payments (i.e., all payments are made in the fiscal years in

which they are due);

c) both the current and succeeding fiscal years falls on a weekend, there are 12 months of payments (i.e., both payments are made in the preceding fiscal

year, respectively); and 

d) the succeeding, but not current, fiscal year falls on a weekend, there are 13 months of payments.

 Figure IV.C1.—SSI Federal Payments, by Age Group, in CPI-Indexed 2014 Dollars, Calendar Years 1975-2040

[In billions]

$0

$10

$20

$30

$40

$50

$60

$70

1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040

CPI-Indexed 2014 dollars -- billions .

Calendar year

35-49

65-74

50-64

18-34

0-17

75 or older

Historical Projected
Program Recipients and Federal Expenditures

50 2014 SSI Annual Report

Note: Totals do not necessarily equal the sums of rounded components. We estimate the historical split among age groups on a calendar year of age basis.

Table IV.C3.—SSI Federal Payments in CPI-Indexed 2014 Dollars, Calendar Years 1974-2038

[Payment amounts in millions]

Calendar year

Adjusted a

CPI 

a The “adjusted CPI” is the series of actual and projected CPI values indexed to 2014 (i.e., adjusted so that the value shown for 2014 is 100.00). Projections

of the adjusted CPI are based on the intermediate economic assumptions of the 2014 OASDI Trustees Report.

Blind or disabled, by age group Aged, by age group Totals

0-17 18-34 35-49 50-64 65-74

75 or

older 65-74

75 or

older

Blind or

disabled Aged All

Historical data:

1974............ 21.27 $190 $2,057 $2,124 $4,553 $636 $81 $3,878 $4,503 $9,640 $8,382 $18,022

1975............ 23.22 553 2,313 2,149 4,732 818 75 3,498 4,440 10,641 7,938 18,579

1976............ 24.54 716 2,466 2,204 4,673 983 68 3,104 4,169 11,111 7,273 18,384

1977............ 26.14 870 2,566 2,215 4,493 1,139 66 2,760 3,885 11,350 6,645 17,995

1978 b .........

b Payment amounts include 13 months of payments since payments due on January 1, 1978 and January 1, 1979 were both paid in calendar year 1978.

 28.12 1,075 2,776 2,328 4,665 1,356 64 2,616 3,951 12,263 6,567 18,830

1979............ 31.34 1,085 2,583 2,075 4,136 1,370 67 2,127 3,489 11,316 5,616 16,932

1980............ 35.57 1,117 2,617 2,056 3,992 1,530 78 1,805 3,458 11,390 5,263 16,653

1981............ 39.21 1,169 2,751 2,093 3,933 1,669 80 1,639 3,368 11,696 5,007 16,702

1982............ 41.56 1,233 2,913 2,124 3,825 1,694 91 1,515 3,282 11,880 4,797 16,678

1983............ 42.82 1,339 3,204 2,300 3,979 1,807 135 1,457 3,362 12,765 4,819 17,584

1984............ 44.29 1,489 3,559 2,547 4,143 1,888 230 1,513 3,414 13,855 4,928 18,783

1985............ 45.86 1,604 3,726 2,726 4,196 1,817 349 1,524 3,268 14,418 4,793 19,210

1986............ 46.57 1,785 4,143 3,119 4,387 1,820 449 1,569 3,176 15,703 4,745 20,448

1987............ 48.24 1,865 4,313 3,354 4,470 1,754 537 1,587 2,993 16,292 4,580 20,872

1988............ 50.16 1,904 4,442 3,624 4,590 1,743 606 1,623 2,888 16,909 4,512 21,421

1989............ 52.57 1,951 4,623 3,895 4,718 1,781 695 1,676 2,814 17,662 4,490 22,152

1990............ 55.34 2,170 4,806 4,328 5,045 1,750 735 1,784 2,768 18,834 4,552 23,386

1991............ 57.58 2,914 5,434 5,151 5,740 1,842 803 2,030 2,844 21,885 4,874 26,759

1992............ 59.25 5,322 6,582 6,037 6,397 1,897 822 2,199 2,852 27,058 5,051 32,109

1993............ 60.93 6,416 7,328 6,834 6,874 1,983 842 2,415 2,886 30,277 5,301 35,578

1994............ 62.46 6,671 7,211 7,470 7,258 2,039 862 2,507 2,904 31,510 5,411 36,921

1995............ 64.23 7,251 7,437 8,026 7,622 2,112 880 2,490 2,958 33,329 5,448 38,777

1996............ 66.11 7,483 7,570 8,492 8,013 2,159 892 2,486 2,991 34,609 5,477 40,086

1997............ 67.58 7,281 7,444 8,234 8,006 2,227 908 2,347 3,027 34,101 5,374 39,475

1998............ 68.48 7,250 7,521 8,618 8,437 2,319 928 2,252 3,119 35,073 5,371 40,445

1999............ 70.01 6,906 7,330 8,834 8,624 2,372 934 2,147 3,151 34,999 5,298 40,297

2000............ 72.44 6,612 7,069 8,841 8,688 2,370 932 2,029 3,188 34,512 5,217 39,729

2001............ 74.42 6,858 7,194 9,160 9,114 2,469 958 1,976 3,297 35,754 5,273 41,027

2002............ 75.43 7,097 7,270 9,344 9,454 2,530 978 1,900 3,341 36,673 5,240 41,913

2003............ 77.12 7,373 7,410 9,393 9,767 2,573 1,000 1,826 3,372 37,517 5,198 42,714

2004............ 79.12 7,629 7,525 9,332 10,038 2,596 1,022 1,727 3,358 38,142 5,085 43,227

2005............ 81.91 7,921 7,681 9,308 10,300 2,623 1,064 1,658 3,392 38,897 5,050 43,946

2006............ 84.55 8,217 7,872 9,178 10,577 2,644 1,092 1,671 3,424 39,581 5,095 44,676

2007............ 86.97 8,447 8,126 9,051 10,969 2,682 1,128 1,616 3,416 40,404 5,032 45,436

2008............ 90.52 8,652 8,422 9,028 11,474 2,717 1,161 1,589 3,401 41,454 4,990 46,443

2009............ 89.91 9,604 9,447 9,585 12,854 2,940 1,283 1,699 3,645 45,713 5,344 51,057

2010............ 91.77 9,829 9,821 9,518 13,385 2,930 1,322 1,657 3,589 46,805 5,246 52,052

2011............ 95.03 9,798 9,870 9,111 13,544 2,882 1,333 1,599 3,464 46,538 5,063 51,601

2012............ 97.03 10,180 10,225 9,024 14,257 3,071 1,461 1,581 3,487 48,218 5,068 53,286

2013............ 98.42 10,333 10,421 8,863 14,827 3,179 1,532 1,617 3,487 49,156 5,104 54,260

Projected:

2014............ 100.00 10,368 10,480 8,677 15,082 3,291 1,580 1,647 3,487 49,478 5,134 54,611

2015............ 101.95 10,613 10,436 8,632 15,145 3,413 1,624 1,679 3,506 49,863 5,185 55,049

2016............ 104.17 10,668 10,480 8,660 15,142 3,564 1,662 1,727 3,523 50,176 5,251 55,427

2017............ 106.64 10,412 10,566 8,736 15,037 3,762 1,711 1,772 3,564 50,224 5,336 55,560

2018............ 109.39 10,370 10,596 8,753 14,786 3,968 1,753 1,817 3,601 50,226 5,418 55,643

2019............ 112.33 10,246 10,720 8,838 14,668 4,186 1,798 1,871 3,636 50,457 5,507 55,964

2020............ 115.37 10,339 10,751 8,860 14,462 4,416 1,847 1,928 3,684 50,674 5,612 56,286

2021............ 118.48 10,114 10,872 8,968 14,324 4,632 1,908 1,959 3,753 50,818 5,711 56,529

2022............ 121.68 9,811 11,015 9,165 14,199 4,833 1,987 1,972 3,851 51,011 5,823 56,834

2023............ 124.97 9,908 11,055 9,318 13,952 5,026 2,065 2,002 3,942 51,324 5,944 57,268

2024............ 128.34 10,057 11,109 9,501 13,734 5,192 2,153 2,035 4,036 51,745 6,071 57,815

2025............ 131.81 10,112 11,165 9,691 13,530 5,332 2,245 2,066 4,134 52,075 6,199 58,275

2026............ 135.36 10,130 11,205 9,860 13,333 5,442 2,347 2,093 4,243 52,317 6,337 58,653

2027............ 139.02 10,130 11,201 9,973 13,141 5,493 2,468 2,113 4,359 52,406 6,471 58,877

2028............ 142.77 10,174 11,176 10,054 12,991 5,514 2,596 2,125 4,480 52,506 6,606 59,111

2029............ 146.63 10,250 11,116 10,099 12,878 5,505 2,731 2,129 4,607 52,579 6,736 59,315

2030............ 150.59 10,355 11,086 10,142 12,851 5,466 2,869 2,130 4,740 52,770 6,870 59,640

2031............ 154.65 10,442 11,052 10,157 12,840 5,394 3,008 2,118 4,877 52,891 6,995 59,886

2032............ 158.83 10,506 11,011 10,161 12,835 5,306 3,143 2,092 5,016 52,962 7,108 60,071

2033............ 163.12 10,553 10,991 10,188 12,830 5,237 3,269 2,062 5,153 53,068 7,215 60,284

2034............ 167.52 10,573 10,975 10,215 12,805 5,185 3,384 2,027 5,284 53,138 7,311 60,449

2035............ 172.04 10,586 10,978 10,245 12,796 5,149 3,494 1,990 5,415 53,249 7,405 60,653

2036............ 176.69 10,598 11,009 10,289 12,843 5,096 3,591 1,956 5,539 53,426 7,496 60,922

2037............ 181.46 10,574 11,032 10,288 12,904 5,017 3,676 1,916 5,656 53,492 7,573 61,064

2038............ 186.36 10,539 11,057 10,284 13,010 4,930 3,745 1,870 5,760 53,565 7,630 61,195
2014 SSI Annual Report 51

Federal Payments Under SSI

The future growth in the “CPI-indexed dollar” estimates is primarily attributable to the underlying growth

in the SSI recipient population (table IV.B6). A notable aspect of this time series of CPI-indexed dollar

estimates is the rather sharp level increase from 2008 to 2009 in these amounts. This level shift is the

result of the combination of the spike in the CPI for the third quarter of calendar year 2008, which caused

the large 5.8 percent benefit rate increase for 2009, and the subsequent drop in the CPI for 2009.

Table IV.C4 presents historical SSI State supplementation payments that SSA administers for two broad

recipient categories. These amounts are consistent with tabulations in the Annual Statistical Supplement to

the Social Security Bulletin. We do not prepare detailed projections of such payments.

Note: Totals do not necessarily equal the sums of rounded components.

Table IV.C4.—SSI Federally Administered State Supplementation Payments

in Current Dollars, Calendar Years 1974-2013

[In millions]

Calendar year Aged

Blind or

disabled Total

1974 ................................................ $631 $632 $1,264

1975 ................................................ 674 729 1,403

1976 ................................................ 635 753 1,388

1977 ................................................ 627 804 1,431

1978 ................................................ 636 855 1,491

1979 ................................................ 661 928 1,590

1980 ................................................ 757 1,091 1,848

1981 ................................................ 731 1,108 1,839

1982 ................................................ 694 1,104 1,798

1983 ................................................ 645 1,066 1,711

1984 ................................................ 645 1,148 1,792

1985 ................................................ 694 1,278 1,973

1986 ................................................ 759 1,484 2,243

1987 ................................................ 849 1,714 2,563

1988 ................................................ 873 1,798 2,671

1989 ................................................ 954 2,001 2,955

1990 ................................................ 1,038 2,201 3,239

1991 ................................................ 999 2,232 3,231

1992 ................................................ 1,023 2,412 3,435

1993 ................................................ 934 2,336 3,270

1994 ................................................ 876 2,240 3,116

1995 ................................................ 864 2,253 3,118

1996 ................................................ 833 2,155 2,988

1997 ................................................ 824 2,090 2,913

1998 ................................................ 838 2,165 3,003

1999 ................................................ 921 2,380 3,301

2000 ................................................ 943 2,439 3,381

2001 ................................................ 956 2,505 3,460

2002 ................................................ 1,051 2,768 3,820

2003 ................................................ 1,098 2,906 4,005

2004 ................................................ 1,133 3,045 4,178

2005 ................................................ 1,128 3,050 4,178

2006 ................................................ 1,147 3,006 4,153

2007 ................................................ 1,187 3,133 4,320

2008 ................................................ 1,198 3,187 4,385

2009 ................................................ 1,070 2,894 3,964

2010 ................................................ 924 2,665 3,589

2011 ................................................ 895 2,626 3,521

2012 ................................................ 827 2,478 3,305

2013 ................................................ 821 2,454 3,275
Program Recipients and Federal Expenditures

52 2014 SSI Annual Report

D. FEDERAL SSI PAYMENTS AS A PERCENTAGE OF GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT

Displaying Federal SSI payments as a percentage of GDP provides a useful perspective on the proportion

of the total output of the U.S. economy needed to provide Federal SSI benefits. As table IV.D1 and figure

IV.D1 show, after remaining relatively constant between 1992 and 2013, we project the total cost of the

SSI program relative to GDP to decline in 2014 and throughout the remainder of the projection period.

Total Federal SSI payments during the 1980s were relatively constant as a percentage of GDP (roughly 0.2

percent). During the early 1990s, SSI grew rather rapidly (to 0.33 percent of GDP in 1996) due to a combination of factors (see section IV.B). Following legislation enacted in 19961, the cost of SSI decreased as a

percentage of GDP beginning in 1997 and continuing through 2000. The share of GDP devoted to Federal

SSI expenditures increased slightly after 2000, partly because of a slowdown in economic growth over

that period, but resumed its very gradual downward trend from 2002 to 2006 due to relatively slower

growth in the number of SSI recipients. Beginning in 2007, however, this trend reversed due to an increase

in program recipients and a temporary decline in real GDP during the economic recession. As the economy recovers, we project the gradual downward trend to resume. This ultimate trend is the net effect of

two factors. First, we project that Federal SSI expenditures, after adjusting for growth in prices, will grow

roughly in line with the SSI recipient population (see section IV.C). Second, using the 2014 Trustees

Report intermediate assumptions, we project that the effect of the real growth in GDP following the recent

economic downturn will be greater than the effect of projected increases in SSI recipients. Accordingly,

we project that Federal SSI payments will decline as a percentage of GDP throughout the projection

period, until it reaches 0.22 percent of GDP by 2038.

1 Public Law 104-121 and Public Law 104-193.

 Figure IV.D1.—SSI Federal Payments, by Age Group, as a Percentage of GDP, Calendar Years 1975-2040

0.00%

0.10%

0.20%

0.30%

0.40%

0.50%

1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040

Calendar year

35-49

65-74

50-64

18-34

0-17

75 or older 

Historical Projected
2014 SSI Annual Report 53

Federal SSI Payments as a Percentage of Gross Domestic Product

Note: Totals do not necessarily equal the sums of rounded components. Historical GDP amounts subject to revision.

Table IV.D1.—SSI Federal Payments as a Percentage of GDP, Calendar Years 1974-2038 

Calendar 

year

GDP a

(In billions)

a Projected values based on the intermediate economic assumptions of the 2014 OASDI Trustees Report.

Blind or disabled, by age group Aged, by age group Totals

0-17 18-34 35-49 50-64 65-74

75 or

older 65-74

75 or

older

Blind or

disabled Aged All

Historical data:

1974 ........ $1,549 0.003 0.028 0.029 0.063 0.009 0.001 0.053 0.062 0.132 0.115 0.247

1975 ........ 1,689 .008 .032 .030 .065 .011 .001 .048 .061 .146 .109 .255

1976 ........ 1,878 .009 .032 .029 .061 .013 .001 .041 .054 .145 .095 .240

1977 ........ 2,086 .011 .032 .028 .056 .014 .001 .035 .049 .142 .083 .225

1978 ........ 2,357 .013 .033 .028 .056 .016 .001 .031 .047 .146 .078 .225

1979 ........ 2,632 .013 .031 .025 .049 .016 .001 .025 .042 .135 .067 .202

1980 ........ 2,862 .014 .033 .026 .050 .019 .001 .022 .043 .142 .065 .207

1981 ........ 3,211 .014 .034 .026 .048 .020 .001 .020 .041 .143 .061 .204

1982 ........ 3,345 .015 .036 .026 .048 .021 .001 .019 .041 .148 .060 .207

1983 ........ 3,638 .016 .038 .027 .047 .021 .002 .017 .040 .150 .057 .207

1984 ........ 4,041 .016 .039 .028 .045 .021 .003 .017 .037 .152 .054 .206

1985 ........ 4,347 .017 .039 .029 .044 .019 .004 .016 .034 .152 .051 .203

1986 ........ 4,590 .018 .042 .032 .045 .018 .005 .016 .032 .159 .048 .207

1987 ........ 4,870 .018 .043 .033 .044 .017 .005 .016 .030 .161 .045 .207

1988 ........ 5,253 .018 .042 .035 .044 .017 .006 .016 .028 .161 .043 .205

1989 ........ 5,658 .018 .043 .036 .044 .017 .006 .016 .026 .164 .042 .206

1990 ........ 5,980 .020 .044 .040 .047 .016 .007 .017 .026 .174 .042 .216

1991 ........ 6,174 .027 .051 .048 .054 .017 .007 .019 .027 .204 .045 .250

1992 ........ 6,539 .048 .060 .055 .058 .017 .007 .020 .026 .245 .046 .291

1993 ........ 6,879 .057 .065 .061 .061 .018 .007 .021 .026 .268 .047 .315

1994 ........ 7,309 .057 .062 .064 .062 .017 .007 .021 .025 .269 .046 .316

1995 ........ 7,664 .061 .062 .067 .064 .018 .007 .021 .025 .279 .046 .325

1996 ........ 8,100 .061 .062 .069 .065 .018 .007 .020 .024 .282 .045 .327

1997 ........ 8,608 .057 .058 .065 .063 .017 .007 .018 .024 .268 .042 .310

1998 ........ 9,089 .055 .057 .065 .064 .017 .007 .017 .023 .264 .040 .305

1999 ........ 9,666 .050 .053 .064 .062 .017 .007 .016 .023 .253 .038 .292

2000 ........ 10,290 .047 .050 .062 .061 .017 .007 .014 .022 .243 .037 .280

2001 ........ 10,625 .048 .050 .064 .064 .017 .007 .014 .023 .250 .037 .287

2002 ........ 10,980 .049 .050 .064 .065 .017 .007 .013 .023 .252 .036 .288

2003 ........ 11,512 .049 .050 .063 .065 .017 .007 .012 .023 .251 .035 .286

2004 ........ 12,277 .049 .048 .060 .065 .017 .007 .011 .022 .246 .033 .279

2005 ........ 13,095 .050 .048 .058 .064 .016 .007 .010 .021 .243 .032 .275

2006 ........ 13,858 .050 .048 .056 .065 .016 .007 .010 .021 .241 .031 .273

2007 ........ 14,480 .051 .049 .054 .066 .016 .007 .010 .021 .243 .030 .273

2008 ........ 14,720 .053 .052 .056 .071 .017 .007 .010 .021 .255 .031 .286

2009 ........ 14,418 .060 .059 .060 .080 .018 .008 .011 .023 .285 .033 .318

2010 ........ 14,958 .060 .060 .058 .082 .018 .008 .010 .022 .287 .032 .319

2011 ........ 15,534 .060 .060 .056 .083 .018 .008 .010 .021 .285 .031 .316

2012 ........ 16,245 .061 .061 .054 .085 .018 .009 .009 .021 .288 .030 .318

2013 ........ 16,790 .061 .061 .052 .087 .019 .009 .009 .020 .288 .030 .318

Projected:

2014 ........ 17,557 .059 .060 .049 .086 .019 .009 .009 .020 .282 .029 .311

2015 ........ 18,426 .059 .058 .048 .084 .019 .009 .009 .019 .276 .029 .305

2016 ........ 19,377 .057 .056 .047 .081 .019 .009 .009 .019 .270 .028 .298

2017 ........ 20,400 .054 .055 .046 .079 .020 .009 .009 .019 .263 .028 .290

2018 ........ 21,475 .053 .054 .045 .075 .020 .009 .009 .018 .256 .028 .283

2019 ........ 22,578 .051 .053 .044 .073 .021 .009 .009 .018 .251 .027 .278

2020 ........ 23,694 .050 .052 .043 .070 .022 .009 .009 .018 .247 .027 .274

2021 ........ 24,815 .048 .052 .043 .068 .022 .009 .009 .018 .243 .027 .270

2022 ........ 25,935 .046 .052 .043 .067 .023 .009 .009 .018 .239 .027 .267

2023 ........ 27,091 .046 .051 .043 .064 .023 .010 .009 .018 .237 .027 .264

2024 ........ 28,304 .046 .050 .043 .062 .024 .010 .009 .018 .235 .028 .262

2025 ........ 29,575 .045 .050 .043 .060 .024 .010 .009 .018 .232 .028 .260

2026 ........ 30,900 .044 .049 .043 .058 .024 .010 .009 .019 .229 .028 .257

2027 ........ 32,275 .044 .048 .043 .057 .024 .011 .009 .019 .226 .028 .254

2028 ........ 33,704 .043 .047 .043 .055 .023 .011 .009 .019 .222 .028 .250

2029 ........ 35,196 .043 .046 .042 .054 .023 .011 .009 .019 .219 .028 .247

2030 ........ 36,750 .042 .045 .042 .053 .022 .012 .009 .019 .216 .028 .244

2031 ........ 38,369 .042 .045 .041 .052 .022 .012 .009 .020 .213 .028 .241

2032 ........ 40,063 .042 .044 .040 .051 .021 .012 .008 .020 .210 .028 .238

2033 ........ 41,843 .041 .043 .040 .050 .020 .013 .008 .020 .207 .028 .235

2034 ........ 43,703 .041 .042 .039 .049 .020 .013 .008 .020 .204 .028 .232

2035 ........ 45,659 .040 .041 .039 .048 .019 .013 .007 .020 .201 .028 .229

2036 ........ 47,710 .039 .041 .038 .048 .019 .013 .007 .021 .198 .028 .226

2037 ........ 49,863 .038 .040 .037 .047 .018 .013 .007 .021 .195 .028 .222

2038 ........ 52,130 .038 .040 .037 .047 .018 .013 .007 .021 .191 .027 .219
Program Recipients and Federal Expenditures

54 2014 SSI Annual Report

E. THE SSI PROGRAM’S SHARE OF SSA’S ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS 

AND BENEFICIARY SERVICES COSTS

SSA administers the SSI program, but unlike the OASDI program, general revenues fund the SSI program. When the SSI program began in 1972, the agency's existing field office network and its automated

data processing capabilities made it uniquely qualified to administer the program. Because the administration of the SSI and OASDI programs is integrated, it is more practical to fund them from a single source.

The trust funds and the general fund pay their appropriate share of administrative expenses into SSA's

Limitation on Administrative Expenses account, which funds the total operating expenses of the agency. A

Government Accountability Office approved method of cost analysis is used to determine the appropriate

share of administrative expenses borne by each funding source, and a final settlement of costs is made by

the end of the subsequent fiscal year. If necessary, section 201(g)(1) of the Act provides that the Social

Security trust funds may temporarily finance SSI administrative expenses, including Federal administration of State supplementation payments. General revenues subsequently reimburse the trust funds, including any interest lost.

The SSI program also provides beneficiary services to recipients through State VR agencies and ENs for

VR services and payments under the Ticket to Work program. VR strives to help individuals with disabilities achieve and sustain productive, self-supporting work activity.

Table IV.E1.—Selected SSI Costs, Fiscal Years 1978-2014

[Outlays in millions] 

Fiscal year

SSI administrative

expenses a

a Includes user fees charged to participating States to reimburse SSA for the costs of administering their

SSI State supplementation program.

Beneficiary

services b

b Includes payments for referral and monitoring services for drug addicts and alcoholics through December

1996; these payments were terminated effective January 1997. 

1978.................................................................. $539 $31.6

1979.................................................................. 611 57.0

1980.................................................................. 668 33.1

1981.................................................................. 717 37.3

1982.................................................................. 780 12.0

1983.................................................................. 846 8.0

1984.................................................................. 864 c 84.0

c Reflects a one-time payment to State VR agencies for prior year expenses.

1985.................................................................. 956 3.0

1986.................................................................. 1,023 7.2

1987.................................................................. 977 9.5

1988.................................................................. 976 12.9

1989.................................................................. 1,052 20.0

1990.................................................................. 1,075 28.3

1991.................................................................. 1,230 33.1

1992.................................................................. 1,426 36.0

1993.................................................................. 1,468 32.3

1994.................................................................. 1,780 33.8

1995.................................................................. 1,978 48.2

1996.................................................................. 1,953 71.8

1997.................................................................. 2,055 77.3

1998.................................................................. 2,304 46.0

1999.................................................................. 2,493 52.0

2000.................................................................. 2,321 53.7

2001.................................................................. 2,397 43.9

2002.................................................................. 2,522 54.0

2003.................................................................. 2,656 37.0

2004.................................................................. 2,806 38.6

2005.................................................................. 2,795 30.4

2006.................................................................. 2,916 38.9

2007.................................................................. 2,857 36.1

2008.................................................................. 2,820 45.1

2009.................................................................. 3,316 48.6

2010.................................................................. 3,629 46.1

2011.................................................................. 3,931 33.0

2012.................................................................. 3,881 35.5

2013.................................................................. 3,789 55.6

2014 (estimated) 5,131 68.0
2014 SSI Annual Report 55

Basic Eligibility Requirements

V. APPENDICES

A. HISTORY OF PROVISIONS

Act

1. Basic Eligibility Requirements

1972

Public Law 92-603, 

enacted October 30

An individual may qualify for payments on the basis of age, blindness, or disability.

Aged: Any person aged 65 or older (unchanged from requirements under State

Old-Age Assistance (OAA) program).

Blind: Any person with 20/200 or less vision in the better eye with the use of a

correcting lens, or with tunnel vision of 20 degrees or less. An individual transferred from a State Aid to the Blind (AB) program to Supplemental Security

Income (SSI) is eligible if he or she received such State aid in December 1973

and continues to meet the October 1972 State definition of blindness.

Disabled: Any person unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity (SGA)

by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment

expected to result in death or that has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of at least 12 months. For a child under age 18, eligibility is

based on disability of severity comparable with that of an adult. An individual

transferred from a State Aid to the Permanently and Totally Disabled (APTD)

program to SSI is also eligible if he or she received such State aid in December

1973 and continues to meet the October 1972 State definition of disability.

1973

Public Law 93-233, 

enacted December 31

Only persons who had received APTD before July 1973 and were on the rolls in

December 1973 may receive SSI on the basis of the State definition of disability; those who became eligible for State aid from July to December 1973 must

meet the Federal definition of disability.

1980

Public Law 96-265, 

enacted June 9

A disabled recipient who loses Federal SSI eligibility because of earnings at the

SGA level may continue to receive a special benefit under section 1619 and

retain eligibility for Medicaid under title XIX of the Social Security Act. This

special benefit status may continue as long as the recipient has the disabling

impairment and meets all nondisability SSI eligibility criteria. States have the

option of supplementing this special benefit.

This provision of the law was in effect from January 1, 1981, through

December 31, 1983. Beginning in January 1984, under a 1-year demonstration

project, this provision was continued for persons already eligible for either regular SSI payments or special monthly benefits.

1984

Public Law 98-460, 

enacted October 9 

The special benefit and Medicaid provisions of the 1980 legislation were

extended through June 30, 1987 (retroactive to January 1, 1984).

1986

Public Law 99-643, 

enacted November 10

The special benefit and Medicaid provisions of the 1980 amendments are made

permanent. The provisions were amended effective July 1, 1987, with significant modifications to simplify administration and to allow free movement

between regular SSI disability payments and either the special cash benefit or

Medicaid eligibility under section 1619. The distinction between a disabled person eligible for regular SSI payments and one eligible for 1619(a) is that the lat-
History of Provisions 

56 2014 SSI Annual Report

Act

ter has several months with gross earnings above the SGA level. Previously,

section 1619(a) status required completion of a trial work period and the determination that the work was SGA.

1996

Public Law 104-193, 

enacted August 22

For individuals under age 18, the “comparable severity” standard is eliminated

and replaced with a requirement that a child be considered disabled if he or she

has a medically determinable impairment that results in “marked and severe

functional limitations,” and meets the existing statutory duration requirement.

The law also eliminates references to “maladaptive behaviors” from the personal/behavioral domain of the mental disorders in the Listing of Impairments

for children, and discontinues the use of individualized functional assessments

for children.

SSI eligibility is prohibited for an individual in any month during which such an

individual is a fugitive felon, fleeing prosecution for a felony, or violating State

or Federal conditions of probation or parole.1 In addition, SSI eligibility is prohibited for 10 years for those convicted of fraudulently claiming residence to

obtain benefits simultaneously in two or more States.2

2006

Public Law 109-171, 

enacted February 8

Requires the Commissioner to conduct reviews of a specific percentage of SSI

initial disability and blindness cases involving individuals aged 18 or older that

are allowed by the State disability determination services (DDS). The provision

is phased in as follows—for fiscal year 2006, the Commissioner is required to

review 20 percent of DDS allowances; in fiscal year 2007, the requirement is

40 percent; and, for fiscal years 2008 and thereafter, 50 percent of all DDS

allowances are required to be reviewed. These reviews are to be made before the

allowance decision is implemented.

2. Other Eligibility Provisions

a. Citizenship and U.S. Residency

1972

Public Law 92-603, 

enacted October 30

The individual must reside within one of the 50 States or the District of Columbia and be a citizen or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence or

permanently residing in the United States under color of law. Persons living outside the United States for an entire calendar month lose their eligibility for such

a month.

1976

Public Law 94-241, 

enacted March 24

Eligibility for SSI is extended to residents of the Northern Mariana Islands,

effective January 9, 1978.

1980

Public Law 96-265, 

enacted June 9

The income and resources of the immigration sponsors of aliens applying for

SSI are considered in determining eligibility for and the amount of payment.

1 In 2009, the agency entered into a nationwide class action settlement that limits the felony crime offense codes upon

which fugitive felon nonpayments may be based under this statute. In 2012, based on a Federal court order, the agency

stopped suspending and denying title II and title XVI benefits based solely on a probation or parole violation warrant.

2 Lawmakers repealed this last provision in the 1999 Public Law 106-169 and replaced it with a provision providing

for nonpayment of benefits for up to 24 months for knowingly making false or misleading statements regarding material facts.
2014 SSI Annual Report 57

 Other Eligibility Provisions

Act

After allowances for the needs of the sponsor and his or her family, the remainder is deemed available for the support of the alien applicant for a 3-year period

after admission to the United States for permanent residence. This provision

does not apply to those who become blind or disabled after admission, to refugees, or to persons granted political asylum. (See section 2.g. of this appendix

for subsequent changes to sponsor-to-alien deeming provisions.)

1989

Public Law 101-239, 

enacted December 19

SSI eligibility is continued for a disabled or blind child who was receiving SSI

benefits while living in the United States and is now living with a parent who is

a member of the U.S. Armed Forces assigned to permanent duty ashore outside

the United States but not where the parent is stationed in Puerto Rico or the territories and possessions of the United States.

1993

Public Law 103-66, 

enacted August 10

Above provision made applicable where the parent is a member of the U.S.

Armed Forces and stationed in Puerto Rico or the territories and possessions of

the United States.

1996

Public Law 104-193, 

enacted August 22

Prohibits SSI eligibility for anyone who is not a U.S. citizen or national unless

they are in a “qualified alien” category and meet one of certain exceptions such

as lawful permanent residents who earn or can be credited with 40 qualifying

quarters of earnings, certain refugee type categories eligible for up to 5 years of

time-limited eligibility, or active duty U.S. military or veterans and their

spouses and children. Extends eligibility for aliens receiving SSI as of August

22, 1996 (the enactment date of the law) for 1 year after the enactment date for

those aliens found ineligible under the new standards.

Public Law 104-208, 

enacted September 30

Amends Public Law 104-193 to add to the list of “qualified aliens” certain noncitizens (and their children) who have been battered or subjected to extreme cruelty by a spouse or parent or a member of the spouse’s or parent’s family living

in the same household.

1997

Public Law 105-18, 

enacted June 12

Extends eligibility for aliens receiving SSI as of August 22, 1996 until September 30, 1997 for those found ineligible under the new alien standards of Public

Law 104-193.

Public Law 105-33, 

enacted August 5

Further amends Public Law 104-193 to add Cuban and Haitian entrants and the

child of a parent who has been battered or subjected to extreme cruelty to the list

of qualified aliens. Provides that Cuban and Haitian entrants and Amerasian

immigrants qualify for time limited eligibility and increases the time limit from

5 to 7 years for all time-limited categories. Additional exceptions are added for

qualified aliens: (1) lawfully residing in the United States and receiving SSI

benefits on August 22, 1996; and (2) lawfully residing in the United States on

August 22, 1996 and meeting the definition of blind or disabled in the Social

Security Act.

Certain noncitizen American Indians are excepted from the alien nonpayment

provisions of Public Law 104-193. Extends eligibility for “nonqualified aliens”

receiving SSI as of August 22, 1996, until September 30, 1998.
History of Provisions 

58 2014 SSI Annual Report

Act

1998

Public Law 105-306, 

enacted October 28

Permanently extends eligibility of all remaining “nonqualified aliens” who

were receiving SSI benefits when Public Law 104-193 was enacted on

August 22, 1996.

2000

Public Law 106-386, 

enacted October 28

Noncitizens may be eligible for SSI to the same extent as refugees, if they have

been certified by the Department of Health and Human Services to be victims of

“severe forms of trafficking in persons.”

2004

Public Law 108-203, 

enacted March 2

Extends SSI eligibility to blind or disabled children who are U.S. citizens living

with a parent assigned to permanent U.S. military duty outside of the United

States, and who were not receiving SSI benefits while in the United States. Previously, only blind or disabled children who received an SSI benefit for the

month before the parent reported for permanent duty abroad were eligible.

Effective April 2004 for applications filed after enactment.

2007

Public Law 110-161, 

enacted December 26

Provides certain Iraqi and Afghan aliens with special immigrant status as

described in section 101(a)(27) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. As special immigrants, these Iraqi and Afghan aliens are eligible for resettlement assistance, entitlement programs, and other benefits available to refugees admitted

under section 207 of such Act (admission of refugees in emergency situations)

for a period not to exceed 6 months.

2008

Public Law 110-181, 

enacted January 28

Provides certain Iraqi aliens who have provided service to the United States

with special immigrant status, as described in section 101(a)(27) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. As special immigrants, these Iraqis are eligible for

resettlement assistance, entitlement programs, and other benefits available to

refugees admitted under section 207 of such Act (admission of refugees in

emergency situations) for a period not to exceed 8 months.

Public Law 110-328, 

enacted September 30

Extends the 7-year SSI eligibility period for certain refugees, asylees, and other

humanitarian immigrants (including victims of human trafficking) to 9 years for

the period October 1, 2008 through September 30, 2011. Those with naturalization applications pending or awaiting the swearing-in-ceremony are exempt

from time limitations through September 30, 2011. Also applies to the noncitizens whose SSI had previously ceased due to the expiration of the 7-year period.

For these noncitizens, SSI benefits will be paid for months in the period

October 1, 2008 through September 30, 2011, for the duration of the noncitizen’s re-established eligibility.

2009

Public Law 111-118, 

enacted December 19

Eliminates the 8-month time limit on SSI eligibility for certain Iraqi and Afghan

refugees who have provided service to the United States. The time-limited eligibility for these individuals is now the same period applicable to other humanitarian refugees.

b. Other Benefits

1980

Public Law 96-272, 

enacted June 17

SSI applicants and recipients are not required as a condition of eligibility to

elect to receive Veterans Administration1 pensions under the Veterans and Sur1 The Veterans Administration was replaced by the Department of Veterans Affairs which was established on

March 15, 1989.
2014 SSI Annual Report 59

 Other Eligibility Provisions

Act

vivors’ Pension Improvement Act of 1978 if the State of residence lacks a medically needy program under title XIX.

c. Drug Addiction and Alcoholism

1972

Public Law 92-603, 

enacted October 30

Any disabled individual who has been medically determined to be an alcoholic

or drug addict must accept appropriate treatment, if available, in an approved

facility and demonstrate compliance with conditions and requirements for treatment.

SSI payments are required to be made through a representative payee—another

person or public or private agency designated by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to manage the recipient’s benefits on his or her behalf.

1994

Public Law 103-296, 

enacted August 15

Any individual who is receiving SSI based on a disability where drug addiction

or alcoholism is a contributing factor material to the finding of disability must

comply with the drug addiction and alcoholism (DAA) treatment requirements.

The individual must accept appropriate treatment when it is available and comply with the conditions and terms of treatment. Instances of noncompliance with

the requirements result in progressively longer payment suspensions. Before

payments can resume, the individual must demonstrate compliance for specific

periods: 2 months, 3 months, and 6 months, respectively, for the first, second,

third and subsequent instances of noncompliance. An individual who is not in

compliance with the DAA treatment requirements for 12 consecutive months

shall not be eligible for payments; however, this does not prevent such individuals from reapplying and again becoming eligible for payments.

SSI disability payments based on DAA are also limited to a total of 36 benefit

months (beginning March 1995) regardless of whether appropriate treatment is

available. Months for which benefits are not due and received do not count

towards the 36-month limit.

Payments based on DAA must be made to a representative payee. Preference is

required to be given to community-based, nonprofit social service agencies and

Federal, State, or local government agencies in representative payee selection.

These agencies when serving as payees for individuals receiving payments

based on DAA may retain the lesser of 10 percent of the monthly benefit or $50

(adjusted annually after 1995 by the Automatic Cost-of-Living Increase) as

compensation for their services.

Establishment of one or more referral and monitoring agencies for each State is

required.

1996

Public Law 104-121, 

enacted March 29

An individual is not considered disabled if DAA is a contributing factor material

to a finding of disability.

Applies DAA representative payee requirements enacted under Public Law 103-

296 to disabled SSI recipients who have a DAA condition and are incapable of

managing their benefits. In addition, these recipients shall be referred to the

appropriate State agency administering the State plan for substance abuse treatment.
History of Provisions 

60 2014 SSI Annual Report

Act

d. Institutionalization

1972

Public Law 92-603, 

enacted October 30

An individual who is an inmate of a public institution is ineligible for SSI payments unless the institution is a facility approved for Medicaid payments and is

receiving such payments on behalf of the person. Under regulations, the Medicaid payment must represent more than 50 percent of the cost of services provided by the facility to the individual.

1976

Public Law 94-566, 

enacted October 20

An inmate of a publicly operated community residence serving no more than

16 persons may, if otherwise eligible, receive SSI.

1983

Public Law 98-21, 

enacted April 20

Payments may be made to persons who are residents of public emergency shelters for the homeless for a period of up to 3 months in any 12-month period.

1986

Public Law 99-643, 

enacted November 10

Effective July 1, 1987, disabled or blind recipients who were receiving special

SSI payments or had special SSI recipient status under section 1619 in the

month preceding the first full month of institutionalization, may receive payments based on the full Federal benefit rate for the initial 2 full months of institutionalization if they reside in certain public or private Medicaid facilities.

1987

Public Law 100-203, 

enacted December 22

Effective January 1, 1988, payments may be made to persons who are residents

of public emergency shelters for the homeless for up to 6 months in a 9-month

period.

Effective July 1, 1988, continued payment of SSI benefits for up to 3 months is

permitted, at the rate that was applicable in the month prior to the first full

month of institutionalization, for individuals whose expected institutional stay

on admission is not likely to exceed 3 months as certified by a physician, and

for whom the receipt of benefits is necessary to maintain living arrangements to

which they may return.

1996

Public Law 104-193, 

enacted August 22

Effective December 1996, institutionalized children under age 18 whose private

health insurance is making payments to the institution may receive no more than

$30 per month in Federal SSI.

e. Vocational Rehabilitation and Treatment

1972

Public Law 92-603, 

enacted October 30

Blind or disabled individuals receiving Federal SSI benefits who are under

age 65, must be referred to the State agency providing services under the Vocational Rehabilitation Act and must accept the services offered. States are reimbursed for the cost of services.

1976

Public Law 94-566, 

enacted October 20

Blind or disabled children under age 16 must be referred to the State agency

administering crippled children’s services or to another agency designated by

the State. States are reimbursed for the cost of services.

Of funds provided for these services, at least 90 percent must be used for children under age 6 or for those who have never attended public schools.
2014 SSI Annual Report 61

 Other Eligibility Provisions

Act

1980

Public Law 96-265, 

enacted June 9

Disabled SSI recipients who medically recover while enrolled in approved

vocational rehabilitation (VR) programs of State VR agencies may continue to

receive benefits during their participation in such programs if the Commissioner

of Social Security determines that continuation in the program will increase the

probability that they leave the rolls permanently.

1981

Public Law 97-35, 

enacted August 13

Funding no longer provided under title XVI for medical, social, developmental

and rehabilitative services to disabled or blind children.

Reimbursement for the cost of rehabilitation services will be made only if the

services result in the recipient’s return to work for a continuous period of

9 months. The work must be at the SGA earnings level.

1984

Public Law 98-460, 

enacted October 9

Authorizes the reimbursement of States for the cost of VR services provided to

individuals who: (1) continue to receive benefits after medical recovery because

they are participating in a State VR program; or (2) refuse, without good cause,

to continue in or cooperate with the VR program in which they had been participating.

1987

Public Law 100-203, 

enacted December 22

Extends the provision for continuation of payments to disabled SSI recipients

who have medically recovered while enrolled in an approved VR program to

include blind SSI recipients.

1990

Public Law 101-508, 

enacted November 5

Reimbursement authorized for the cost of VR services provided in months in

which the individual was not receiving Federal SSI payments if:

 • SSI recipient status for Medicaid eligibility purposes was retained under

work incentive provisions; or 

 • Benefits were in suspense1 status (for a reason other than cessation of disability or blindness); or

 • Federally administered State supplementation was received.

Extends benefit continuation provision to disabled SSI recipients who medically

recover while participating in a non-State VR program.

1999

Public Law 106-170, 

enacted December 17

Establishes a Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency program which will provide

SSI and Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) beneficiaries

entitled on the basis of disability with a ticket that can be used to obtain VR services, employment services, or other support services, from an employment network (EN) of their choice. An EN chooses one of the two EN payment options

at the time it submits an application to SSA to become an EN. The chosen payment system will apply to all beneficiaries served. An EN can elect to receive

payment under the:

1 Recipients who have lost eligibility for SSI benefits for fewer than 13 consecutive months are in suspended payment

status.
History of Provisions 

62 2014 SSI Annual Report

Act

 • Outcome payment system, under which it can receive payment for up to

60 outcome payment months, which are defined as months in which SSA

does not pay any Federal disability cash benefits to a beneficiary because

of work or earnings; or

 • Outcome-milestone payment system, under which it can receive payment

for one or more milestones in addition to reduced outcome payments, but

will receive less in total than under the outcome payment system. 

The Commissioner will initially establish and periodically review the amount

and duration of the outcome payments and the number and amounts of the outcome-milestone payments.

Also eliminates the requirement that blind or disabled SSI recipients age 16

through 64 be referred to the State VR agency and accept the services offered.

Under the initial regulation, effective January 28, 2002:

 • The outcome payment system provided that ENs could receive payment for

up to 60 outcome payment months for both OASDI and SSI beneficiaries

based on earnings exceeding the SGA level and the beneficiary no longer

receiving Federal disability cash benefits because of work or earnings; and

 • The outcome-milestone payment system provided that ENs could receive

up to four milestone payments in addition to reduced outcome payments.

The four milestones were based on gross earnings exceeding the SGA level

for specified months. Milestone payments were made only for milestones

achieved prior to the first outcome payment month, and outcome payments

were reduced by the amount of milestone payments received. Four milestone payments plus 60 months of reduced outcome payments equaled

85 percent of the total that would be available if the EN chose the outcome

payment system. 

Under the revised regulation, effective July 21, 2008:

 • The outcome payment system provides that ENs can receive payment for

up to 60 outcome payment months for an SSI beneficiary and up to 36 outcome payment months for an OASDI beneficiary (including a concurrent

OASDI/SSI disability beneficiary), with the reduction in available number

of outcome months for OASDI beneficiaries offset by an increased outcome payment; and

 • The outcome-milestone payment system provides that ENs can receive the

following milestone payments in addition to outcome payments:

 — Up to four Phase 1 milestones achieved by either an OASDI or SSI

beneficiary (including a concurrent OASDI/SSI disability beneficiary); and

 — Up to 11 Phase 2 milestones achieved by an OASDI or concurrent

beneficiary or up to 18 Phase 2 milestones achieved by an SSI beneficiary.

Phase 1 milestones are based on gross earnings at or above trial work level for

specified months, and Phase 2 milestones are based on gross earnings exceeding

the SGA level for specified months. These milestones must occur before the EN
2014 SSI Annual Report 63

 Other Eligibility Provisions

Act

enters the first month for which it is eligible for an outcome payment. If an

available milestone payment is not paid prior to the outcome period, it is payable in a reconciliation payment when the beneficiary reaches the 12th outcome

month. This payment amount is equal to the total amount of unpaid Phase 1 and

Phase 2 milestones that were available when the ticket was first assigned. The

Phase 1 and Phase 2 milestone payments and outcome payments equal 90 percent of the total that would be available if the EN chose the outcome payment

system.

f. Continuing Disability Reviews and Eligibility Redeterminations

1994

Public Law 103-296, 

enacted August 15

During each of fiscal years 1996, 1997, and 1998, requires SSA to conduct continuing disability reviews (CDRs) on a minimum of 100,000 SSI recipients. In

addition, during the same period, requires SSA to redetermine the SSI eligibility

of at least one-third of all child SSI recipients who reach age 18 after April 1995

during the 1-year period following attainment of age 18. Redeterminations for

persons turning age 18 could count toward the 100,000 CDR requirement.

1996

Public Law 104-193, 

enacted August 22

Repeals the requirement that SSA redetermine the eligibility of at least one-third

of all child SSI recipients who reach age 18 after April 1995 during the 1-year

period following attainment of age 18.

Requires a CDR:

 • At least once every 3 years for SSI recipients under age 18 who are eligible

by reason of an impairment that is likely to improve, and

 • Not later than 12 months after birth for recipients whose low birth weight is

a contributing factor material to the determination of their disability.

Requires eligibility redetermination under the adult disability standard for all

child SSI recipients eligible for the month before the month in which they attain

age 18.

Requires redetermination of eligibility for children considered disabled based

on an individualized functional assessment or consideration of maladaptive

behavior.

Requires the representative payee of a child SSI recipient whose continuing eligibility is being reviewed to present evidence that the recipient is receiving

treatment that is considered medically necessary and available for the condition

that was the basis for providing SSI benefits.

1997

Public Law 105-33, 

enacted August 5

Modifies provision of Public Law 104-193 to extend from 12 to 18 months the

period for redetermining the disability of children under age 18 under the new

childhood disability standard.

Modifies provision of Public Law 104-193 to permit SSA to schedule a CDR

for a disabled child for whom low birth weight is a contributing factor material

to the determination of disability, at a date after the child’s first birthday if the

Commissioner determines the impairment is not expected to improve within

12 months of the child’s birth.
History of Provisions 

64 2014 SSI Annual Report

Act

Modifies provision of Public Law 104-193 to provide SSA the authority to

make redeterminations of disabled childhood recipients who attain age 18, more

than 1 year after the date such recipient attains age 18.

1999

Public Law 106-170, 

enacted December 17

Prohibits the initiation of a CDR during the period that a recipient is “using a

ticket” under the Ticket to Work program.

g. Deeming of Income and Resources

1972

Public Law 92-603, 

enacted October 30

Deeming occurs when the income and resources of certain family members living in the same household with the SSI recipient are considered in determining

the amount of the SSI payment. These family members are the ineligible spouse

of an adult recipient and the ineligible parents of a child recipient under age 21.

After deduction of personal allocations for the spouse (or parents) and for ineligible children in the home and after application of income exclusions, any

remaining income of the spouse (or parents) is added to the income of the eligible person.

1980

Public Law 96-265, 

enacted June 9

Children aged 18 or older are not subject to parental deeming.

Sponsor’s income and resources deemed to an alien for 3 years.

1989

Public Law 101-239, 

enacted December 19

Disabled children receiving home care services under State Medicaid programs

who are ineligible for SSI because of deeming of parental income and who

received SSI benefits limited to $30 while in a medical treatment facility may

receive the $30 monthly allowance that would be payable if the recipient were

institutionalized.

1993

Public Law 103-66, 

enacted August 10

Considers an ineligible spouse or parent who is absent from the household due

to active military service to be a member of the household for deeming purposes.

Public Law 103-152, 

enacted November 24

Sponsor-to-alien deeming period extended from 3 years to 5 years, effective

January 1, 1994 through September 30, 1996.

1996

Public Law 104-193, 

enacted August 22

Deeming of income and resources from an immigration sponsor to a noncitizen

continues until citizenship, with exceptions for those who earn, or can be credited with, 40 qualifying quarters of earnings. Effective for those whose sponsor

signs a new legally enforceable affidavit of support.

Public Law 104-208, 

enacted September 30

Amends Public Law 104-193 to add two exceptions to the sponsor-to-alien

deeming:

 • Provides that if the noncitizen is indigent and would be unable to obtain

food and shelter without SSI benefits even after receiving support from the

sponsor, then only the amount of income and resources actually provided

by the sponsor will be counted for a 12-month period after a determination

of indigence; and
2014 SSI Annual Report 65

 Federal Benefit Payments

Act

 • Provides that in certain cases, deeming would not apply for a 12-month

period (with some options for extension) if the noncitizen (or his or her

children) has been battered or subjected to extreme cruelty by family members.

1997

Public Law 105-33, 

enacted August 5

Amends Public Law 104-208 to add an additional exception to sponsor-to-alien

deeming when the parent of a noncitizen has been battered or subjected to

extreme cruelty by family members.

2006

Public Law 109-163, 

enacted January 6

Provides that individuals who were made ineligible for SSI because of their

spouses or parents being called to active military duty would not have to file a

new application for SSI benefits if they again could be eligible for benefits

before the end of 24 consecutive months of ineligibility.

3. Federal Benefit Payments

a. Windfall Offset

1980

Public Law 96-265, 

enacted June 9

Prevents a windfall to claimants concurrently entitled to SSI payments and

OASDI retroactive benefits for the same period. Retroactive OASDI benefits

resulting from an initial reward are reduced by the amount of SSI payments that

would not have been paid if the OASDI benefits had been paid when due. 

1984

Public Law 98-369, 

enacted July 18

Offset provision expanded to allow for reduction of retroactive SSI benefits and

to apply in cases of OASDI benefit reinstatement.

b. Proration of Benefit

1982

Public Law 97-248, 

enacted September 3

Benefit for first month of eligibility to be prorated by the number of days in the

month for which an application has been filed and there is eligibility.

1996

Public Law 104-193, 

enacted August 22

Changes the effective date of an SSI application to the first day of the month

following the date on which the application was filed or on which the individual

first becomes eligible, whichever is later. This change, in effect, eliminates prorated payments in initial claims.

c. Retrospective Monthly Accounting

1981

Public Law 97-35, 

enacted August 13

Changes the method of computing the SSI payment to one under which the payment amount is computed on a monthly basis and is based on income and other

characteristics in the previous (or second previous) month.

1984

Public Law 98-369, 

enacted July 18

Changes the method of computing the SSI benefit to persons receiving OASDI

payments. The effect of the increased OASDI income at the time of the cost-ofliving increase is not delayed as it otherwise would be.
History of Provisions 

66 2014 SSI Annual Report

Act

1987

Public Law 100-203, 

enacted December 22

Provides an exception to retrospective monthly accounting so that amounts

received under Aid to Families With Dependent Children, foster care, refugee

cash assistance, Cuban-Haitian entrant assistance, or general and child welfare

assistance provided by the Bureau of Indian Affairs are counted only in the

month received.

1993

Public Law 103-66, 

enacted August 10

Changes the method of computing the SSI benefit to persons receiving the value

of the one-third reduction. The effect of the increased value at the time of the

cost-of-living increase is not delayed as it otherwise would be. Effective January

1995.

2004

Public Law 108-203, 

enacted March 2

Eliminates triple counting of one-time, nonrecurring income by providing that

this income will be counted only for the month that the income is received, and

not for any other month during the transition to retrospective monthly accounting, which occurs during the first 3 months of an individual’s SSI eligibility.

Effective April 2005.

d. Uncashed Checks

1981

Public Law 97-35, 

enacted August 13

States that have federally administered supplements to be credited their share of

SSI checks that remain unnegotiated for 180 days.

1987

Public Law 100-86, 

enacted August 10

SSI checks now unnegotiable after 1 year. States are credited their share of SSI

checks after 1 year rather than 180 days.

e. Rounding of Payment Amounts

1982

Public Law 97-248, 

enacted September 3

Cost-of-living adjustments in the Federal SSI benefit and income eligibility levels are to be rounded to the next lower whole dollar after the adjustment is calculated. Subsequent cost-of-living adjustments will be calculated on the

previous year’s benefit standard before rounding.

f. Penalties for False or Misleading Statements or Withholding of 

Information

1999

Public Law 106-169, 

enacted December 14

Provides for the nonpayment of OASDI and SSI benefits (6, 12 and 24 months,

respectively, for the first, second, and third or subsequent violations) for individuals found to have knowingly made a false or misleading statement of material fact for use in determining eligibility for benefits.

2004

Public Law 108-203, 

enacted March 2

Expands the administrative sanction of nonpayment of benefits to situations

where an individual has failed to disclose material information if the person

knew or should have known that such failure was misleading.

Authorizes Federal courts to order a defendant convicted of defrauding Social

Security, Special Veterans Benefits, or SSI to make restitution to SSA. Restitution funds would be deposited to the trust funds or General Fund of the Treasury

as appropriate. Effective with respect to violations occurring on or after the date

of enactment.
2014 SSI Annual Report 67

 Federal Benefit Rates

Act

g. Installment Payments

1996

Public Law 104-193, 

enacted August 22

Establishes a schedule for paying retroactive SSI payment amounts that exceed

12 times the Federal benefit rate (FBR) plus the State supplement level. Payments would be made at 6-month intervals:

 • The first installment would be 12 times the FBR plus any federally administered State supplement.

 • Any remaining retroactive benefits would be paid in a second installment

(not to exceed the first payment amount).

 • All remaining retroactive benefits would be paid in the third installment.

Provides that where an underpaid individual has incurred debts to provide for

food, clothing or shelter, has expenses for disability-related items and services

that exceed the installment amount, or has entered into a contract to purchase a

home, the installment payment would be increased by the amount needed to

cover those debts, expenses and obligations.

Provides that full retroactive payments be paid to an individual who is terminally ill or, if currently ineligible, is likely to remain so for the next 12 months.

2006

Public Law 109-171, 

enacted February 8

Requires that past-due monthly SSI benefits that exceed three times the maximum monthly benefit (FBR plus State supplementation payment amount if any)

payable to the individual be paid in up to three installment payments, 6 months

apart. Also, limits the amount of the first two installment payments to

three times the maximum monthly benefit. All remaining benefits due are to be

paid in the third installment. As under current law, the amounts of the installment payments may be increased in certain cases, such as those in which the

individual has necessary medical needs or has outstanding debt relating to food,

clothing, or shelter.

Effective 3 months after February 8, 2006.

h. Retroactive Payments to Prisoners, Fugitive Felons, and Probation or 

Parole Violators

2009

Public Law 111-115, 

enacted December 15

Prohibits the payment of any retroactive SSI benefits to individuals while they

are in prison; in violation of conditions of their parole or probation; or fleeing to

avoid prosecution, custody, or confinement for a felony or a crime punishable

by sentence of more than 1 year.

4. Federal Benefit Rates

The FBR is the standard SSA uses to compute the amount of Federal SSI payments. FBRs differ for individuals and couples living in households and for persons in medical treatment facilities where Medicaid

pays more than 50 percent of the cost of care. Individuals or couples living in their own households are eligible for the full FBR. If an individual or couple is living in another person’s household and receiving support and maintenance there, we reduce the FBR by one-third. We increase the FBR for persons in

households annually to reflect increases in the cost of living. There is a summary of legislation affecting

the level of FBRs since the inception of the SSI program in table V.A1.
History of Provisions

68 2014 SSI Annual Report

Table V.A1.—Federal Benefit Rates Set by Legislation

Act Living arrangements a

Amount b

Individual Couple Conditions

1972 c ....... Own household d $130.00 $195.00 Was to be effective January 1, 1974; superseded by Public Law 

93-233.

1973 e ....... — 140.00 210.00 Was to be effective January 1, 1974; superseded by Public Law 

93-233.

1973 f ....... — 140.00 210.00 Effective January 1, 1974.

1973 f ....... — 146.00 219.00 Effective July 1, 1974.

1974 g....... — — — Mechanism established for providing cost-of-living 

adjustments coordinated with earlier legislation applying to 

OASDI cash benefits. SSI payments to be increased by the 

same percentage as OASDI benefits and at the same time.

— h 157.70 h 236.60 Effective July 1, 1975.

1983 i ....... — 304.30 456.40 Effective July 1, 1983 (general benefit increase).

— h 314.00 h 472.00 Effective January 1, 1984.

1973 e ....... Increment for 

“essential person” 

in household

65.00 — Was to be effective January 1, 1974. For persons transferred 

from OAA, AB, or APTD programs who were receiving 

payments in December 1973 under a State plan that took 

account of “essential persons” in the household.

— 70.00 — Was to be effective July 1, 1974.

1973 f ....... — 70.00 — Effective January 1, 1974.

— 73.00 — Effective July 1, 1974.

1974 g ....... — — — Mechanism established for providing cost-of-living 

adjustments.

— h 78.90 — Effective July 1, 1975.

1983 i ........ — 152.50 — Effective July 1, 1983 (general benefit increase).

— h 157.00 — Effective January 1, 1984.

1972 c ....... Receiving institutional 

care covered by 

Medicaid

25.00 50.00 Effective January 1, 1974. Must be receiving more than 50 

percent of the cost of the care from Medicaid (title XIX of 

the Social Security Act).

1987 j........ — 30.00 60.00 Effective July 1, 1988. Must be receiving more than 50 percent 

of the cost of the care from Medicaid (title XIX of the Act).

a For those in another person’s household receiving support and maintenance there, the FBR is reduced by one-third. b For those without countable income. These payments are reduced by the amount of countable income of the individual or couple. c Public Law 92-603, enacted October 30, 1972.

d Includes persons in private institutions whose care is not provided by Medicaid.

e Public Law 93-66, enacted July 9, 1973.

f Public Law 93-233, enacted December 31, 1973.

g Public Law 93-368, enacted August 7, 1974.

h Subject to automatic provisions, see table IV.A2.

i Public Law 98-21, enacted April 20, 1983.

j Public Law 100-203, enacted December 22, 1987.
2014 SSI Annual Report 69

 Exclusions from Income

Act

5. Exclusions from Income

a. General Exclusions

1972

Public Law 92-603, 

enacted October 30

The first $60 of earned or unearned income per calendar quarter for an individual or couple; the next $195 and one-half the remainder of quarterly earned

income. Unearned income includes Social Security benefits, other government

or private pensions, veterans’ benefits, and workers’ compensation.

1981

Public Law 97-35, 

enacted August 13

The first $20 of earned or unearned income per month for an individual or couple; the next $65 and one-half the remainder of monthly earned income.

Unearned income includes Social Security benefits, other government or private

pensions, veterans’ benefits, and workers’ compensation.

2000

Public Law 106-554, 

enacted December 21

Earnings of persons defined as Social Security statutory employees (i.e., independent contractors who are treated as employees by law for certain employment tax withholdings) are treated as self-employment income for SSI purposes.

b. Special Exclusions

1972

Public Law 92-603, 

enacted October 30

Any amount of public-agency issued tax rebate that is based on either real property or food purchase taxes.

Grants, scholarships, and fellowships used to pay tuition and fees at an educational institution.

Income required for achieving an approved self-support plan for blind or disabled persons.

Work expenses of blind persons.

For blind persons transferred from State programs to SSI, income exclusions

equal to the maximum amount permitted as of October 1972 under the State

programs.

Irregularly or infrequently received income totaling $60 or less of unearned

income and $30 of earned income in a calendar quarter.

Payment for foster care of ineligible child residing in recipient’s home through

placement by a public or private nonprofit child care agency.

One-third of any payment received from an absent parent for the support of a

child eligible for SSI.

Certain earnings of a blind or disabled child under age 22 regularly attending an

educational institution.

State or local government cash payments based on need and designed to supplement SSI payments.

1976

Public Law 94-331, 

enacted June 30

Disaster assistance from income for 9 months and application of one-third

reduction for 6 months for certain victims of disasters occurring between January 1, 1976 and December 31, 1976.
History of Provisions 

70 2014 SSI Annual Report

Act

Public Law 94-566, 

enacted October 20

Any assistance based on need (including vendor payments) made to or on behalf

of SSI recipients that is paid and wholly funded by State or local governments.

The value of assistance provided under certain Federal housing programs.

1977

Public Law 95-113, 

enacted September 29

Food stamps, federally donated food, and the value of free or reduced price food

for women and children under the Child Nutrition Act and National School

Lunch Act.

Public Law 95-171, 

enacted November 12

Provisions for exclusions for support and maintenance under the Disaster Relief

and Emergency Assistance Act of 1974 extended on a permanent basis. Effective January 1, 1978.

1980

Public Law 96-222, 

enacted April 1

Earned income tax credit (EITC) treated as earned income (temporarily

excluded from 1975 through 1980).

Public Law 96-265, 

enacted June 9

Remunerations received in sheltered workshops and work activity centers are

considered earned income and qualify for earned income exclusions.

Impairment-related work expenses paid by the individual (including cost for

attendant care, medical equipment, drugs, and services necessary to control an

impairment) are deducted from earnings when determining if an individual is

engaging in SGA. Impairment-related work expenses are excluded in calculating income for benefit purposes if initial eligibility for benefits exists on the

basis of countable income without applying this exclusion.

1981

Public Law 97-35, 

enacted August 13

Modifies provision under which irregularly or infrequently received income is

excluded to conform to change from quarterly to monthly accounting; amounts

excludable: $20 or less of unearned income and $10 of earned income in a

month.

1982

Public Law 97-377, 

enacted December 21

From December 18, 1982 to September 30, 1983, certain home energy assistance payments are excluded if a State agency certified that they are based on

need.

1983

Public Law 97-424, 

enacted January 6

Support or maintenance assistance (including home energy assistance) provided

in kind by a nonprofit organization or in cash or in kind by certain providers of

home energy is excluded if the State determines that the assistance is based on

need. Provision is applicable through September 1984.

Certain home energy assistance payments are excluded if a State agency certified that the assistance is based on need. Provision is applicable through June

1985.

1984

Public Law 98-369, 

enacted July 18

The 1983 provisions for support and maintenance and home energy assistance

continue to October 1, 1987.

1986

Public Law 99-498, 

enacted October 17

Educational assistance used for educational expenses under the Higher Education Act of 1965 as amended.
2014 SSI Annual Report 71

 Exclusions from Income

Act

1987

Public Law 100-203, 

enacted December 22

The 1983 provisions for support and maintenance and home energy assistance

made permanent.

Excludes death payments (e.g., proceeds from life insurance) from SSI income

determinations to the extent they were spent on last illness and burial.

Modifies the 1982 resource exclusion for burial funds to extend the exclusion to

any burial fund of $1,500 or less maintained separately from all other assets,

thereby allowing interest to be excluded from income if retained in the fund.

1988

Public Law 100-383, 

enacted August 10

Restitution payments made to Japanese internees and relocated Aleutians.

1989

Public Law 101-239, 

enacted December 19

Interest on agreements representing the purchase of an excluded burial space.

Payments from the Agent Orange Settlement.

Value of a ticket for domestic travel received as a gift and not cashed.

1990

Public Law 101-508, 

enacted November 5

EITC (including the child health insurance portion).

Payments received from a State-administered fund established to aid victims of

crime.

Impairment-related work expenses excluded from income in determining initial

eligibility for benefits.

Payments received as State or local government relocation assistance.

Payments received under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act.

Redefines as earned income, royalties earned in connection with any publication

of the individual’s work and honoraria received for services rendered (previously defined as unearned income).

1993

Public Law 103-66, 

enacted August 10

Hostile fire pay to members of the uniformed services.

Payments received as State or local government relocation assistance made permanent.

1994

Public Law 103-286, 

enacted August 1

Payments to victims of Nazi persecution.

1998

Public Law 105-285, 

enacted October 27

Funds made available to an SSI recipient by a State or local government or a

nonprofit organization as part of the Individual Development Account demonstration project.

Public Law 105-306, 

enacted October 28

In-kind gifts to children with life-threatening conditions by tax-exempt organizations not converted to cash.

The first $2,000 annually of cash gifts by tax-exempt organizations to, or for the

benefit of, individuals under age 18 with life-threatening conditions.
History of Provisions 

72 2014 SSI Annual Report

Act

Public Law 105-369, 

enacted November 12

Payments made under the Ricky Ray Hemophilia Relief Fund Act of 1998.

2000

Public Law 106-554, 

enacted December 21

Interest on funds deposited in an Individual Development Account.

Any adjustments made to prior payments from other Federal programs to

account for the error in the computation of the Consumer Price Index during

1999.

2001

Public Law 107-16, 

enacted June 7

The refundable child tax credit is excluded in determining eligibility for meanstested programs, including SSI.

2004

Public Law 108-203, 

enacted March 2

Changes the calculation of infrequent or irregular income from a monthly to a

quarterly basis. Excludes from the determination of an individual’s income all

interest and dividend income earned on countable resources. Effective July

2004.

Permits the student earned income exclusion to apply to any individual under

age 22 who is a student. Therefore, students under age 22 who are married or

heads of households would be eligible for the exclusion. Effective April 2005.

Excludes from the determination of income any gift to an individual for use in

paying tuition or educational fees (just as grants, scholarships, and fellowships

for such use are currently excluded from the determination of income). Effective

June 2004.

2005

Public Law 109-64, 

enacted September 20

Amends the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 to specify that assistance

provided under a program for flood mitigation activities with respect to a property would not be considered income or a resource of the owner of the property

when determining eligibility for or benefit levels under any income assistance or

resource-tested program (including SSI) that is funded in whole or in part by a

Federal agency or by appropriated Federal funds.

2006

Public-Law 109-432, 

enacted December 20

Extends the present law that allows combat pay to be considered for EITC purposes for one additional year (for taxable years ending before January 1, 2008).

For SSI purposes, EITC payments are excluded from income and are not a

countable resource for 9 calendar months following the month of receipt.

2008

Public Law 110-185, 

enacted February 13

A rebate payment received under the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 and any

other credit or refund under section 6428 of the Internal Revenue Code would

not be taken into account as income for purposes of SSI.

Public Law 110-245, 

enacted June 17

Privatized military housing allowances withdrawn directly from a service member’s pay by military payroll and paid to the landlord will be considered in-kind

income, and the SSI benefit reduction attributable to the housing allowance will

be capped at one-third of the FBR. In other cases, housing allowances will be

considered earned income.

Excludes any cash or in-kind benefits provided under an AmeriCorps program

from income consideration. Effective for benefits payable for months beginning

60 days after enactment. 
2014 SSI Annual Report 73

 Resources

Act

Excludes annuity payments paid by a State to a person or his or her spouse

because the State has determined the person is a veteran and blind, disabled, or

aged.

2009

Public Law 111-5, 

enacted February 17 

A one-time economic recovery payment of $250 to SSI recipients will not be

taken into account as income for purposes of SSI.

The Making Work Pay tax credit, which provides a tax credit in the form of

decreased withholding by employers, will not be counted as income.

A one-time payment of $15,000 for eligible Filipino veterans who are citizens

of the United States and $9,000 for eligible veterans who are noncitizens will

not be taken into account as income for SSI purposes.

2010

Public Law 111-148, 

enacted March 23

Excludes incentives an SSI recipient with Medicaid receives for participating in

an “Incentives for Prevention of Chronic Diseases in Medicaid” program from

consideration as income.

Public Law 111-255, 

enacted October 5

Excludes the first $2,000 received during a calendar year by an SSI recipient or

spouse as compensation for participation in a clinical trial for rare diseases or

conditions from consideration as income. The exclusion is effective for a 

5-year period from date of enactment.

Public Law 111-291, 

enacted December 8

Excludes any settlement payments to American Indians under the Claims Resettlement Act of 2010 from consideration as income.

Public Law 111-312, 

enacted December 17

Excludes Federal tax refunds and advance payment of refundable tax credits

received after December 31, 2009 but before January 1, 2013 from consideration as income.

2013

Public Law 112-240, 

enacted January 2

Makes permanent the exclusion from income of all refundable Federal advanced

tax credits.

6. Resources

1972

Public Law 92-603, 

enacted October 30

Countable resources limited to $1,500 or less for an individual and to $2,250 or

less for a couple.

1984

Public Law 98-369, 

enacted July 18

Limit on countable resources raised by $100 a year for individuals and $150 a

year for couples beginning in calendar year 1985 through 1989. The respective

limits would become $2,000 for an individual and $3,000 for a couple in 1989

and thereafter.

1999

Public Law 106-169, 

enacted December 14

Includes generally in the countable resources of an individual the assets of a

trust that could be used for the benefit of the individual or spouse.

a. General Exclusions

1972

Public Law 92-603, 

enacted October 30

A home of reasonable value—established by regulation as not exceeding a fairmarket value of $25,000 ($35,000 in Alaska and Hawaii).
History of Provisions 

74 2014 SSI Annual Report

Act

Personal effects and household goods of reasonable value—established by regulation as not exceeding a total market value of $1,500.

An automobile of reasonable value—established by regulation as not exceeding

a market value of $1,200.

An automobile may be excluded, regardless of value, if the individual’s household uses it for employment or medical treatment or if it is modified to be operated by or for transportation of a person with a disability.

Life insurance with face value of $1,500 or less.

1976

Public Law 94-569, 

enacted October 20

The recipient’s home, regardless of value, is excluded from consideration in

determining resources.

1977

Public Law 95-171, 

enacted November 12

Assistance received under the Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act of

1974 for 9 months following receipt.

1979 Reasonable value for an automobile increased by regulation to $4,500 of current-market value; personal goods and household effects increased to $2,000 of

equity value.

1982

Public Law 97-248, 

enacted September 3

The value, within prescribed limits, of a burial space for the recipient, spouse,

and immediate family is excluded. In addition, $1,500 each (less the value of

already excluded life insurance and any amount in an irrevocable burial arrangement) may be set aside for the burial of the recipient and spouse.

1984

Public Law 98-369, 

enacted July 18

The unspent portion of any retroactive OASDI or SSI payment is excluded for

6 months following its receipt, and the individual must be given written notice

of the time limit on the exclusion.

1985 Regulations permit exclusion, regardless of value, of an automobile needed for

essential transportation or modified for a person with a disability. The $4,500

current market value limit applies only if no automobile could be excluded

based on the nature of its use.

1987

Public Law 100-203, 

enacted December 22

Provides for suspension of the 1980 transfer of assets provision in any month

that it is determined that undue hardship would result.

Real property that cannot be sold for the following reasons: it is jointly owned;

its sale would cause the other owner(s) undue hardship due to loss of housing;

its sale is barred by a legal impediment; or the owner’s reasonable efforts to sell

have been unsuccessful.

Temporarily extends the 1984 exclusion of retroactive OASDI and SSI benefits

from 6 months to 9 months (the longer exclusion applies to benefits paid in fiscal years 1988 and 1989).

1988

Public Law 100-707, 

enacted November 23

Removes the time limit for exclusion of disaster assistance.
2014 SSI Annual Report 75

 Resources

Act

2004

Public Law 108-203, 

enacted March 2

Increases to 9 months and makes uniform the time period for excluding from

resources amounts attributable to payments of past-due Social Security and SSI

benefits and earned income and child tax credits. Effective for such payments

received on or after the date of enactment.

2005 Regulations permit exclusion, regardless of value, of:

 • One automobile if used for transportation for the recipient or a member of

the recipient’s household; and

 • Personal goods and household effects.

b. Special Exclusions

1972

Public Law 92-603, 

enacted October 30

Assets of a blind or disabled individual that are necessary to an approved plan of

self-support.

Tools and other property essential to self-support, within reasonable limits.

Shares of nonnegotiable stock in regional or village corporations held by natives

of Alaska.

For persons transferred from State programs to SSI, resource exclusions equal

to the maximum amount permitted as of October 1972 under the State program.

1988

Public Law 100-383, 

enacted August 10

Restitution payments made to Japanese internees and relocated Aleutians.

1989

Public Law 101-239, 

enacted December 19

Specifies that no limitation can be placed on property essential to self-support

used in a trade or business or by an individual as an employee (including the

tools of a tradesperson and the machinery and livestock of a farmer).

Payments from the Agent Orange Settlement.

1990

Public Law 101-508, 

enacted November 5

EITC excluded for the month following the month the credit is received.

Payments received from a State-administered fund established to aid victims of

crime excluded for a 9-month period. Individual not required to file for such

benefits.

Payments received as State or local government relocation assistance

excluded for a 9-month period. The provision expired 3 years after its effective

date.

Payments received under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act.

1993

Public Law 103-66, 

enacted August 10

Makes permanent the 9-month exclusion of payments received as State or local

government relocation assistance.

1994

Public Law 103-286, 

enacted August 1

Payments to victims of Nazi persecution.
History of Provisions 

76 2014 SSI Annual Report

Act

1996

Public Law 104-193, 

enacted August 22

Dedicated financial institution accounts required to be established for large pastdue benefits for disabled individuals under age 18 with a representative payee.

1998

Public Law 105-285, 

enacted October 27

Funds made available to an SSI recipient by a State or local government or a

nonprofit organization as part of the Individual Development Account demonstration project.

Public Law 105-306, 

enacted October 28

In-kind gifts to children with life-threatening conditions by tax-exempt organizations not converted to cash.

The first $2,000 annually of cash gifts by tax-exempt organizations to, or for the

benefit of, individuals under age 18 with life-threatening conditions.

Public Law 105-369, 

enacted November 12

Payments made under the Ricky Ray Hemophilia Relief Fund Act of 1998.

2000

Public Law 106-554, 

enacted December 21

Funds deposited by an individual in an Individual Development Account and

the interest on those funds.

2001

Public Law 107-16, 

enacted June 7

The refundable child tax credit in the month of receipt and in the following

month.

2004

Public Law 108-203, 

enacted March 2

Excludes grants, scholarships, fellowships, or gifts to be used for tuition or educational fees from an individual’s countable resources for 9 months after the

month of receipt.

2005

Public Law 109-64, 

enacted September 20

Amends the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 to specify that assistance

provided under a program for flood mitigation activities with respect to a property would not be considered income or a resource for SSI purposes.

2008

Public Law 110-185, 

enacted February 13

A rebate payment received under the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 and any

other credit or refund under section 6428 of the Internal Revenue Code would

not be included as a resource during the month of receipt or the following

2 months.

Public Law 110-245, 

enacted June 17

Excludes State-provided pensions for aged, blind, or disabled veterans (or their

spouses) from resources consideration. Effective for benefits payable for

months beginning 60 days after enactment.

2009

Public Law 111-5, 

enacted February 17

A one-time economic recovery payment of $250 to SSI recipients will not be

taken into account as a resource for the month of receipt and the following

9 months.

The Making Work Pay tax credit, which provides a tax credit in the form of

decreased withholding by employers, will not be taken into account as a

resource for the month of receipt and the following 2 months.

A one-time payment of $15,000 for eligible Filipino veterans who are citizens

of the United States and $9,000 for eligible veterans who are noncitizens will
2014 SSI Annual Report 77

 Presumptive and Emergency Payments and Interim Assistance Reimbursement

Act

not be taken into account as a resource for SSI purposes, although interest

earned on any such payment may be considered a resource.

2010

Public Law 111-148, 

enacted March 23

Excludes incentives an SSI recipient with Medicaid receives for participating in

an “Incentives for Prevention of Chronic Diseases in Medicaid” program from

consideration as a resource.

Public Law 111-255, 

enacted October 5

Excludes the first $2,000 received during a calendar year by an SSI recipient or

spouse as compensation for participation in a clinical trial for rare diseases or

conditions from consideration as a resource. The exclusion is effective for a 

5-year period from date of enactment.

Public Law 111-291, 

enacted December 8

Excludes any settlement payments to American Indians under the Claims Resettlement Act of 2010 from consideration as a resource for a period of 12 months

from receipt.

Public Law 111-312, 

enacted December 17

Excludes Federal tax refunds and advance payment of refundable tax credits

received after December 31, 2009 but before January 1, 2013 from consideration as a resource for a period of 12 months from receipt.

2013

Public Law 112-240, 

enacted January 2

Makes permanent the 12-month resource exclusion of all refundable Federal

advanced tax credits.

c. Transfer-of-Resources Penalties

1980

Public Law 96-611, 

enacted December 28

Assets transferred for less than fair market value for the purpose of establishing

eligibility for benefits under the Social Security Act are counted as resources for

24 months after transfer.

1988

Public Law 100-360, 

enacted July 1

Removes the transfer-of-assets penalty for transfers made July 1, 1988 or later.

1999

Public Law 106-169, 

enacted December 14

Provides a penalty under the SSI program for the disposal of resources at less

than fair market value. The penalty is a loss of benefits for up to 36 months.

Also provides a formula to determine the number of months.

7. Presumptive and Emergency Payments and Interim Assistance 

Reimbursement

a. Presumptive Payments

1972

Public Law 92-603, 

enacted October 30

A person applying on the basis of disability who meets all other criteria of eligibility and is likely to be disabled may receive payments for 3 months pending

the disability determination.

1976

Public Law 94-569, 

enacted October 20

Presumptive payment provision was extended to persons applying on the basis

of blindness.
History of Provisions 

78 2014 SSI Annual Report

Act

1990

Public Law 101-508, 

enacted November 5

Extends the period for receipt of payments to 6 months.

b. Emergency Advance Payments

1972

Public Law 92-603, 

enacted October 30

Any applicant who can be presumed to meet the criteria of eligibility, but has

not yet been determined eligible and who is faced with a financial emergency

may receive an immediate cash advance of up to $100.

1987

Public Law 100-203, 

enacted December 22

Increases the maximum emergency advance payment amount to the maximum

amount of the regular monthly FBR plus, if any, the federally administered State

supplementation payment.

1996

Public Law 104-193, 

enacted August 22

Applicants who have a financial emergency may receive an emergency advance

payment in the month of application, which, effective with this law, is always

prior to the first month of eligibility. These advance payments are recouped by

proportional reductions in the recipient’s first 6 months of SSI benefits.

c. Interim Assistance Reimbursement

1974

Public Law 93-368, 

enacted August 7

SSA may enter into agreements with the States to repay them directly for assistance payments made to an SSI applicant while his or her claim is being adjudicated. The repayment is made from the first check due to the individual. This

legislation expires June 30, 1976.

1976

Public Law 94-365, 

enacted July 14

The authority to repay the State for interim assistance is made permanent.

1987

Public Law 100-203, 

enacted December 22

Extends interim assistance reimbursement to situations in which payments are

made by States or political subdivisions to persons whose SSI payments were

suspended or terminated and who subsequently are found to be eligible for such

benefits. Also clarifies that the payment from which the interim assistance reimbursement is paid must be the first payment of benefits relating to the interim

period.

8. Medicaid Eligibility

1972

Public Law 92-603, 

enacted October 30

States can provide Medicaid coverage to all recipients of SSI payments. Alternatively, they can limit coverage by applying more restrictive criteria from the

State Medicaid plan in effect on January 1, 1972.

States can accept SSA determination of eligibility or make their own determination.

1976

Public Law 94-566, 

enacted October 20

Preserves the Medicaid eligibility of recipients who become ineligible for cash

SSI payments due to the cost-of-living increases in Social Security benefits.
2014 SSI Annual Report 79

 Medicaid Eligibility

Act

1980

Public Law 96-265, 

enacted June 9

Blind or disabled recipients under age 65 no longer eligible for either regular or

special SSI payments because of their earnings may retain special SSI recipient

status for Medicaid eligibility purposes under the following conditions: (1) they

continue to have the disabling impairment; (2) they meet all nondisability eligibility criteria except for earned income; (3) they would be seriously inhibited

from continuing employment without Medicaid services; and (4) their earnings

are insufficient to provide a reasonable equivalent of SSI payments and

Medicaid.

In States that do not provide Medicaid coverage categorically to all SSI recipients, qualification for Medicaid benefits depends on the State’s specific eligibility and program requirements.

The Medicaid provision of the 1980 legislation was in effect from January 1,

1981 through December 31, 1983. Under a 1-year demonstration project beginning January 1, 1984, this provision was continued for persons already eligible

for regular or special SSI payments or for retention of Medicaid eligibility.

1984

Public Law 98-460, 

enacted October 9

Medicaid provision of 1980 legislation extended through June 30, 1987 (retroactive to January 1, 1984).

1986

Public Law 99-272, 

enacted April 7

Restores Medicaid eligibility for some disabled widow(er)s who became ineligible for SSI when their OASDI benefits increased in 1984 because of a change in

the Social Security disabled widow(er)s benefits reduction factor.

Public Law 99-643, 

enacted November 10

The SSI recipient status for Medicaid eligibility provision of the 1980 amendments is made permanent.

Effective July 1, 1987, certain expenses are excluded from earnings when determining sufficiency of earnings to establish SSI recipient status eligibility for

Medicaid purposes:

 • Impairment-related work expenses of disabled persons;

 • Work expenses of blind persons;

 • Income required for achieving an approved self-support plan; and

 • The value of publicly funded attendant care services.

Effective July 1, 1987, preserves the Medicaid eligibility of recipients who

become ineligible for SSI payments because of entitlement to, or an increase in,

Social Security disabled adult child benefits on or after the effective date.

Effective July 1, 1987, requires all States to provide Medicaid coverage for

recipients in special SSI status (either receiving special SSI payments or in the

special recipient status described for 1980) if they received Medicaid coverage

the month before special SSI status.

1987

Public Law 100-203, 

enacted December 22

Effective July 1, 1988, restores or preserves the Medicaid eligibility of persons

aged 60 or older who are eligible for Social Security benefits as widows or widowers (but not eligible for Medicare) and who become ineligible for SSI payments or State supplementation because of the receipt of Old-Age or Survivors

Insurance benefits under Social Security.
History of Provisions 

80 2014 SSI Annual Report

Act

1990

Public Law 101-508, 

enacted November 5

Age limit for retention of SSI recipient status for Medicaid eligibility purposes

(1980 and subsequent work incentive provisions, above) is eliminated.

Preserves the Medicaid eligibility of SSI recipients who become ineligible for

payments when they become entitled to Social Security disabled widow(er)s

benefits following the revised definition used for their disability.

1997

Public Law 105-33, 

enacted August 5

Requires States to continue Medicaid coverage for disabled children who were

receiving SSI payments as of August 22, 1996 and would have continued to be

eligible for such payments except that their eligibility terminated because they

did not meet the revised SSI childhood disability standard established under

Public Law 104-193.

2006

Public Law 109-171, 

enacted February 8

Begins Medicaid coverage for children who are eligible for SSI effective the

month the SSI application is filed or the first month of SSI eligibility, whichever

is later. (Under prior law, Medicaid eligibility for such children began the month

following the month of the SSI application or first eligibility.)

9. State Supplementation

1972

Public Law 92-603, 

enacted October 30

States are given the option of providing supplementary payments both to recipients transferred from the State program and to those newly eligible for SSI.

States may either administer the payments themselves or have SSA make payments on their behalf. When State supplementation is federally administered,

SSA makes eligibility and payment determinations for the State and assumes

administrative costs.

“Hold harmless” protection, which limits a State’s fiscal liability to its share of

Old-Age Assistance, Aid to the Blind, and Aid to the Permanently and Totally

Disabled expenditures for calendar year 1972, is provided to States electing

Federal administration of their supplementary plans. This provision applies only

to supplementary payments that do not, on average, exceed a State’s “adjusted

payment level.” (The adjusted payment level is the average of the payments that

individuals with no other income received in January 1972; it may include the

bonus value of food stamps. Adjustments are provided for payments that had

been below State standards.)

1973

Public Law 93-66, 

enacted July 9

Provides for mandatory State supplementation as assurance against reduction of

income for persons who received State assistance in December 1973 and were

transferred to SSI. These supplementary payments must equal the difference

between: (1) the amount of the State assistance payment that the individual

received in December 1973 plus other income; and (2) his or her Federal SSI

payment plus other income.

1976

Public Law 94-585, 

enacted October 21

After June 30, 1977, when the Federal SSI payment level is increased by a costof-living increase, such an increase will be excluded in calculating the “hold

harmless” amount.
2014 SSI Annual Report 81

 Overpayment Recovery

Act

Requires States to maintain State supplementation payments at the level of

December 1976 (“maintenance of payments”) or to continue to pay in supplements the same total annual amounts (“maintenance of expenditures”) when the

Federal SSI payment level is increased and thereby pass through any increases

in Federal benefits without reducing State supplements.

1982

Public Law 97-248, 

enacted September 3

Begins a 3-year phase out of “hold harmless” protection. Effective with fiscal

year 1985, Wisconsin and Hawaii (the only remaining “hold harmless” States)

assumed the full cost of their supplementary payments.

1983

Public Law 98-21, 

enacted April 20

Federal pass-through law is adjusted: (1) by substituting the State supplementation payment levels in effect in March 1983 for those in effect in December

1976 as the levels that States must maintain in complying with the pass-through

requirements; and (2) with regard to the $20 (individual) and $30 (couple)

increase in the Federal SSI standard in July 1983, by requiring States to pass

through only as much as would have been required if the SSI cost-of-living

adjustment had been made in July 1983.

1987

Public Law 100-203, 

enacted December 22

Provides for Federal administration of State supplements to residents of medical

institutions.

Provides for required pass through of $5 increase in Federal rate for persons

whose care in institutions is paid in substantial part by Medicaid.

1993

Public Law 103-66, 

enacted August 10

Requires States to pay fees for Federal administration of their State supplementation payments. The fees are $1.67 for each monthly supplementary payment in

fiscal year 1994, $3.33 in fiscal year 1995, and $5.00 in fiscal year 1996. Fees

for subsequent fiscal years will be $5.00 or another amount determined by the

Commissioner to be appropriate. The Commissioner may charge the States

additional fees for services they request that are beyond the level customarily

provided in administering State supplementation payments.

1997

Public Law 105-33, 

enacted August 5

Revises the schedule of per-payment fees for Federal administration of State

supplementation for fiscal years 1998 ($6.20) through 2002 ($8.50) and provides a formula for determining the fee beyond fiscal year 2002.

1999

Public Law 106-170, 

enacted December 17

A State that has an agreement with SSA to administer its supplementation payments must remit both payments and fees prior to the SSI payment date.

2000

Public Law 106-554, 

enacted December 21

Changes the effective date of above provision from 2009 to 2001.

10. Overpayment Recovery

1984

Public Law 98-369, 

enacted July 18

Limits the rate of recovering overpayments from monthly payments to the lesser

of: (1) the monthly payment; or (2) 10 percent of a recipient’s monthly income.

Permits a higher or lower adjustment at the request of the recipient subject to the

agreement of the Commissioner. The limit does not apply if fraud, willful mis-
History of Provisions 

82 2014 SSI Annual Report

Act

representation, or concealment of material information was involved on the part

of the recipient or spouse in connection with the overpayment.

Waives recovery of certain overpayments due to amount of excess resources of

$50 or less.

Provides authority for the recovery of overpayments from tax refunds.

1998

Public Law 105-306, 

enacted October 28

Authorizes SSA to collect SSI overpayments for individuals not currently eligible for SSI cash benefits by offsetting OASDI benefits, with a maximum

monthly offset of no more than 10 percent of the Social Security benefit. The

limit does not apply if fraud, willful misrepresentation, or concealment of material information was involved on the part of the recipient or spouse in connection with the overpayment.

1999

Public Law 106-169, 

enacted December 14

Makes a representative payee liable for an SSI overpayment caused by a payment made to the representative payee on behalf of a recipient after the recipient’s death and requires SSA to establish an overpayment control record under

the representative payee’s Social Security number. 

Requires SSA to recover SSI overpayments from SSI lump-sum amounts by

withholding at least 50 percent of the lump-sum payment or the amount of the

overpayment, whichever is less.

Extends all of the debt collection authorities currently available for the collection of overpayments under the OASDI program to the SSI program.

2004

Public Law 108-203, 

enacted March 2

Provides for recovery of overpayment of SSI benefits by withholding from

OASDI and Special Veterans Benefits up to 100 percent of any underpayment

of benefits and 10 percent of ongoing monthly benefits. The 10 percent limit

does not apply if fraud, willful misrepresentation, or concealment of material

information was involved on the part of the recipient or spouse in connection

with the overpayment.

Also provides for recovery of overpayment of OASDI or Special Veterans Benefits by withholding from SSI up to 100 percent of any underpayment of benefits but limits any recovery from SSI benefits to the lesser of 100 percent of the

monthly benefit or 10 percent of the individual’s total monthly income.

Effective with respect to overpayments that are outstanding at the time of enactment.

11. Fees for Attorneys and Non-Attorney Representatives

2004

Public Law 108-203, 

enacted March 2

Extends the current OASDI attorney fee withholding process to SSI for a period

of 5 years. Also extends OASDI and SSI fee withholding provisions to qualified

non-attorneys effective with the implementation of the 5-year demonstration

project mentioned below. 

Authorizes a 5-year demonstration project that extends attorney fee withholding

and direct pay procedures to qualified non-attorney representatives.
2014 SSI Annual Report 83

 Fees for Attorneys and Non-Attorney Representatives

Act

2010

Public Law 111-142, 

enacted February 27

Permanently extends the OASDI fee withholding and direct pay procedures to

attorney and qualified non-attorney representatives of SSI recipients. The prior

authority expired February 28, 2010.
Income and Resource Exclusions 

84 2014 SSI Annual Report

B. INCOME AND RESOURCE EXCLUSIONS

1. Earned Income Exclusions

 • Any refund of Federal income taxes received under section 32 of the Internal Revenue Code (relating

to earned income tax credit (EITC)) and any payment received under section 3507 of the Internal

Revenue Code (relating to advance payment of EITC);

 • Amounts received pursuant to the Making Work Pay tax credit set forth in the American Recovery

and Reinvestment Act of 2009;

 • Any refundable child tax credit;

 • The first $30 of earned income in a quarter if it is infrequent or irregular, that is: (1) if it is received

only once in a calendar quarter from a single source and is not also received in the month immediately

preceding or the month immediately following the month of receipt regardless of whether or not these

payments occur in different calendar quarters; or (2) if its receipt cannot reasonably be expected;

 • Up to $1,7501 per month but not more than $7,060 in a calendar year received by a blind or disabled

recipient who is a working student under age 22 and regularly attending school;

 • Any portion of the monthly $20 exclusion that we did not exclude from unearned income;

 • $65 of earned income in a month;

 • Amounts used to pay impairment-related work expenses if a recipient is disabled (but not blind) and

under age 65 or is disabled (but not blind) and receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) (or disability payments under a former State plan) before age 65;2

 • One-half of remaining earned income in a month;

 • Earned income used to meet any expenses reasonably attributable to the earning of the income if the

recipient is blind and under age 65 or if he or she received SSI as a blind person prior to age 65;2

 • Any earned income received and used to fulfill an approved plan to achieve self-support if the recipient is blind or disabled and under age 65 or is blind or disabled and received SSI as a blind or disabled

individual in the month before he or she attained age 65; 

 • Cash or in-kind income provided under an AmeriCorps program;

 • Any earned income deposited into either a Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or

“Assets for Independence Act” Individual Development Account (IDA); and

 • Many Federal laws in addition to the Social Security Act provide for the exclusion of earned income

for SSI purposes. For the most part, the income received under these laws relates to assistance

received in the form of food, housing and utilities, educational and employment benefits, or benefits

derived from being a member of a Native American tribe. A complete list of laws that exclude earned

income under SSI can be found in the Federal Regulations Appendix to Subpart K 20 CFR 416.

1 Effective January 1, 2014 (78 FR 66413). Based on changes in the cost of living, the student earned income exclusion increases yearly. See table V.E1 for

the history of maximum monthly and calendar year exclusion amounts.

2 Amounts used to pay impairment-related work expenses are deducted before the one-half of earned income deduction, whereas amounts used to pay the

work expenses of the blind are deducted after the one-half of earned income deduction. As a result, amounts of blind work expenses reduce SSI earned

income to a greater degree than impairment-related work expenses.
2014 SSI Annual Report 85

Unearned Income Exclusions

2. Unearned Income Exclusions

 • Any public agency’s refund of taxes on real property or food;

 • Assistance based on need wholly funded by a State or one of its political subdivisions. This exclusion

includes State supplementation of Federal SSI benefits but does not include payments under a Federal/State grant program such as TANF;

 • Any portion of a grant, scholarship, fellowship, or gift to an individual used for paying tuition, fees,

or other necessary educational expenses;1

 • Food raised by a household if it is consumed by that household;

 • Assistance received under the Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act and assistance provided

under any Federal statute because of a catastrophe that the President of the United States declares to

be a major disaster;

 • Assistance received under a program for flood mitigation activities;

 • The first $60 of unearned income in a quarter if it is infrequent or irregular, that is: (1) if it is received

only once in a calendar quarter from a single source and is not also received in the month immediately

preceding or the month immediately following the month of receipt regardless of whether or not these

payments occur in different calendar quarters; or (2) if its receipt cannot reasonably be expected;

 • Any unearned income received and used to fulfill an approved plan to achieve self-support if the

recipient is blind or disabled and under age 65, or if the recipient is blind or disabled and received SSI

as a blind or disabled individual in the month before he or she attained age 65;

 • Periodic payments made by a State under a program established before July 1, 1973 and based solely

on the recipient’s length of residence and attainment of age 65;

 • Payments for providing foster care to an ineligible child placed in the recipient’s home by a public or

private nonprofit child placement or child care agency;

 • Any interest earned on excluded burial funds and any appreciation in the value of an excluded burial

arrangement left to accumulate and become part of the separately identifiable burial fund;

 • Certain support and maintenance assistance provided in the form of home energy assistance;

 • One-third of support payments made by an absent parent if the recipient is a child;

 • The first $20 of unearned income in a month other than income in the form of in-kind support and

maintenance received in the household of another and income based on need;

 • The value of any assistance paid with respect to a dwelling unit under the United States Housing Act

of 1937, the National Housing Act, section 101 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1965,

title V of the Housing Act of 1949, or section 202(h) of the Housing Act of 1959;

 • Any interest accrued on and left to accumulate as part of the value of an excluded burial space purchase agreement (effective April 1, 1990) and any interest earned on the value of nonexcludable

burial funds and burial space purchase agreements is excluded from income (effective July 1, 2004);

1 Funds used for food or shelter are not exclusions.
Income and Resource Exclusions 

86 2014 SSI Annual Report

 • The value of any commercial transportation ticket for travel by a recipient or his or her spouse among

the 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and

the Northern Mariana Islands that is received as a gift and is not converted to cash;

 • Payments received from a fund established by a State to aid victims of crime;

 • State-provided pensions to aged, blind, or disabled veterans (or their spouses);

 • Relocation assistance provided by a State or local government that is comparable to assistance provided under title II of the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act

of 1970;

 • Hostile fire pay received from one of the uniformed services pursuant to 37 U.S.C. 310 and other

kinds of additional pay received by military personnel in a combat zone;

 • Interest or other earnings on a dedicated account excluded from resources;

 • In-kind gifts not converted to cash and the first $2,000 annually of cash gifts made by tax-exempt

organizations, such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation, to, or for the benefit of, individuals under

age 18 with life-threatening conditions;

 • Payments made under the Ricky Ray Hemophilia Relief Fund Act of 1998;

 • Up to $2,000 per calendar year in compensation for participating in clinical trials researching treatment of rare diseases and conditions;1

 • TANF funds made available to an SSI recipient as part of an IDA;

 • Amounts received from the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund set forth in the American

Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009;

 • Amounts received by Medicaid recipients from the “Incentives for Prevention of Chronic Diseases in

Medicaid” program established by the Affordable Care Act of 2010;

 • Payments to Indian landowners made in accordance with the Cobell v. Salazar, et al. lawsuit settlement as ratified by the Claims Resettlement Act of 2010;

 • Refundable tax credits (or advance payment of such credits);

 • Deposits made by a participating individual or a sponsoring nonprofit organization or State or local

government into an IDA under the Assets for Independence Act IDA demonstration project and interest earned on these deposits; 

 • Unearned income excluded by other Federal laws. See Federal Regulations Appendix to Subpart K

20 CFR 416; and

 • Generally, all interest and dividend income earned on countable resources.

1 This unearned income exclusion was authorized by the Improving Access to Clinical Trials Act of 2010. The exclusion sunsets 5 years after the date of

enactment (in October 2015).
2014 SSI Annual Report 87

Resource Exclusions

3. Resource Exclusions

 • The home in which an individual has ownership interest and that serves as the individual’s principal

place of residence (including the land appertaining thereto);

 • Household goods and personal effects;

 • One automobile if used for transportation for the recipient or a member of the recipient’s household;

 • Property used in a trade or business that is essential to self-support;

 • Up to $6,000 of nonbusiness property that is essential to self-support;

 • Resources of a blind or disabled individual that are necessary to fulfill an approved plan to achieve

self-support;

 • Stock in regional or village corporations held by natives of Alaska during the 20-year period in which

the stock is inalienable pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act;

 • Life insurance owned by an individual (and spouse, if any) provided that all life insurance on any person does not exceed a face value of $1,500;

 • Restricted allotted Indian lands;

 • Disaster relief assistance;

 • Assistance received under a program for flood mitigation activities;

 • Burial spaces and certain funds up to $1,500 for burial expenses;

 • SSI or Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance retroactive payments for 9 months following the

month of receipt;

 • The value of any assistance paid with respect to a dwelling unit under the United States Housing Act

of 1937, the National Housing Act, section 101 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1965,

title V of the Housing Act of 1949, or section 202(h) of the Housing Act of 1959;

 • Refunds of Federal income taxes and advances made by an employer relating to an EITC for

12 months following the month of receipt;1

 • One-time economic recovery payment received under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

of 2009, for the month of receipt and the following 9 months;

 • Amounts received pursuant to the Making Work Pay tax credit set forth in the American Recovery

and Reinvestment Act of 2009 for the month of receipt and the following 12 months;2

 • Amounts received from the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund set forth in the American

Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009;

 • Refundable child tax credit for 12 months following the month of receipt;

1 Lawmakers extended the exclusion period from 9 to 12 months by the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of

2010, for refunds or credits received between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2012. The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (P.L. 112-240) made the

12-month exclusion permanent.

2 Lawmakers extended the exclusion period from 2 to 12 months by the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of

2010, for refunds or credits received between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2012.
Income and Resource Exclusions 

88 2014 SSI Annual Report

 • Refundable tax credits or advance payment of such credits for 12 months following the month of

receipt;1

 • Grants, scholarships, fellowships or gifts to be used for tuition or educational fees for 9 months following the month of receipt;

 • Payments received as compensation for replacement or repair of losses, damages, or theft for

9 months following the month of receipt;

 • Relocation assistance from a State or local government for 9 months following the month of receipt;

 • Payments made from State-provided pensions to aged, blind, or disabled veterans or their spouses;

 • Dedicated financial institution accounts for disabled children;

 • In-kind gifts not converted to cash and the first $2,000 annually of cash gifts made by tax-exempt

organizations, such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation, to, or for the benefit of, individuals under

age 18 with life-threatening conditions;

 • Up to $2,000 per calendar year in compensation for participating in clinical trials researching treatment of rare diseases and conditions;

 • Amounts received by Medicaid recipients from the “Incentives for Prevention of Chronic Diseases in

Medicaid” program established by the Affordable Care Act of 2010;

 • Payments to Indian landowners made in accordance with the Cobell et al. v. Salazar et al. lawsuit settlement, as ratified by the Claims Resettlement Act of 2010 (for 12 months following the month of

receipt);

 • Payments made under the Ricky Ray Hemophilia Relief Fund Act of 1998;

 • Amounts deposited into either a TANF or Assets for Independence Act IDA, including matching

funds and interest earned on such amounts;

 • Certain trusts (e.g., those established by will or certain Medicaid trusts that will repay the State, upon

the death of the recipient, for the costs of medical assistance provided to that individual); and

 • Payments or benefits provided under a Federal statute other than title XVI of the Social Security Act

where exclusion is provided by such statute.

1 Prior to the enactment of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (P.L. 112-240) on January 2, 2013, this resource exclusion applied to such tax credits

received between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2012. P.L. 112-240 made the 12-month resource exclusion permanent.
2014 SSI Annual Report 89

Historical Allowance Data

C. HISTORICAL ALLOWANCE DATA

At the end of 2013, 86 percent of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients were receiving benefits

based on disability or blindness. Individuals file claims at a local Social Security office, and we send

claims requiring an evaluation of disability to the State disability determination services (DDS) for a disability decision. Applicants may appeal unfavorable initial DDS decisions. Historically, the State DDS

conducted the first level of appeal—the reconsideration appeal step. Claimants denied at the reconsideration level could then request a hearing before an administrative law judge (ALJ) and if dissatisfied with

the hearing decision could request a review by the Appeals Council. Those dissatisfied with the Appeals

Council’s action could seek further relief through the Federal court system. This appeals process is still in

effect for the majority of new applicants.1 However, since the mid-1990s the Social Security

Administration (SSA) has conducted small pilots testing revisions to this process and introduced a modification of this process that 10 States use for applications filed on or after October 1, 1999. The revised process eliminates the reconsideration step, so the first level of appeal of an initial determination is a request

for hearing before an ALJ.

This process of application and appeal can span several years. However, before 1993, the only data available on the disability determination process resided in files compiled at each separate stage of the process

and only captured various point-in-time snapshots. Only a longitudinal database of administrative records

at all stages of appeal can provide a complete picture of the disability determination process. Beginning in

1993, SSA’s Office of Disability Programs constructed such a longitudinal database, the “Disability

Research File,” to assist our agency in understanding and managing this process. However, we did

encounter some problems in the construction of this database due to inconsistencies in the data collected

from all the respective levels of appeal. The following sections present some additional details and qualifications essential to a complete understanding of the resulting data. Following these technical notes, tables

V.C1 and V.C2 present the latest available summary of results on disability determinations under title XVI.

1. Technical Notes on the Disability Research File

Methods used to build the title XVI Disability Research File—The “base” file for the title XVI research

file is the Supplemental Security Record, the main computerized file for administering the SSI program.

We match the “base” file against records from various other administrative sources, including transactions

from the disability determination (SSA-831) files, Social Security number identification records and earnings data, and Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR) appeals data. 

Creating the Disability Research file is a cumbersome process; it involves about 200 steps and generally

requires 2 to 4 months to complete. The process is complex because we assemble the file based on filing

date cohorts, and many of the source files do not contain a filing date. The basic data sources provide

information for the 3 most recent calendar year cohorts. Older calendar year cohorts reflect updated activity since the last time we built the file. Since the process is so time consuming, we update the research file

only annually (usually beginning in July); research file data are not yet available for claims filed in 2013.

Methods used for estimating results (through January 2014) for claims filed in 2013—Although decision

counts are available for 2013 filers from many of the source files, those counts do not translate directly

1 SSA first implemented the Disability Service Improvement (DSI) process in the Boston Region in August 2006 (for the SSI and Social Security Disability

Insurance programs). The DSI process eliminated reconsideration as the first level of appeal of an initial disability determination and introduced review by

the Office of the Federal Reviewing Official (OFedRO) in its place. By final rule published in the Federal Register (73 FR 2411), SSA suspended new claims

to the OFedRO level; this change was effective March 23, 2008 (73 FR 10381). For those initial disability appeals that had not been transferred to OFedRO

on or before the effective date, the procedure for the first level of appeal reverted to that which was in place prior to August 2006, (i.e., reconsideration). The

DSI regulations also modified administrative appeal of an ALJ’s decision or dismissal by: (1) setting requirements on the timeliness for submission of evidence for consideration by the ALJ; and (2) eliminating the Appeals Council as a separate appeals step. By final rule (76 FR 24802), we restored the Appeals

Council appeal step, although the other modifications concerning which evidence can be considered remain in effect in the Boston Region. 
Historical Allowance Data

90 2014 SSI Annual Report

into the claims/appeals counts in the following tables because we consolidate multiple transactions and

apply claims-based tolerance rules when we build the research file.

To prepare preliminary estimates of results through January 2014 for 2013 filers, we started from the latest

available transaction data, such as the SSA-831 data, and took into account recent years’ experience of the

relationship between corresponding earlier transaction data and the resulting claims/appeals data in completed research files. We estimate ODAR appeals activity from a file that tracks individual claimants,

rather than individual claims, which has resulted in a slight undercount of ODAR individual claims.

Recent revocation of the agency’s subsequent application (i.e., an application filed while an earlier claim

is pending at a review level) policy should largely eliminate the disparity between the number of claims

and claimants.

While we believe that these methods are reasonable, we emphasize that the resulting estimates may not be

completely reliable, especially because the estimates give results only through January 2014, whereas the

final research files will reflect information through June 2014. Actual data for 2013 will replace these estimates in the 2015 Annual Report.

2. General Considerations

Some general points that apply to tables V.C1 and V.C2 are as follows:

 • Data for 1988-2012 filers are as of June 2013 for decisions at the DDS level. Results for those years’

filers include results at the hearing and Appeals Council levels and Federal courts through July 2013.

 • Data for 2013 filers are preliminary estimates as of January 2014, and reflect larger numbers of claims

still pending. January 2014 data on number of appeals may be too low because larger numbers of

claimants are still within the period allowed for filing an appeal (i.e., larger numbers of recently

denied claimants who have not yet filed an appeal may appeal before the time limit runs out). 

 • Remaining appeals will affect the results. Since we usually decide allowances more quickly than

denials, we expect that the percent allowed will ultimately be lower when the processing of all cases

is complete. 

 • In certain pilot activities and under the revised process introduced October 1, 1999 in 10 States, individuals can appeal initial denials directly to ODAR without a separate reconsideration step. As a

result, the appeals of initial denials in these tables include cases that will not receive a decision at the

reconsideration level.

 • The tables do not show the cases appealed to the Office of the Federal Reviewing Official level under

the DSI process separately, but we included these cases in the reconsideration counts.

 • In reports issued in 2010 and earlier, we counted allowances at the highest adjudicative level a filer

reached. Beginning with data in the 2011 Annual Report for claims filed after 1999, we now count

allowances at the earliest adjudicative level of allowance. For claims filed prior to 2000, we continue

to count allowances at the highest adjudicative level reached.
2014 SSI Annual Report 91

Historical Allowance Data

Table V.C1.—Disabled Adult Claims: Disposition of Applications for SSI Disability Benefits by 

Year of Filing a and Level of Decision b

Calendar year

of filing 

Total

claims

filed

Initial decisions

Pending

Allowances Denials Appeals of initial denials

Number Percent c Number Percent c Number d Percent e

1988 946,603 — 272,204 28.8 674,399 71.2 265,151 39.3

1989 969,218 — 292,044 30.1 677,174 69.9 274,823 40.6

1990 1,099,805 — 347,823 31.6 751,982 68.4 320,207 42.6

1991 1,288,331 — 415,336 32.2 872,995 67.8 383,669 43.9

1992 1,415,624 — 436,888 30.9 978,736 69.1 433,244 44.3

1993 1,503,278 — 416,300 27.7 1,086,978 72.3 485,166 44.6

1994 1,436,958 — 353,995 24.6 1,082,963 75.4 482,533 44.6

1995 1,318,416 — 323,084 24.5 995,332 75.5 439,166 44.1

1996 1,247,926 — 305,351 24.5 942,575 75.5 406,425 43.1

1997 1,110,898 — 292,839 26.4 818,059 73.6 357,973 43.8

1998 1,108,957 — 322,734 29.1 786,223 70.9 339,288 43.2

1999 1,105,109 — 326,734 29.6 778,375 70.4 340,114 43.7

2000 1,139,623 — 347,024 30.5 792,599 69.5 338,664 42.7

2001 1,216,040 — 368,981 30.3 847,059 69.7 360,793 42.6

2002 1,322,451 — 374,373 28.3 948,078 71.7 405,333 42.8

2003 1,403,003 — 382,013 27.2 1,020,990 72.8 431,556 42.3

2004 1,475,149 — 387,857 26.3 1,087,292 73.7 434,305 39.9

2005 1,470,300 — 373,582 25.4 1,096,718 74.6 420,489 38.3

2006 1,499,551 — 367,973 24.5 1,131,578 75.5 428,268 37.8

2007 1,506,654 — 376,632 25.0 1,130,022 75.0 436,633 38.6

2008 1,602,444 — 418,258 26.1 1,184,186 73.9 487,369 41.2

2009 1,831,721 — 465,276 25.4 1,366,445 74.6 572,241 41.9

2010 1,881,418 — 450,337 23.9 1,431,081 76.1 612,080 42.8

2011 1,843,234 — 423,563 23.0 1,419,671 77.0 627,510 44.2

2012 1,795,017 23,713 403,987 22.8 1,367,317 77.2 598,060 43.7

2013 1,634,201 296,547 363,709 27.2 973,945 72.8 362,068 37.2

Calendar year

of filing 

Reconsiderationsf Appeals beyond reconsideration g

Pending

Allowances

Denials

Appeals of

reconsideration denials Allowances

Number Percent c Number h Percent e Pending i Number Percent j Denials k

1988 — 38,385 14.5 226,766 140,663 62.0 — 82,414 58.6 58,249

1989 — 43,505 15.8 231,318 146,082 63.2 — 90,169 61.7 55,913

1990 — 52,055 16.3 268,152 175,520 65.5 — 109,098 62.2 66,422

1991 — 59,157 15.4 324,512 221,816 68.4 — 139,698 63.0 82,118

1992 — 58,819 13.6 374,425 260,554 69.6 — 159,084 61.1 101,470

1993 — 57,938 11.9 427,228 294,801 69.0 — 170,402 57.8 124,399

1994 — 55,822 11.6 426,711 293,448 68.8 — 164,537 56.1 128,911

1995 — 51,697 11.8 387,469 264,270 68.2 — 143,582 54.3 120,688

1996 — 49,263 12.1 357,162 242,407 67.9 — 133,323 55.0 109,084

1997 — 47,573 13.4 306,561 213,969 69.8 — 121,619 55.8 96,189

1998 — 46,507 13.7 292,272 203,767 69.7 — 115,323 56.5 88,953

1999 — 40,375 12.5 283,475 199,371 70.3 — 117,431 54.5 98,204

2000 — 37,768 13.4 243,790 173,465 71.2 — 122,829 53.3 107,742

2001 — 37,388 13.2 246,613 174,286 70.7 — 133,018 53.0 118,060

2002 — 38,617 12.2 277,567 195,633 70.5 — 150,228 52.8 134,554

2003 — 39,086 11.5 300,283 210,263 70.0 43 159,464 52.7 142,943

2004 — 37,197 10.9 302,649 211,696 69.9 145 163,794 53.5 142,216

2005 — 34,753 10.6 293,829 205,932 70.1 331 163,172 54.8 134,336

2006 — 34,145 10.3 298,918 210,685 70.5 712 169,728 55.6 135,450

2007 — 35,893 10.6 304,060 215,543 70.9 2,381 170,298 55.0 139,544

2008 — 40,868 10.7 341,794 245,570 71.8 5,798 185,196 53.8 159,283

2009 — 43,507 9.7 406,284 295,671 72.8 14,129 200,533 49.6 203,459

2010 — 41,231 8.5 441,260 328,970 74.6 52,928 192,199 47.4 213,432

2011 — 41,623 8.4 452,384 339,484 75.0 168,613 142,879 46.9 161,495

2012 68,599 30,902 7.7 369,015 262,884 71.2 335,499 24,183 42.5 32,746

2013 88,759 17,110 9.0 172,272 105,158 61.0 185,149 1,650 41.9 2,286
Historical Allowance Data

92 2014 SSI Annual Report

Table V.C1.—Disabled Adult Claims: Disposition of Applications for SSI Disability Benefits by 

Year of Filinga and Level of Decisionb (Cont.)

Calendar year

of filing 

Selected summary case information by decision status: Numbers of cases

Total

claims

filed

Initial

decisions

pending

Total

initial

decisions Allowances

Denials

Appeal

decision

pending

No

appeal

pending

1988 946,603 — 946,603 393,003 — 553,600

1989 969,218 — 969,218 425,718 — 543,500

1990 1,099,805 — 1,099,805 508,976 — 590,829

1991 1,288,331 — 1,288,331 614,191 — 674,140

1992 1,415,624 — 1,415,624 654,791 — 760,833

1993 1,503,278 — 1,503,278 644,640 — 858,638

1994 1,436,958 — 1,436,958 574,354 — 862,604

1995 1,318,416 — 1,318,416 518,363 — 800,053

1996 1,247,926 — 1,247,926 487,937 — 759,989

1997 1,110,898 — 1,110,898 462,031 — 648,867

1998 1,108,957 — 1,108,957 484,564 — 624,393

1999 1,105,109 — 1,105,109 484,540 — 620,569

2000 1,139,623 — 1,139,623 507,621 — 632,002

2001 1,216,040 — 1,216,040 539,387 — 676,653

2002 1,322,451 — 1,322,451 563,218 — 759,233

2003 1,403,003 — 1,403,003 580,563 43 822,397

2004 1,475,149 — 1,475,149 588,848 145 886,156

2005 1,470,300 — 1,470,300 571,507 331 898,462

2006 1,499,551 — 1,499,551 571,846 712 926,993

2007 1,506,654 — 1,506,654 582,823 2,381 921,450

2008 1,602,444 — 1,602,444 644,322 5,798 952,324

2009 1,831,721 — 1,831,721 709,316 14,129 1,108,276

2010 1,881,418 — 1,881,418 683,767 52,928 1,144,723

2011 1,843,234 — 1,843,234 608,065 168,613 1,066,556

2012 1,795,017 23,713 1,771,304 459,072 404,098 908,134

2013 1,634,201 296,547 1,337,654 382,469 273,908 681,277
2014 SSI Annual Report 93

Historical Allowance Data

a Data for claims filed in 1988-2012 reflect results as of June 2013 at the DDS level and as of July 2013 at the ODAR level. The numbers of total claims

filed for 2010-2012 are subject to change. Data for claims filed in 2013 are preliminary estimates as of January 2014. The ultimate numbers of allowances

and denials are subject to change until all initial decisions have been completed and all appeals are final.

b For claims filed in 2000 or later, we count allowances at the earliest adjudicative level of allowance. We count allowances for claims filed prior to 2000 at

the highest adjudicative level reached.

c Percentage of decisions at this level

d Includes certain cases that can be appealed directly to the hearing level.

e Percentage of denials at this level appealed to next level.

f Includes cases reviewed by the Office of the Federal Reviewing Official (OFedRO) during the period August 2006 through November 2008 as part of the

DSI process.

g Includes cases appealed to the hearing and Appeals Council levels and cases appealed to the to the Federal courts.

h Number of persons appealing beyond the reconsideration level.

i Includes cases remanded to SSA from the Federal courts.

j Percentage of decisions at this level. For years in which decisions are still pending, the preliminary percentage shown is expected to ultimately be lower

as all cases are processed. This occurs because allowances are generally processed more quickly than denials.

k Includes denied claims where the final administrative action was a dismissal of an appeal request (e.g., the appeal was not filed timely or the applicant

failed to appear at the scheduled hearing).

l Less than 0.05 percent.

Table V.C1.—Disabled Adult Claims: Disposition of Applications for SSI Disability Benefits by 

Year of Filinga and Level of Decisionb (Cont.)

Calendar year

of filing 

Selected summary case information by decision status

Numbers as a percentage of total claims filed Numbers as a percentage of total initial decisions

Initial

decision

pending Allowances

Denials

Allowances

Denials

Appeal

decision

pending

No

appeal

pending

Appeal

decision

pending

No

appeal

pending

1988 — 41.5 — 58.5 41.5 — 58.5

1989 — 43.9 — 56.1 43.9 — 56.1

1990 — 46.3 — 53.7 46.3 — 53.7

1991 — 47.7 — 52.3 47.7 — 52.3

1992 — 46.3 — 53.7 46.3 — 53.7

1993 — 42.9 — 57.1 42.9 — 57.1

1994 — 40.0 — 60.0 40.0 — 60.0

1995 — 39.3 — 60.7 39.3 — 60.7

1996 — 39.1 — 60.9 39.1 — 60.9

1997 — 41.6 — 58.4 41.6 — 58.4

1998 — 43.7 — 56.3 43.7 — 56.3

1999 — 43.8 — 56.2 43.8 — 56.2

2000 — 44.5 — 55.5 44.5 — 55.5

2001 — 44.4 — 55.6 44.4 — 55.6

2002 — 42.6 — 57.4 42.6 — 57.4

2003 — 41.4 — 58.6 41.4 — 58.6

2004 — 39.9 l 60.1 39.9 l 60.1

2005 — 38.9 l 61.1 38.9 l 61.1

2006 — 38.1 l 61.8 38.1 l 61.8

2007 — 38.7 0.2 61.2 38.7 0.2 61.2

2008 — 40.2 .4 59.4 40.2 .4 59.4

2009 — 38.7 .8 60.5 38.7 .8 60.5

2010 — 36.3 2.8 60.8 36.3 2.8 60.8

2011 — 33.0 9.1 57.9 33.0 9.1 57.9

2012 1.3 25.6 22.5 50.6 25.9 22.8 51.3

2013 18.1 23.4 16.8 41.7 28.6 20.5 50.9
Historical Allowance Data

94 2014 SSI Annual Report

Table V.C2.—Disabled Child Claims: Disposition of Applications for SSI Disability Benefits by 

Year of Filing a and Level of Decision b

Calendar year

of filing 

Total

claims

filed

Initial decisions

Pending

Allowances Denials Appeals of initial denials

Number Percent c Number Percent c Number d Percent e

1991 250,962 — 148,220 59.1 102,742 40.9 24,702 24.0

1992 372,971 — 189,079 50.7 183,892 49.3 49,297 26.8

1993 496,131 — 212,268 42.8 283,863 57.2 75,967 26.8

1994 525,013 — 172,219 32.8 352,794 67.2 92,093 26.1

1995 487,730 — 144,231 29.6 343,499 70.4 86,841 25.3

1996 453,473 — 127,416 28.1 326,057 71.9 75,013 23.0

1997 332,032 — 106,528 32.1 225,504 67.9 51,493 22.8

1998 335,732 — 123,249 36.7 212,483 63.3 50,110 23.6

1999 342,162 — 129,375 37.8 212,787 62.2 49,996 23.5

2000 349,285 — 138,262 39.6 211,023 60.4 48,156 22.8

2001 367,726 — 152,651 41.5 215,075 58.5 49,013 22.8

2002 402,116 — 165,220 41.1 236,896 58.9 55,863 23.6

2003 425,336 — 172,655 40.6 252,681 59.4 59,701 23.6

2004 435,562 — 174,514 40.1 261,048 59.9 58,539 22.4

2005 424,876 — 163,705 38.5 261,171 61.5 55,367 21.2

2006 432,747 — 160,959 37.2 271,788 62.8 58,617 21.6

2007 433,941 — 160,261 36.9 273,680 63.1 60,040 21.9

2008 449,451 — 171,593 38.2 277,858 61.8 66,097 23.8

2009 516,130 — 193,872 37.6 322,258 62.4 79,982 24.8

2010 517,642 — 186,513 36.0 331,129 64.0 82,492 24.9

2011 505,956 — 179,899 35.6 326,057 64.4 82,860 25.4

2012 491,838 4,671 174,025 35.7 313,142 64.3 77,815 24.8

2013 442,458 69,632 154,350 41.4 218,476 58.6 44,060 20.2

Calendar year

of filing 

Reconsiderationsf Appeals beyond reconsideration g

Pending

Allowances

Denials

Appeals of

reconsideration

denials Allowances

Number Percent c Number h Percent e Pending i Number Percent j Denials k

1991 — 5,605 22.7 19,097 9,196 48.2 — 3,884 42.2 5,312

1992 — 9,463 19.2 39,834 19,770 49.6 — 7,523 38.1 12,247

1993 — 11,338 14.9 64,629 31,193 48.3 — 10,638 34.1 20,555

1994 — 11,332 12.3 80,761 38,433 47.6 — 12,954 33.7 25,479

1995 — 10,287 11.8 76,554 35,592 46.5 — 10,924 30.7 24,668

1996 — 9,355 12.5 65,658 27,920 42.5 — 8,853 31.7 19,067

1997 — 8,266 16.2 42,705 18,916 44.3 — 7,027 36.2 12,411

1998 — 7,799 15.6 42,237 18,762 44.4 — 7,034 37.3 11,802

1999 — 6,475 13.8 40,423 18,164 44.9 — 7,558 35.5 13,704

2000 — 6,043 16.0 31,741 14,366 45.3 — 8,451 34.2 16,287

2001 — 5,839 16.1 30,318 13,448 44.4 — 8,825 33.6 17,479

2002 — 6,360 15.4 34,842 15,216 43.7 — 9,909 33.2 19,968

2003 — 6,644 14.8 38,275 16,208 42.3 1 10,237 33.0 20,752

2004 — 6,209 14.1 37,948 15,764 41.5 11 10,021 33.3 20,114

2005 — 6,020 14.2 36,306 15,196 41.9 14 9,578 33.9 18,645

2006 — 6,158 13.6 39,049 16,444 42.1 38 10,817 36.3 18,999

2007 — 6,016 12.9 40,557 17,172 42.3 112 11,130 36.5 19,397

2008 — 6,888 13.2 45,196 19,705 43.6 291 11,726 35.1 21,701

2009 — 7,704 12.3 54,757 24,571 44.9 848 12,785 31.0 28,459

2010 — 7,548 11.6 57,616 26,196 45.5 4,405 11,501 29.4 27,618

2011 7,480 11.3 58,596 27,249 46.5 15,995 8,250 29.4 19,788

2012 6,954 5,735 10.5 49,036 20,980 42.8 31,995 1,129 22.2 3,946

2013 9,341 2,780 11.1 22,305 7,967 35.7 17,203 71 17.8 327
2014 SSI Annual Report 95

Historical Allowance Data

Table V.C2.—Disabled Child Claims: Disposition of Applications for SSI Disability Benefits by 

Year of Filing a and Level of Decision b (Cont.)

Calendar year

of filing 

Selected summary case information by decision status: Numbers of cases

Total

claims

filed

Initial

decisions

pending

Total

initial

decisions Allowances

Denials

Appeal

decision

pending

No

appeal

pending

1991 250,962 — 250,962 157,709 — 93,253

1992 372,971 — 372,971 206,065 — 166,906

1993 496,131 — 496,131 234,244 — 261,887

1994 525,013 — 525,013 196,505 — 328,508

1995 487,730 — 487,730 165,442 — 322,288

1996 453,473 — 453,473 145,624 — 307,849

1997 332,032 — 332,032 121,821 — 210,211

1998 335,732 — 335,732 138,082 — 197,650

1999 342,162 — 342,162 143,408 — 198,754

2000 349,285 — 349,285 152,756 — 196,529

2001 367,726 — 367,726 167,315 — 200,411

2002 402,116 — 402,116 181,489 — 220,627

2003 425,336 — 425,336 189,536 1 235,799

2004 435,562 — 435,562 190,744 11 244,807

2005 424,876 — 424,876 179,303 14 245,559

2006 432,747 — 432,747 177,934 38 254,775

2007 433,941 — 433,941 177,407 112 256,422

2008 449,451 — 449,451 190,207 291 258,953

2009 516,130 — 516,130 214,361 848 300,921

2010 517,642 — 517,642 205,562 4,405 307,675

2011 505,956 — 505,956 195,629 15,995 294,332

2012 491,838 4,671 487,167 180,889 38,949 267,329

2013 442,458 69,632 372,826 157,201 26,544 189,081
Historical Allowance Data

96 2014 SSI Annual Report

a Data for claims filed in 1988-2012 reflect results as of June 2013 at the DDS level and as of July 2013 at the ODAR level. The numbers of total claims

filed for 2010-2012 are subject to change. Data for claims filed in 2013 are preliminary estimates as of January 2014. The ultimate numbers of allowances

and denials are subject to change until all initial decisions have been completed and all appeals are final.

b For claims filed in 2000 or later, we count allowances at the earliest adjudicative level of allowance. We count allowances for claims filed prior to 2000 at

the highest adjudicative level reached.

c Percentage of decisions at this level

d Includes certain cases that can be appealed directly to the hearing level.

e Percentage of denials at this level appealed to next level.

f Includes cases reviewed by the Office of the Federal Reviewing Official (OFedRO) during the period August 2006 through November 2008 as part of the

DSI process.

g Includes cases appealed to the hearing and Appeals Council levels and cases appealed to the Federal courts.

h Number of persons appealing beyond the reconsideration level.

i Includes cases remanded to SSA from the Federal courts.

j Percentage of decisions at this level. For years in which decisions are still pending, the preliminary percentage shown is expected to ultimately be lower

as all cases are processed. This occurs because allowances are generally processed more quickly than denials.

k Includes denied claims where the final administrative action was a dismissal of an appeal request (e.g., the appeal was not filed timely or the applicant

failed to appear at the scheduled hearing).

l Less than 0.05 percent.

Table V.C2.—Disabled Child Claims: Disposition of Applications for SSI Disability Benefits by 

Year of Filing a and Level of Decision b (Cont.)

Calendar year

of filing 

Selected summary case information by decision status

Numbers as a percentage of total claims filed Numbers as a percentage of total initial decisions

Initial

decision

pending Allowances

Denials

Allowances

Denials

Appeal

decision

pending

No

appeal

pending

Appeal

decision

pending

No

appeal

pending

1991 — 62.8 — 37.2 62.8 — 37.2

1992 — 55.2 — 44.8 55.2 — 44.8

1993 — 47.2 — 52.8 47.2 — 52.8

1994 — 37.4 — 62.6 37.4 — 62.6

1995 — 33.9 — 66.1 33.9 — 66.1

1996 — 32.1 — 67.9 32.1 — 67.9

1997 — 36.7 — 63.3 36.7 — 63.3

1998 — 41.1 — 58.9 41.1 — 58.9

1999 — 41.9 — 58.1 41.9 — 58.1

2000 — 43.7 — 56.3 43.7 — 56.3

2001 — 45.5 — 54.5 45.5 — 54.5

2002 — 45.1 — 54.9 45.1 — 54.9

2003 — 44.6 — 55.4 44.6 — 55.4

2004 — 43.8 — 56.2 43.8 — 56.2

2005 — 42.2 — 57.8 42.2 — 57.8

2006 — 41.1 l 58.9 41.1 l 58.9

2007 — 40.9 l 59.1 40.9 l 59.1

2008 — 42.3 0.1 57.6 42.3 0.1 57.6

2009 — 41.5 .2 58.3 41.5 .2 58.3

2010 — 39.7 .9 59.4 39.7 .9 59.4

2011 — 38.7 3.2 58.2 38.7 3.2 58.2

2012 1.0 36.8 7.9 54.4 37.1 8.0 54.9

2013 15.7 35.5 6.0 42.7 42.2 7.1 50.7
2014 SSI Annual Report 97

Redeterminations

D. HISTORICAL REDETERMINATION AND CONTINUING DISABILITY REVIEW DATA

1. Redeterminations

Redeterminations are reviews of all of the nonmedical factors of eligibility to determine whether a recipient is still eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and still receiving the correct payment amount.

There are two types of redeterminations: scheduled and unscheduled. All recipients are subject to periodic

scheduling for a redetermination. Every year the Social Security Administration (SSA) schedules redeterminations for the cases most likely to have payment error, but the agency can also schedule reviews for

cases unlikely to have payment error. SSA completes unscheduled redeterminations on an as-needed basis

when recipients report, or we discover, certain changes in circumstances that could affect the continuing

SSI payment amount. The numbers of redeterminations completed fluctuate from year to year due to variation in: (1) the numbers of unscheduled redeterminations completed; and (2) the numbers of scheduled

redeterminations that we are able to complete during the fiscal year because of limitations on administrative resources and the impact of other workload requirements on the field offices. Redeterminations that

we cannot complete in the scheduled fiscal year carry over into the next fiscal year. 

Between scheduled redeterminations, SSA uses the limited issue process to detect situations that have the

potential to affect the continuing eligibility of SSI recipients and SSI payment amounts. SSA conducts

periodic computer matches between its own systems and the systems of other Federal and State agencies

to determine if the income and resources information on SSI recipients’ records conflicts with data that we

obtain from the other systems. We post an indicator to the individual’s Supplemental Security Record

when a match detects conflicting information. We select these limited issue cases for field office review of

the issues for which we posted indicators. Beginning in fiscal year 2007, redetermination completions

reported in SSA’s Performance and Accountability Report1 included limited issue completions.

Table V.D1 provides historical data on numbers of redeterminations and limited issues by fiscal year. 

1 Publication No. 31-231 is available at www.socialsecurity.gov/finance/index.html.

Table V.D1.—SSI Redeterminationsa and Limited Issues Completed, Fiscal Years 1986-2013

[In thousands] 

Numbers of completions

Fiscal year Redeterminations Limited issues Total

1986 2,278 b b

1987 2,244 b b

1988 1,997 b b

1989 2,226 b b

1990 2,103 b b

1991 2,138 b b

1992 2,321 b b

1993 2,223 b b

1994 c 1,900 b b

1995 d1,597 b b

1996 1,763 b b

1997 1,773 b b

1998 1,853 b b

1999 2,122 751 2,873

2000 2,182 582 2,764

2001 2,316 589 2,905

2002 2,311 582 2,894

2003 2,450 472 2,921

2004 2,279 248 2,527

2005 e1,725 737 2,462

2006 e1,071 348 1,418

2007 e 692 346 1,039

2008 e 900 321 1,221
Historical Redetermination and CDR Data

98 2014 SSI Annual Report

2. Continuing Disability Reviews

Following enactment of the Social Security Disability Amendments of 1980, section 221(i) of the Social

Security Act generally requires SSA to review the continuing eligibility of Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) disabled beneficiaries at least every 3 years. No legislation required the same

review process for disabled SSI recipients at that time. Although the Committee on Finance of the Senate

stated in its report on this legislation that the same continuing disability review (CDR) procedures should

apply to both the OASDI and SSI programs, no new legislation amended title XVI to accomplish this. Section 1614(a)(4) of the Act gives SSA discretionary authority to conduct periodic CDRs on SSI recipients.

On September 28, 1994, SSA issued a Federal Register notice that periodic SSI CDRs would begin on

October 1, 1994. In 1994 and again in 1996 Congress enacted new legislation adding some mandates for

CDRs under the SSI program.

Public Law 103-296 required SSA to conduct CDRs on a minimum of 100,000 SSI recipients during each

of fiscal years 1996, 1997, and 1998. In addition, during the same period, the law required SSA to redetermine the eligibility of at least one-third of all SSI child recipients who reached age 18 after April 1995

within 1 year of attainment of age 18. Such redeterminations for persons turning age 18 could count

toward the 100,000 CDRs required by the law.

Public Law 104-193 required SSA to redetermine the eligibility of all SSI child recipients who attain

age 18 based on the adult initial eligibility criteria. This law also required that SSA perform a CDR:

 • At least once every 3 years for SSI recipients under age 18 who are eligible by reason of an impairment that is likely to improve; and

 • Not later than 12 months after birth for recipients whose low birth weight is a contributing factor

material to the determination of their disability.

Public Law 105-33 provided SSA some additional flexibility in the scheduling of these categories of

CDRs.

Beginning in 1993, SSA developed a screening process for OASDI cases scheduled for a CDR in order to

handle the large CDR workload mandated by these various provisions. The screening process included a

mailer questionnaire for selected cases. In 1996, SSA extended the profiling process to SSI adults who

were scheduled for a CDR. In fiscal year 2013, we deferred full medical reviews for 403,606 adult SSI

recipients scheduled for a CDR as a result of the screening process.

In 2007, SSA implemented a streamlined failure to cooperate (FTC) process for medical CDRs. Under this

process, recipients who fail to comply with the field office requests for information necessary for processing their medical CDRs have their benefits suspended. After 12 consecutive months of suspension for noncompliance, SSA terminates their eligibility for disability benefits. SSA initially terminated

2009 e1,390 341 1,731

2010 2,248 218 2,466

2011 f2,223 f234 f2,457

2012 2,408 216 2,624

2013 2,437 197 2,634

a Effective fiscal year 2007, total redeterminations reported by SSA include limited issues.

b Data not available.

c Decrease in number of redeterminations completed in fiscal year 1994 due to low-error profile redeterminations not being

completed from January through September 1994.

d Effective fiscal year 1995, we selected approximately 200,000 fewer redeterminations annually due to a change from a

3-year to a 6-year redetermination cycle for low-error profile cases.

e We selected fewer redeterminations in fiscal years 2005-09 due to limitations on administrative funding.

f Includes redeterminations completed during the 53 operating weeks in fiscal year 2011.

Table V.D1.—SSI Redeterminationsa and Limited Issues Completed, Fiscal Years 1986-2013 (Cont.)

[In thousands] 

Numbers of completions

Fiscal year Redeterminations Limited issues Total
2014 SSI Annual Report 99

Continuing Disability Reviews

1,477 centrally initiated medical CDRs involving SSI recipients in fiscal year 2013 as a result of the

streamlined FTC process. A more detailed discussion of CDRs can be found in the Annual Report of Continuing Disability Reviews.1

For individuals who receive both OASDI and SSI benefits on the basis of their own disability, SSA initiates CDRs as title II CDRs, and the results of the review affect eligibility for benefits under both programs.2 Table V.D2 presents the numbers of centrally initiated periodic medical CDRs of SSI recipients

we performed under titles II and XVI since 1993. Tables V.D3 and V.D4 present the latest available

detailed results3 on CDRs of SSI recipients performed in the most recent 15 years.4 These tables include

only cases for which we conducted a full medical review. In particular, they do not include:

 • Cases for which the individual completed a mailer but for which we deferred a full medical review;

 • Administrative closures—cases for which we curtail development for technical reasons;

 • Streamlined FTC terminations;

 • CDRs initiated as the result of work activity on the part of the beneficiary/recipient; and

 • Miscellaneous other CDRs processed by the State disability determination services (DDS) but not as

part of the normal CDR scheduling process (e.g., voluntary and third-party reports of medical

improvement, post-transplant end-stage renal disease cases, and rehabilitation reports).

In contrast with the allowance data presented in section V.C, we tabulate the CDR data on a cohort basis

by the date of initial CDR decision. 

1 The most recent such report can be found at www.socialsecurity.gov/legislation/FY%202011%20CDR%20Report.pdf.

2 Individuals concurrently receiving OASDI and SSI benefits where the OASDI benefit is not based on the individual’s disability are initiated as title XVI

CDRs. The results of the review only affect the individual’s eligibility for SSI benefits.

3 We included in these tables the SSI recipients whose benefits terminate as a result of CDRs. We report estimates of Federal SSI program savings resulting

from the cessation of benefits to Congress in the Annual Report of Continuing Disability Reviews. The most recent such report, issued September 20, 2013,

presented estimates of the effects of CDRs conducted in fiscal year 2011.

4 For years prior to 1999, see the most recent Annual Report of Continuing Disability Reviews for the summary of results for all years since 1993.

Table V.D2.—SSI Continuing Disability Full Medical Reviews by Year of Initial Decision, Fiscal Years 1993-2013

[In thousands]

Fiscal year of

initial DDS

decision

Disabled adults Disabled children

Total full 

medical 

reviews

Reviews of 

concurrent title 

II/XVI cases 

initiated under 

title II

Title XVI 

initiated 

reviews

Total SSI adult 

reviews

Reviews of 

low-birthweight childrenRedeterminations 

at age 18

All other 

reviews of SSI 

disabled 

children

Total SSI 

children 

reviews

1993 1 — 1 — — — — 1

1994 11 — 11 1 — — 1 12

1995 17 4 21 4 a

a Fewer than 500.

 4 8 29

1996 27 55 82 6 13 1 19 101

1997 51 70 121 7 49 a 56 177

1998 81 75 156 18 41 91 150 306

1999 81 140 221 10 50 183 243 464

2000 106 173 279 10 52 141 203 482

2001 110 144 254 9 49 96 154 408

2002 104 173 276 13 55 164 231 508

2003 72 213 285 7 54 127 189 474

2004 85 221 306 12 53 103 169 474

2005 81 110 191 14 55 61 130 321

2006 72 41 112 8 41 19 68 181

2007 26 18 45 3 71 4 79 124

2008 40 19 59 5 69 5 79 138

2009 42 29 71 13 101 11 124 195

2010 40 35 74 22 87 17 126 201

2011 38 33 71 19 93 25 138 209

2012 51 46 97 16 82 65 163 260

2013 52 35 87 19 92 53 164 251
Historical Redetermination and CDR Data

100 2014 SSI Annual Report

Table V.D3.—SSI Disabled Adult Reviews: Disposition a of Medical Continuing Disability Reviews by Year of 

Initial Decision and Level of Decision, Fiscal Years 1999-2013

Fiscal year of

initial DDS

decisionb

Initial decisions

Total initial

DDS decisions

Continuations Cessations Appeals to reconsideration

Number Percent c Number Percent c Number Percent d

Reviews of concurrent title II/XVI cases initiated under title II

1999 80,816 70,353 87.1 10,463 12.9 6,201 59.3

2000 105,787 93,962 88.8 11,825 11.2 6,851 57.9

2001 110,341 99,666 90.3 10,675 9.7 6,291 58.9

2002 103,947 92,069 88.6 11,878 11.4 7,087 59.7

2003 72,175 63,021 87.3 9,154 12.7 5,443 59.5

2004 84,622 75,047 88.7 9,575 11.3 5,891 61.5

2005 80,597 70,687 87.7 9,910 12.3 5,927 59.8

2006 71,825 63,789 88.8 8,036 11.2 4,776 59.4

2007 26,469 22,893 86.5 3,576 13.5 2,155 60.3

2008 40,045 35,891 89.6 4,154 10.4 2,659 64.0

2009 41,609 38,238 91.9 3,371 8.1 2,212 65.6

2010 39,908 35,879 89.9 4,029 10.1 2,651 65.8

2011 37,799 33,194 87.8 4,605 12.2 2,983 64.8

2012 50,715 43,409 85.6 7,306 14.4 5,082 69.6

2013 51,844 44,924 86.7 6,920 13.3 4,910 71.0

Title XVI initiated reviews

1999 140,429 125,079 89.1 15,350 10.9 10,292 67.0

2000 173,470 156,065 90.0 17,405 10.0 10,923 62.8

2001 143,902 126,610 88.0 17,292 12.0 10,262 59.3

2002 172,527 150,837 87.4 21,690 12.6 13,314 61.4

2003 213,212 191,061 89.6 22,151 10.4 14,665 66.2

2004 221,129 199,938 90.4 21,191 9.6 14,627 69.0

2005 110,072 97,330 88.4 12,742 11.6 8,125 63.8

2006 40,605 35,957 88.6 4,648 11.4 2,853 61.4

2007 18,172 16,006 88.1 2,166 11.9 1,426 65.8

2008 18,933 17,049 90.0 1,884 10.0 1,267 67.3

2009 29,137 27,233 93.5 1,904 6.5 1,376 72.3

2010 34,575 31,766 91.9 2,809 8.1 1,998 71.1

2011 33,460 30,291 90.5 3,169 9.5 2,227 70.3

2012 46,439 39,954 86.0 6,485 14.0 4,592 70.8

2013 34,941 30,850 88.3 4,091 11.7 2,928 71.6

Total reviews, SSI disabled adults

1999 221,245 195,432 88.3 25,813 11.7 16,493 63.9

2000 279,257 250,027 89.5 29,230 10.5 17,774 60.8

2001 254,243 226,276 89.0 27,967 11.0 16,553 59.2

2002 276,474 242,906 87.9 33,568 12.1 20,401 60.8

2003 285,387 254,082 89.0 31,305 11.0 20,108 64.2

2004 305,751 274,985 89.9 30,766 10.1 20,518 66.7

2005 190,669 168,017 88.1 22,652 11.9 14,052 62.0

2006 112,430 99,746 88.7 12,684 11.3 7,629 60.1

2007 44,641 38,899 87.1 5,742 12.9 3,581 62.4

2008 58,978 52,940 89.8 6,038 10.2 3,926 65.0

2009 70,746 65,471 92.5 5,275 7.5 3,588 68.0

2010 74,483 67,645 90.8 6,838 9.2 4,649 68.0

2011 71,259 63,485 89.1 7,774 10.9 5,210 67.0

2012 97,154 83,363 85.8 13,791 14.2 9,674 70.1

2013 86,785 75,774 87.3 11,011 12.7 7,838 71.2
2014 SSI Annual Report 101

Continuing Disability Reviews

Table V.D3.—SSI Disabled Adult Reviews: Dispositiona of Medical Continuing Disability Reviews by Year of 

Initial Decision and Level of Decision, Fiscal Years 1999-2013 (Cont.)

Fiscal year of

initial DDS

decisionb

Reconsiderations Appeals beyond reconsideratione

Pending

Continuations

Cessations

Appeals to beyond

reconsideration

Pending

Continuations

Number Percent Cessations c Numberf Percent d Number Percent

Reviews of concurrent title II/XVI cases initiated under title II

1999 — 3,974 64.1 2,227 1,542 69.2 — 679 44.0 863

2000 — 4,427 64.6 2,424 1,556 64.2 — 659 42.4 897

2001 — 4,177 66.4 2,114 1,240 58.7 — 496 40.0 744

2002 — 4,787 67.5 2,300 1,451 63.1 — 594 40.9 857

2003 — 3,575 65.7 1,868 1,179 63.1 — 482 40.9 697

2004 — 3,779 64.1 2,112 1,413 66.9 — 594 42.0 819

2005 — 3,827 64.6 2,100 1,492 71.0 — 653 43.8 839

2006 — 3,038 63.6 1,738 1,279 73.6 — 569 44.5 710

2007 — 1,461 67.8 694 531 76.5 — 236 44.4 295

2008 — 1,789 67.3 870 679 78.0 — 288 42.4 391

2009 2 1,510 68.3 700 561 80.1 — 205 36.5 356

2010 18 1,756 66.7 877 671 76.5 1 221 33.0 449

2011 134 1,762 61.8 1,087 809 74.4 41 217 28.3 551

2012 786 2,739 63.8 1,557 1,136 73.0 456 181 26.6 499

2013 1,863 2,087 68.5 960 542 56.5 494 11 22.9 37

Title XVI initiated reviews

1999 — 6,610 64.2 3,682 2,508 68.1 — 973 38.8 1,535

2000 — 6,823 62.5 4,100 2,778 67.8 — 1,057 38.0 1,721

2001 — 6,224 60.7 4,038 2,618 64.8 — 934 35.7 1,684

2002 — 8,160 61.3 5,154 3,323 64.5 — 1,110 33.4 2,213

2003 — 9,656 65.8 5,009 3,335 66.6 — 1,232 36.9 2,103

2004 — 9,404 64.3 5,223 3,743 71.7 — 1,455 38.9 2,288

2005 — 5,233 64.4 2,892 2,052 71.0 — 772 37.6 1,280

2006 — 1,805 63.3 1,048 746 71.2 — 284 38.1 462

2007 — 963 67.5 463 342 73.9 — 152 44.4 190

2008 — 866 68.4 401 302 75.3 — 121 40.1 181

2009 — 995 72.3 381 285 74.8 1 100 35.2 184

2010 18 1,416 71.5 564 452 80.1 1 148 32.8 303

2011 113 1,486 70.3 628 496 79.0 27 147 31.3 322

2012 656 2,576 65.4 1,360 1,022 75.1 353 191 28.6 478

2013 1,180 1,259 72.0 489 282 57.7 253 6 20.7 23

Total reviews, SSI disabled adults

1999 — 10,584 64.2 5,909 4,050 68.5 — 1,652 40.8 2,398

2000 — 11,250 63.3 6,524 4,334 66.4 — 1,716 39.6 2,618

2001 — 10,401 62.8 6,152 3,858 62.7 — 1,430 37.1 2,428

2002 — 12,947 63.5 7,454 4,774 64.0 — 1,704 35.7 3,070

2003 — 13,231 65.8 6,877 4,514 65.6 — 1,714 38.0 2,800

2004 — 13,183 64.3 7,335 5,156 70.3 — 2,049 39.7 3,107

2005 — 9,060 64.5 4,992 3,544 71.0 — 1,425 40.2 2,119

2006 — 4,843 63.5 2,786 2,025 72.7 — 853 42.1 1,172

2007 — 2,424 67.7 1,157 873 75.5 — 388 44.4 485

2008 1 2,655 67.6 1,271 981 77.2 — 409 41.7 572

2009 2 2,505 69.9 1,081 846 78.3 1 305 36.1 540

2010 36 3,172 68.8 1,441 1,123 77.9 2 369 32.9 752

2011 247 3,248 65.4 1,715 1,305 76.1 68 364 29.4 873

2012 1,442 5,315 64.6 2,917 2,158 74.0 809 372 27.6 977

2013 3,043 3,346 69.8 1,449 824 56.9 747 17 22.1 60
Historical Redetermination and CDR Data

102 2014 SSI Annual Report

a Data reflect results as of February 2014. The ultimate numbers of continuations and cessations are subject to change until all appeals are final. b For years prior to 1999, see the most recent Annual Report of Continuing Disability Reviews.

c Percentage of decisions at this level.

d Percentage of cessations at this level appealed to next level.

e We do not reflect the status and disposition of cases in the Federal courts here. However, we have included information on the status and disposition at the

Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR) for cases remanded to us by the courts. The excluded experience in the Federal courts has a minimal

impact on the number of continuations.

f Number of persons appealing beyond the reconsideration level.

g Less than 0.05 percent.

Table V.D3.—SSI Disabled Adult Reviews: Disposition a of Medical Continuing Disability Reviews by Year of 

Initial Decision and Level of Decision, Fiscal Years 1999-2013 (Cont.)

Fiscal year of

initial DDS

decisionb Total initialdecisions

Selected summary case information by decision status as of February 2014

Numbers of cases Numbers as a percentage of total initial decisions

Continuations

Cessations

pending an

appeal decision

Cessations

with no

appeal pending Continuations

Cessations

pending an

appeal decision

Cessations

with no

appeal pending

Reviews of concurrent title II/XVI cases initiated under title II

1999 80,816 75,006 — 5,810 92.8 — 7.2

2000 105,787 99,048 — 6,739 93.6 — 6.4

2001 110,341 104,339 — 6,002 94.6 — 5.4

2002 103,947 97,450 — 6,497 93.7 — 6.3

2003 72,175 67,078 — 5,097 92.9 — 7.1

2004 84,622 79,420 — 5,202 93.9 — 6.1

2005 80,597 75,167 — 5,430 93.3 — 6.7

2006 71,825 67,396 — 4,429 93.8 — 6.2

2007 26,469 24,590 — 1,879 92.9 — 7.1

2008 40,045 37,968 — 2,077 94.8 — 5.2

2009 41,609 39,953 2 1,654 96.0 g 4.0

2010 39,908 37,856 19 2,033 94.9 g 5.1

2011 37,799 35,173 175 2,451 93.1 0.5 6.5

2012 50,715 46,329 1,242 3,144 91.4 2.4 6.2

2013 51,844 47,022 2,357 2,465 90.7 4.5 4.8

Title XVI initiated reviews

1999 140,429 132,662 — 7,767 94.5 — 5.5

2000 173,470 163,945 — 9,525 94.5 — 5.5

2001 143,902 133,768 — 10,134 93.0 — 7.0

2002 172,527 160,107 — 12,420 92.8 — 7.2

2003 213,212 201,949 — 11,263 94.7 — 5.3

2004 221,129 210,797 — 10,332 95.3 — 4.7

2005 110,072 103,335 — 6,737 93.9 — 6.1

2006 40,605 38,046 — 2,559 93.7 — 6.3

2007 18,172 17,121 — 1,051 94.2 — 5.8

2008 18,933 18,036 — 897 95.3 — 4.7

2009 29,137 28,328 1 808 97.2 g 2.8

2010 34,575 33,330 19 1,226 96.4 .1 3.5

2011 33,460 31,924 140 1,396 95.4 .4 4.2

2012 46,439 42,721 1,009 2,709 92.0 2.2 5.8

2013 34,941 32,115 1,433 1,393 91.9 4.1 4.0

Total reviews, SSI disabled adults

1999 221,245 207,668 — 13,577 93.9 — 6.1

2000 279,257 262,993 — 16,264 94.2 — 5.8

2001 254,243 238,107 — 16,136 93.7 — 6.3

2002 276,474 257,557 — 18,917 93.2 — 6.8

2003 285,387 269,027 — 16,360 94.3 — 5.7

2004 305,751 290,217 — 15,534 94.9 — 5.1

2005 190,669 178,502 — 12,167 93.6 — 6.4

2006 112,430 105,442 — 6,988 93.8 — 6.2

2007 44,641 41,711 — 2,930 93.4 — 6.6

2008 58,978 56,004 — 2,974 95.0 — 5.0

2009 70,746 68,281 3 2,462 96.5 g 3.5

2010 74,483 71,186 38 3,259 95.6 .1 4.4

2011 71,259 67,097 315 3,847 94.2 .4 5.4

2012 97,154 89,050 2,251 5,853 91.7 2.3 6.0

2013 86,785 79,137 3,790 3,858 91.2 4.4 4.4
2014 SSI Annual Report 103

Continuing Disability Reviews

Table V.D4.—SSI Disabled Child Reviews: Disposition a of Medical Continuing Disability Reviews by Year of 

Initial Decision and Level of Decision, Fiscal Years 1999-2013

Fiscal year of

initial DDS

decisionb

Initial decisions

Total initial

DDS decisions

Continuations Cessations Appeals to reconsideration

Number Percent c Number Percent c Number Percent d

Reviews of low-birth-weight children

1999 9,773 4,114 42.1 5,659 57.9 1,639 29.0

2000 10,178 4,566 44.9 5,612 55.1 1,561 27.8

2001 9,086 4,152 45.7 4,934 54.3 1,403 28.4

2002 12,732 5,869 46.1 6,863 53.9 1,953 28.5

2003 7,283 3,516 48.3 3,767 51.7 1,026 27.2

2004 12,060 6,075 50.4 5,985 49.6 1,782 29.8

2005 13,710 6,540 47.7 7,170 52.3 1,995 27.8

2006 8,303 4,030 48.5 4,273 51.5 1,229 28.8

2007 3,175 1,368 43.1 1,807 56.9 510 28.2

2008 5,272 2,231 42.3 3,041 57.7 924 30.4

2009 12,511 5,741 45.9 6,770 54.1 2,098 31.0

2010 22,396 9,048 40.4 13,348 59.6 4,523 33.9

2011 19,359 7,608 39.3 11,751 60.7 3,901 33.2

2012 16,416 6,487 39.5 9,929 60.5 3,320 33.4

2013 19,299 7,672 39.8 11,627 60.2 4,133 35.5

Redeterminations at age 18

1999 49,557 27,413 55.3 22,144 44.7 10,879 49.1

2000 51,713 28,863 55.8 22,850 44.2 11,021 48.2

2001 48,944 28,167 57.5 20,777 42.5 10,049 48.4

2002 54,947 32,388 58.9 22,559 41.1 11,549 51.2

2003 53,905 31,862 59.1 22,043 40.9 11,742 53.3

2004 53,232 31,890 59.9 21,342 40.1 11,585 54.3

2005 55,331 31,434 56.8 23,897 43.2 12,403 51.9

2006 40,640 21,796 53.6 18,844 46.4 9,340 49.6

2007 71,359 36,339 50.9 35,020 49.1 17,773 50.8

2008 69,430 34,547 49.8 34,883 50.2 17,652 50.6

2009 100,986 51,712 51.2 49,274 48.8 27,225 55.3

2010 87,310 41,545 47.6 45,765 52.4 25,195 55.1

2011 93,256 42,772 45.9 50,484 54.1 27,202 53.9

2012 81,568 36,585 44.9 44,983 55.1 24,192 53.8

2013 91,519 40,507 44.3 51,012 55.7 27,920 54.7

All other reviews of SSI disabled children

1999 183,211 129,420 70.6 53,791 29.4 28,410 52.8

2000 140,699 106,583 75.8 34,116 24.2 17,014 49.9

2001 95,835 72,896 76.1 22,939 23.9 11,808 51.5

2002 163,768 130,434 79.6 33,334 20.4 17,888 53.7

2003 127,444 100,522 78.9 26,922 21.1 14,876 55.3

2004 103,437 80,748 78.1 22,689 21.9 12,852 56.6

2005 61,387 45,597 74.3 15,790 25.7 8,400 53.2

2006 19,384 14,428 74.4 4,956 25.6 2,591 52.3

2007 4,440 3,161 71.2 1,279 28.8 668 52.2

2008 4,707 3,473 73.8 1,234 26.2 671 54.4

2009 10,637 8,355 78.5 2,282 21.5 1,201 52.6

2010 16,677 12,501 75.0 4,176 25.0 2,185 52.3

2011 25,166 17,157 68.2 8,009 31.8 4,005 50.0

2012 64,834 41,269 63.7 23,565 36.3 13,531 57.4

2013 52,998 33,760 63.7 19,238 36.3 11,019 57.3

Total reviews, SSI disabled children

1999 242,541 160,947 66.4 81,594 33.6 40,928 50.2

2000 202,590 140,012 69.1 62,578 30.9 29,596 47.3

2001 153,865 105,215 68.4 48,650 31.6 23,260 47.8

2002 231,447 168,691 72.9 62,756 27.1 31,390 50.0

2003 188,632 135,900 72.0 52,732 28.0 27,644 52.4

2004 168,729 118,713 70.4 50,016 29.6 26,219 52.4

2005 130,428 83,571 64.1 46,857 35.9 22,798 48.7

2006 68,327 40,254 58.9 28,073 41.1 13,160 46.9

2007 78,974 40,868 51.7 38,106 48.3 18,951 49.7

2008 79,409 40,251 50.7 39,158 49.3 19,247 49.2

2009 124,134 65,808 53.0 58,326 47.0 30,524 52.3

2010 126,383 63,094 49.9 63,289 50.1 31,903 50.4

2011 137,781 67,537 49.0 70,244 51.0 35,108 50.0

2012 162,818 84,341 51.8 78,477 48.2 41,043 52.3

2013 163,816 81,939 50.0 81,877 50.0 43,072 52.6
Historical Redetermination and CDR Data

104 2014 SSI Annual Report

Table V.D4.—SSI Disabled Child Reviews: Disposition a of Medical Continuing Disability Reviews by Year of 

Initial Decision and Level of Decision, Fiscal Years 1999-2013 (Cont.)

Fiscal year of 

initial DDS 

decisionb

Reconsiderations Appeals beyond reconsideration e

Pending

Continuations

Cessations

Appeals to beyond

reconsideration

Pending

Continuations

Number Percent Cessations c Numberf Percent d Number Percent

Reviews of low-birth-weight children

1999 — 607 37.0 1,032 488 47.3 — 83 17.0 405

2000 — 609 39.0 952 452 47.5 — 99 21.9 353

2001 — 504 35.9 899 405 45.1 — 61 15.1 344

2002 — 698 35.7 1,255 549 43.7 — 112 20.4 437

2003 — 364 35.5 662 301 45.5 — 60 19.9 241

2004 — 643 36.1 1,139 554 48.6 — 84 15.2 470

2005 — 702 35.2 1,293 626 48.4 — 104 16.6 522

2006 — 421 34.3 808 415 51.4 — 78 18.8 337

2007 — 173 33.9 337 189 56.1 — 38 20.1 151

2008 — 264 28.6 660 361 54.7 — 64 17.7 297

2009 6 592 28.3 1,500 869 57.9 1 154 17.7 714

2010 139 1,190 27.1 3,194 1,847 57.8 15 263 14.4 1,569

2011 332 1,059 29.7 2,510 1,474 58.7 92 182 13.2 1,200

2012 888 823 33.8 1,609 810 50.3 284 58 11.0 468

2013 2,333 721 40.1 1,079 443 41.1 392 5 9.8 46

Redeterminations at age 18

1999 — 3,356 30.8 7,523 4,304 57.2 — 1,059 24.6 3,245

2000 — 3,575 32.4 7,446 4,034 54.2 — 1,017 25.2 3,017

2001 — 3,256 32.4 6,793 3,723 54.8 — 969 26.0 2,754

2002 — 3,819 33.1 7,730 4,125 53.4 — 1,100 26.7 3,025

2003 — 3,818 32.5 7,924 4,295 54.2 — 1,146 26.7 3,149

2004 — 3,531 30.5 8,054 4,646 57.7 — 1,298 27.9 3,348

2005 — 3,756 30.3 8,647 5,135 59.4 — 1,436 28.0 3,699

2006 — 2,581 27.6 6,759 4,130 61.1 — 1,220 29.5 2,910

2007 — 4,793 27.0 12,980 8,275 63.8 2 2,448 29.6 5,825

2008 3 5,091 28.8 12,558 8,363 66.6 3 2,246 26.9 6,114

2009 27 7,047 25.9 20,151 13,366 66.3 73 3,252 24.5 10,041

2010 502 5,994 24.3 18,699 12,430 66.5 169 2,606 21.3 9,655

2011 2,289 6,442 25.9 18,471 12,008 65.0 681 2,126 18.8 9,201

2012 5,687 5,296 28.6 13,209 7,834 59.3 2,973 910 18.7 3,951

2013 13,982 4,241 30.4 9,697 4,477 46.2 3,899 82 14.2 496

All other reviews of SSI disabled children

1999 — 9,324 32.8 19,086 11,711 61.4 — 2,615 22.3 9,096

2000 — 6,434 37.8 10,580 6,237 59.0 — 1,427 22.9 4,810

2001 — 4,619 39.1 7,189 4,257 59.2 — 955 22.4 3,302

2002 — 7,238 40.5 10,650 6,155 57.8 — 1,372 22.3 4,783

2003 — 6,248 42.0 8,628 4,996 57.9 — 1,149 23.0 3,847

2004 — 4,871 37.9 7,981 4,943 61.9 — 1,181 23.9 3,762

2005 — 3,121 37.2 5,279 3,326 63.0 — 769 23.1 2,557

2006 — 943 36.4 1,648 1,089 66.1 — 268 24.6 821

2007 — 269 40.3 399 264 66.2 — 80 30.3 184

2008 — 252 37.6 419 259 61.8 — 59 22.8 200

2009 1 506 42.2 694 448 64.6 — 93 20.8 355

2010 55 764 35.9 1,366 939 68.7 3 155 16.6 781

2011 340 1,296 35.4 2,369 1,568 66.2 91 283 19.2 1,194

2012 3,659 3,466 35.1 6,406 4,092 63.9 1,848 364 16.2 1,880

2013 6,203 1,975 41.0 2,841 1,334 47.0 1,245 11 12.4 78

Total reviews, SSI disabled children

1999 — 13,287 32.5 27,641 16,503 59.7 — 3,757 22.8 12,746

2000 — 10,618 35.9 18,978 10,723 56.5 — 2,543 23.7 8,180

2001 — 8,379 36.0 14,881 8,385 56.3 — 1,985 23.7 6,400

2002 — 11,755 37.4 19,635 10,829 55.2 — 2,584 23.9 8,245

2003 — 10,430 37.7 17,214 9,592 55.7 — 2,355 24.6 7,237

2004 — 9,045 34.5 17,174 10,143 59.1 — 2,563 25.3 7,580

2005 — 7,579 33.2 15,219 9,087 59.7 — 2,309 25.4 6,778

2006 — 3,945 30.0 9,215 5,634 61.1 — 1,566 27.8 4,068

2007 — 5,235 27.6 13,716 8,728 63.6 2 2,566 29.4 6,160

2008 3 5,607 29.1 13,637 8,983 65.9 3 2,369 26.4 6,611

2009 34 8,145 26.7 22,345 14,683 65.7 74 3,499 24.0 11,110

2010 696 7,948 25.5 23,259 15,216 65.4 187 3,024 20.1 12,005

2011 2,961 8,797 27.4 23,350 15,050 64.5 864 2,591 18.3 11,595

2012 10,234 9,585 31.1 21,224 12,736 60.0 5,105 1,332 17.5 6,299

2013 22,518 6,937 33.8 13,617 6,254 45.9 5,536 98 13.6 620
2014 SSI Annual Report 105

Continuing Disability Reviews

a Data reflect results as of February 2014. The ultimate numbers of continuations and cessations are subject to change until all appeals are final. b For years prior to 1999, see the most recent Annual Report of Continuing Disability Reviews.

c Percentage of decisions at this level.

d Percentage of cessations at this level appealed to next level.

e We do not reflect the status and disposition of cases in the Federal courts here. However, we have included information on the status and disposition at the

Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR) for cases remanded to us by the courts. The excluded experience in the Federal courts has a minimal

impact on the number of continuations.

f Number of persons appealing beyond the reconsideration level.

g Less than 0.05 percent.

Table V.D4.—SSI Disabled Child Reviews: Disposition a of Medical Continuing Disability Reviews by Year of 

Initial Decision and Level of Decision, Fiscal Years 1999-2013 (Cont.)

Fiscal year of

initial DDS

decisionb Total initialdecisions

Selected summary case information by decision status as of February 2014

Numbers of cases Numbers as a percentage of total initial decisions

Continuations

Cessations

pending an

appeal decision

Cessations

with no

appeal pending Continuations

Cessations

pending an

appeal decision

Cessations

with no

appeal pending

Reviews of low-birth-weight children

1999 9,773 4,804 — 4,969 49.2 — 50.8

2000 10,178 5,274 — 4,904 51.8 — 48.2

2001 9,086 4,717 — 4,369 51.9 — 48.1

2002 12,732 6,679 — 6,053 52.5 — 47.5

2003 7,283 3,940 — 3,343 54.1 — 45.9

2004 12,060 6,802 — 5,258 56.4 — 43.6

2005 13,710 7,346 — 6,364 53.6 — 46.4

2006 8,303 4,529 — 3,774 54.5 — 45.5

2007 3,175 1,579 — 1,596 49.7 — 50.3

2008 5,272 2,559 — 2,713 48.5 — 51.5

2009 12,511 6,487 7 6,017 51.9 0.1 48.1

2010 22,396 10,501 154 11,741 46.9 .7 52.4

2011 19,359 8,849 424 10,086 45.7 2.2 52.1

2012 16,416 7,368 1,172 7,876 44.9 7.1 48.0

2013 19,299 8,398 2,725 8,176 43.5 14.1 42.4

Redeterminations at age 18

1999 49,557 31,828 — 17,729 64.2 — 35.8

2000 51,713 33,455 — 18,258 64.7 — 35.3

2001 48,944 32,392 — 16,552 66.2 — 33.8

2002 54,947 37,307 — 17,640 67.9 — 32.1

2003 53,905 36,826 — 17,079 68.3 — 31.7

2004 53,232 36,719 — 16,513 69.0 — 31.0

2005 55,331 36,626 — 18,705 66.2 — 33.8

2006 40,640 25,597 — 15,043 63.0 — 37.0

2007 71,359 43,580 2 27,777 61.1 g 38.9

2008 69,430 41,884 6 27,540 60.3 g 39.7

2009 100,986 62,011 100 38,875 61.4 .1 38.5

2010 87,310 50,145 671 36,494 57.4 .8 41.8

2011 93,256 51,340 2,970 38,946 55.1 3.2 41.8

2012 81,568 42,791 8,660 30,117 52.5 10.6 36.9

2013 91,519 44,830 17,881 28,808 49.0 19.5 31.5

All other reviews of SSI disabled children

1999 183,211 141,359 — 41,852 77.2 — 22.8

2000 140,699 114,444 — 26,255 81.3 — 18.7

2001 95,835 78,470 — 17,365 81.9 — 18.1

2002 163,768 139,044 — 24,724 84.9 — 15.1

2003 127,444 107,919 — 19,525 84.7 — 15.3

2004 103,437 86,800 — 16,637 83.9 — 16.1

2005 61,387 49,487 — 11,900 80.6 — 19.4

2006 19,384 15,639 — 3,745 80.7 — 19.3

2007 4,440 3,510 — 930 79.1 — 20.9

2008 4,707 3,784 — 923 80.4 — 19.6

2009 10,637 8,954 1 1,682 84.2 g 15.8

2010 16,677 13,420 58 3,199 80.5 .3 19.2

2011 25,166 18,736 431 5,999 74.4 1.7 23.8

2012 64,834 45,099 5,507 14,228 69.6 8.5 21.9

2013 52,998 35,746 7,448 9,804 67.4 14.1 18.5

Total reviews, SSI disabled children

1999 242,541 177,991 — 64,550 73.4 — 26.6

2000 202,590 153,173 — 49,417 75.6 — 24.4

2001 153,865 115,579 — 38,286 75.1 — 24.9

2002 231,447 183,030 — 48,417 79.1 — 20.9

2003 188,632 148,685 — 39,947 78.8 — 21.2

2004 168,729 130,321 — 38,408 77.2 — 22.8

2005 130,428 93,459 — 36,969 71.7 — 28.3

2006 68,327 45,765 — 22,562 67.0 — 33.0

2007 78,974 48,669 2 30,303 61.6 g 38.4

2008 79,409 48,227 6 31,176 60.7 g 39.3

2009 124,134 77,452 108 46,574 62.4 .1 37.5

2010 126,383 74,066 883 51,434 58.6 .7 40.7

2011 137,781 78,925 3,825 55,031 57.3 2.8 39.9

2012 162,818 95,258 15,339 52,221 58.5 9.4 32.1

2013 163,816 88,974 28,054 46,788 54.3 17.1 28.6
Work Incentives and Rehabilitation Opportunities

106 2014 SSI Annual Report

E. INCENTIVES FOR WORK AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR REHABILITATION

1. Work Incentives

Since the beginning of the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, a number of disabled or blind

recipients have worked and received SSI payments. Initially, the program contained a basic earned income

exclusion that recognized the additional costs associated with employment. In addition, the law contained

a number of special income exclusions designed to encourage work. The income exclusion for blind work

expenses (BWE), plan to achieve self-support (PASS), and student earned income exclusion (SEIE) were

among these provisions.

In the 1980 amendments to the Social Security Act, Congress provided additional incentives to help SSI

disabled recipients become self-supporting. These incentives included:

 • Providing for an earned income exclusion for impairment-related work expenses (IRWE);

 • Changing the treatment of sheltered workshop earnings from unearned income to earned income,

thereby qualifying sheltered workshop earnings for the earned income exclusion;

 • Providing for the continuation of SSI payments for certain disabled individuals enrolled in vocational

rehabilitation (VR) programs whose disability ceased due to medical recovery (extended to SSI blind

recipients, effective April 1988);

 • Establishing section 1619, which provided:

 — In subsection 1619(a), special SSI cash benefits to disabled individuals who lose eligibility for

SSI payments because they have earnings exceeding the level that is ordinarily considered to

represent substantial gainful activity (SGA), and

 — In subsection 1619(b), special SSI recipient status for Medicaid purposes to working disabled or

blind individuals when their earnings make them ineligible for cash payments.

Table V.E1 presents the historical SGA and SEIE amounts.

Table V.E1.—SSI Substantial Gainful Activity and Student Earned Income 

Exclusion Amounts, Calendar Years 1974-2014

Year

SGA

level a

a According to regulation, SSA bases increases in 2001 and subsequent years on increases in the national

average wage index. SGA rules do not apply to blind recipients.

Monthly

exclusion

Maximum exclusion

for calendar year

1974 to 1975 ........................ $200 $400 $1,620

1976...................................... 230 400 1,620

1977...................................... 240 400 1,620

1978...................................... 260 400 1,620

1979...................................... 280 400 1,620

1980 to 1989 ........................ 300 400 1,620

1990 to 1998 ........................ 500 400 1,620

1999 to 2000 ........................ b 700

b Increased to $700 in July 1999.

400 1,620

2001...................................... 740 1,290 5,200

2002...................................... 780 1,320 5,340

2003...................................... 800 1,340 5,410

2004...................................... 810 1,370 5,520

2005...................................... 830 1,410 5,670

2006...................................... 860 1,460 5,910

2007...................................... 900 1,510 6,100

2008...................................... 940 1,550 6,240

2009...................................... 980 1,640 6,600

2010...................................... 1,000 1,640 6,600

2011...................................... 1,000 1,640 6,600

2012...................................... 1,010 1,700 6,840

2013...................................... 1,040 1,730 6,960

2014...................................... 1,070 1,750 7,060
2014 SSI Annual Report 107

Work Incentives

We discuss the incentives for work and opportunities for rehabilitation in more detail in section III.E. In

the following tables we provide historical information on participation by SSI recipients in work incentive

programs.1

a. Numbers of Participants in Work Incentive Programs

In this section, we present historical data on participation by SSI recipients in work incentive programs.

Table V.E2 presents historical numbers of SSI recipients categorized according to their section 1619 status. Figure V.E1 presents this information in graphical form

.

1 More detailed information on participation by SSI recipients in work incentive programs is provided in the SSI Annual Statistical Report. Pub. No. 13-

11827, prepared by the Office of Research, Evaluation, and Statistics, Social Security Administration.

Table V.E2.—SSI Federally Administered Blind or Disabled Working Recipients 

as of December, 1987-2013

Year

In current-payment status Total

1619(a) workers workers a

a Includes disabled workers whose earnings are above SGA level.

Other workers b

b Includes blind workers in current-payment status and disabled workers whose earnings are at or below SGA

level.

1619(b) workers c

c 1619(b) recipients are not in current-payment status but retain SSI recipient status for Medicaid purposes.

1987 ..................................... 14,559 142,664 15,632 172,855

1988 ..................................... 19,920 153,599 15,625 189,144

1989 ..................................... 25,655 161,928 18,254 205,837

1990 ..................................... 13,994 182,421 23,517 219,932

1991 ..................................... 15,531 186,824 27,264 229,619

1992 ..................................... 17,603 199,665 31,649 248,917

1993 ..................................... 20,028 210,322 35,299 265,649

1994 ..................................... 24,315 217,478 40,683 282,476

1995 ..................................... 28,060 223,573 47,002 298,635

1996 ..................................... 31,085 225,310 51,905 308,300

1997 ..................................... 34,673 228,093 57,089 319,855

1998 ..................................... 37,271 229,662 59,542 326,475

1999 ..................................... 25,528 245,825 69,265 340,618

2000 ..................................... 27,542 249,313 83,572 360,427

2001 ..................................... 22,100 247,555 76,455 346,110

2002 ..................................... 17,271 241,462 82,177 340,910

2003 ..................................... 17,132 235,453 71,097 323,682

2004 ..................................... 17,114 237,409 73,681 328,204

2005 ..................................... 17,621 240,744 78,205 336,570

2006 ..................................... 17,394 242,676 89,350 349,420

2007 ..................................... 16,939 242,854 97,551 357,344

2008 ..................................... 16,142 240,138 99,482 355,762

2009 ..................................... 11,900 236,741 91,534 340,175

2010 ..................................... 11,305 234,481 72,751 318,537

2011 ..................................... 11,763 235,248 65,768 312,779

2012 ..................................... 11,813 233,915 67,927 313,655

2013 ..................................... 12,054 232,196 67,818 312,068
Work Incentives and Rehabilitation Opportunities

108 2014 SSI Annual Report

Table V.E3 presents historical numbers of SSI recipients who benefit from other selected work incentive

provisions: (1) PASS; (2) IRWE; and (3) BWE. These recipients may be benefiting from more than one of

these selected work incentive provisions. This information is available only for calendar years 1990 and

later.

Note: Working recipients participating in these other work incentives may be 1619(a) recipients, 1619(b) recipients, or other working recipients.

 Figure V.E1.—SSI Federally Administered Blind or Disabled Working Recipients 

as of December, 1987-2013

[In thousands]

Table V.E3.—SSI Federally Administered Blind or Disabled Individuals with SSI Recipient Status 

Participating in Other Work Incentives as of December, 1990-2013

Year

PASS a

a For years 1990 through 1996, data do not include PASS plans that exclude only resources.

Non-workers Workers Total IRWE BWE

1990......................................... 1,215 1,040 2,255 5,384 4,385

1991......................................... 1,969 1,601 3,570 6,546 4,330

1992......................................... 3,189 2,658 5,847 7,813 4,454

1993......................................... 4,528 3,602 8,130 8,629 4,406

1994......................................... 5,842 4,487 10,329 9,484 4,380

1995......................................... 5,719 4,603 10,322 9,940 4,433

1996......................................... 2,760 1,944 4,704 9,799 4,230

1997......................................... 1,290 708 1,998 9,637 4,116

1998......................................... 712 362 1,074 9,301 3,802

1999......................................... 698 347 1,045 9,520 3,971

2000......................................... 862 520 1,382 9,422 3,895

2001......................................... 1,024 576 1,600 8,798 3,642

2002......................................... 1,150 571 1,721 8,047 3,386

2003......................................... 1,181 524 1,705 7,604 3,074

2004......................................... 1,112 486 1,598 6,874 2,827

2005......................................... 1,089 493 1,582 6,310 2,552

2006......................................... 1,098 485 1,583 5,650 2,370

2007......................................... 1,003 512 1,515 5,161 2,142

2008......................................... 1,074 485 1,559 4,572 1,925

2009......................................... 1,037 420 1,457 3,862 1,643

2010......................................... 1,001 392 1,393 3,491 1,847

2011 ......................................... 882 405 1,287 3,339 1,570

2012......................................... 760 356 1,116 3,157 1,410

2013......................................... 612 336 948 2,982 1,284

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

Year

1619(b) workers

1619(a) workers

Recipients in current-pay

working at or below SGA
2014 SSI Annual Report 109

Vocational Rehabilitation/Ticket to Work Program 

b. Average Earnings of Participants in Work Incentive Programs

In this section, we present historical data on average earnings of SSI working recipients. Table V.E4 presents average earnings of SSI recipients categorized according to their section 1619 status.

2. Vocational Rehabilitation/Ticket to Work Program 

Provisions designed to make VR services available to SSI blind or disabled recipients have been part of

the SSI program since its inception. From the beginning, the Social Security Administration (SSA)

referred SSI recipients to State VR agencies, which provided services to those recipients they accepted as

clients. Prior to 1981, SSA made block grants to VR agencies to fund services to disabled beneficiaries.

The 1981 amendments changed this and established a “cost” reimbursement provision. Under this provision, we reimburse VR agencies for the cost of VR services furnished to blind or disabled SSI recipients

only if the services result in the recipient returning to work. For reimbursement purposes, we consider

recipients to have returned to work if they have had earnings exceeding the SGA level for 9 continuous

months. 

The 1984 amendments authorized reimbursement for cases where the recipient medically recovers while

engaged in a program of rehabilitation services approved by SSA and SSA determines that continuation or

completion of such a program would increase the likelihood the individual will permanently leave the

rolls.1 The 1990 amendments authorized reimbursement for the cost of services the VR agencies provide

in months in which the individual is not receiving Federal SSI benefits if the individual: 

 • Has special SSI recipient status for Medicaid purposes under section 1619(b) of the Social Security

Act; 

Table V.E4.—Average Monthly Earnings of SSI Federally Administered Blind or

Disabled Working Recipients, as of December, 1987-2013

Year

Blind or disabled workers with SSI recipient status

In current-payment status Total

1619(a) workers workers a

a Workers’ earnings are above the SGA level. See table V.E1 for yearly SGA levels.

Other workers b

b Disabled workers’ earnings are at or below the SGA level.

1619(b) workers c

c 1619(b) recipients are not in current-payment status but retain SSI recipient status for Medicaid purposes.

1987 ........................................ $494 d $124

d Estimated.

$739 d $211

1988 ........................................ 522 d 127 721 d 218

1989 ........................................ 518 d 131 712 d 231

1990 ........................................ 712 145 746 245

1991 ........................................ 724 148 780 262

1992 ........................................ 726 150 781 271

1993 ........................................ 728 153 784 280

1994 ........................................ 746 157 803 301

1995 ........................................ 754 160 834 322

1996 ........................................ 764 162 881 344

1997 ........................................ 772 164 932 367

1998 ........................................ 772 182 954 390

1999 ........................................ 926 207 980 418

2000 ........................................ 945 239 1,048 481

2001 ........................................ 1,004 252 1,043 475

2002 ........................................ 1,043 253 1,094 495

2003 ........................................ 1,059 241 1,081 469

2004 ........................................ 1,076 246 1,070 474

2005 ........................................ 1,111 255 1,118 500

2006 ........................................ 1,166 258 1,193 542

2007 ........................................ 1,193 262 1,267 581

2008 ........................................ 1,235 259 1,340 605

2009 ........................................ 1,262 252 1,327 577

2010 ........................................ 1,260 244 1,266 513

2011......................................... 1,265 248 1,261 499

2012 ........................................ 1,298 257 1,318 526

2013 ........................................ 1,321 266 1,374 548

1 The 1980 amendments provided for benefit continuation for such SSI recipients who were continuing in a VR program after their disability ended. Lawmakers extended the provision to blind recipients effective April 1988.
Work Incentives and Rehabilitation Opportunities

110 2014 SSI Annual Report

 • Receives a federally administered State supplementation payment; or 

 • Temporarily loses eligibility for SSI benefits for fewer than 13 consecutive months for a reason other

than cessation of disability or blindness. 

In 1994, SSA amended the regulations to include reimbursement to alternate private and non-State public

VR providers (“alternate participants”) that provided VR services to recipients that a State VR agency had

not accepted as clients. The Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999 subsequently

replaced the alternate provider program with the Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency program (Ticket to

Work program).

Under the Ticket to Work program, a disabled beneficiary may obtain VR, employment and other support

services from qualified private or public providers—“employment networks” (EN). The Ticket to Work

program authorizes the Commissioner to provide payments to ENs under either an outcome payment system or an outcome-milestone payment system.1 By expanding the pool of providers and giving the providers incentives for achieving success, this program provides access to these services for persons with

disabilities to assist them in finding, entering, and retaining employment as well as reducing their dependence on cash benefits. 

Beginning in February 2002, SSA implemented the Ticket to Work program on a State-by-State basis and

completed implementation in September 2004. As we implemented the Ticket to Work program in each

State, we eliminated the alternate provider and the traditional VR referral process described earlier. SSA

provides eligible individuals who receive SSI benefits due to blindness or disability in such a State with

access to employment support services. Ticket-eligible beneficiaries may use the ticket to obtain VR services, employment services, and other support services needed to return to work or go to work for the first

time from ENs or their State VR agencies. Individuals not eligible for a ticket may still request services

from a State VR agency; the VR agency continues to decide whether each beneficiary is eligible for services under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. 

The Ticket to Work program legislation required that SSA establish a corps of work incentives specialists

to disseminate accurate information about work incentives. In addition, the Social Security Protection Act

of 2004 mandated that SSA provide a work report receipt to the beneficiary. SSA responded to these mandates with the following actions:

 • In fiscal year 2003, SSA established the Area Work Incentives Coordinator (AWIC) position and

trained a total of 58 AWICs, assigning at least one AWIC to each Area Director’s Office. We created

the AWIC position to improve the quality of employment support services provided to beneficiaries

through training, outreach, and better coordination of support services. As of fiscal year 2014, there

are 50 AWICs on duty.

 • In fiscal year 2004, SSA released eWork, a web-based design application that provides a uniform

electronic system to process and control Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI)

return to work cases. Since eWork does not communicate with any SSI systems, SSA developed a

web-based application, the SSI Monthly Wage Verification (SSIMWV), to process and control SSI

work reports. The SSIMWV allows SSA employees to issue the mandated work report receipt in

addition to processing the wage report. We released SSIMWV nationally in November 2006. 

1 State VR agencies may elect on a case-by-case basis to receive payment under the traditional VR reimbursement system or as an EN under the outcome

or outcome-milestone payment system.
2014 SSI Annual Report 111

Vocational Rehabilitation/Ticket to Work Program 

 • In fiscal year 2008, we implemented the Supplemental Security Income Telephone Wage Reporting

(SSITWR) system nationally to help reduce wage-related improper payments and facilitate timely

and accurate wage reporting. SSITWR is an automated system that uses a toll-free dedicated telephone number, with touch-tone entry and voice-recognition software. It allows SSI recipients, their

representative payees, and deemors to report gross wages from the prior month over the phone.

Beginning in fiscal year 2014, wage reporters can use the SSITWR on any day of the month to successfully report wages for the prior month. SSITWR posts successful wage reports to the SSI record

without intervention from an SSA employee and adjusts subsequent SSI payment amounts before we

issue the payment. The system also issues an automated receipt to the SSI recipient and his or her representative payee for each successful wage report as required by section 202 of the Social Security

Protection Act of 2004.

 • In fiscal year 2006, SSA awarded cooperative agreements in all States, the District of Columbia, and

U.S. territories under the new Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) program, which

replaced and enhanced the former Benefits Planning, Assistance, and Outreach program. The WIPA

program provides accurate information about work incentive programs and other employment support services, as well as planning and assistance services, to beneficiaries with disabilities to support

and facilitate their transition into the workforce. Funding for SSA’s WIPA program, provided from

SSA’s fiscal year 2011 appropriation, ended in the summer of 2012. Therefore, as of June 30, 2012,

the majority of WIPA program grantees no longer had SSA funds available to continue to provide

these services. Some grants had sufficient funding through September 2012, others through December

2012, and a small number through 2013, but despite the 2012 funding lapse, we restarted the WIPA

program in August 2013.

In fiscal year 2003, AWIC employees provided refresher training on employment supports to the local

Work Incentive Liaisons located in each of the local field offices. Beginning in fiscal year 2004, SSA

updated the systems application phase of this training with the release of eWork. We provided training to

all direct service employees in field offices, teleservice centers and the payment processing centers. We

completed this training initiative in November 2004.

AWICs have also been very active in participating in outreach activities in their local areas and continue to

be the primary point of contact for public information outreach in the communities. They have strengthened the relationship with our Ticket to Work program partners. AWICs also work closely with the

regional PASS cadres in SSA to make joint educational presentations to the community about our employment support programs. The partnership has strengthened support of one of the objectives of the Ticket to

Work program, which is to educate the public about the benefits of returning to work and becoming selfsufficient. We have made presentations directly to persons with disabilities and organizations that provide

services to this target group, including presentations at:

 • Work Incentives Seminar Events

 • Disability Employment Fairs

 • Disability Forums and Expos

 • Technical Colleges

 • Universities

 • Disability Resource Centers

 • One-Stop Career Centers (now called American Job Centers)

 • Small Business Administration Groups
Work Incentives and Rehabilitation Opportunities

112 2014 SSI Annual Report

 • Workforce Investment Fairs

 • Independent Living Councils’ Conferences

 • United Way Agencies

 • State Advocacy Groups

In 2008, we revised the Ticket to Work regulations to enhance beneficiary choice and improve the effectiveness of the program. The revisions extended the program to all adult OASDI disabled and SSI blind or

disabled beneficiaries, removed disincentives for employment networks to participate in the program, provided incentives for them to support beneficiaries through a more gradual return to work, and positioned

them to better support ongoing retention of employment. Since we published the new regulations, we have

noted promising trends:

 • We have seen a 57.5 percent increase in beneficiaries initiating return to work programs from 203,664

as of May 1, 2008 to 320,889 as of April 30, 2014; 

 • We have seen a 4.0 percent increase in beneficiaries choosing to participate in the Ticket to Work program from 310,291 in January 2013 to 322,697 in January 2014.

See section V.G.1.d for information on the evaluation of the Ticket to Work program.

Table V.E5 provides historical data on the number of VR agency reimbursement claims allowed and the

amount of such awards for SSI recipients.

In the broader context of helping people with disabilities remain in the workforce, the President’s Fiscal

Year 2015 Budget provides “new authority and $400 million in new resources for SSA, in partnership with

other Federal agencies, to test innovative strategies to help people with disabilities remain in the workforce. Early-intervention measures, such as supportive employment services for individuals with mental

impairments, targeted incentives for employers to help workers with disabilities remain on the job, and

incentives and opportunities for States to better coordinate services, have the potential to achieve longterm gains in the employment and quality of life of people with disabilities, and the proposed demonstration authority will help build the evidence base for future program improvements.”

Table V.E5.—Vocational Rehabilitation Reimbursement Claims Allowed, Fiscal Years 1987-2013

Fiscal year

Concurrent title II/XVI claims Title XVI only claims Total claims

Number

Amount a

(in thousands) Number

Amount

(in thousands) Number

Amount a

(in thousands)

1987 .............. b b 1,493 $10,010 b b

1988 .............. b b 1,720 14,831 b b

1989 .............. b b 1,871 18,366 b b

1990 .............. 1,267 $3,290 2,819 22,832 4,086 $26,122

1991 .............. 1,445 4,325 2,171 20,615 3,616 24,940

1992 .............. 1,634 5,312 2,834 28,276 4,468 33,588

1993 .............. 1,928 6,670 2,158 22,264 4,086 28,934

1994 .............. 1,880 7,057 2,074 23,400 3,954 30,457

1995 .............. 2,140 7,761 2,229 26,402 4,369 34,162

1996 .............. 2,033 6,518 2,138 24,334 4,171 30,852

1997 .............. 2,735 8,541 2,914 31,532 5,649 40,073

1998 .............. 3,329 10,089 3,446 36,313 6,775 46,402

1999 .............. 3,572 11,403 4,046 42,281 7,618 53,684

2000 .............. 3,260 11,357 3,589 40,793 6,849 52,150

2001 .............. 2,388 9,590 2,763 34,842 5,151 44,432

2002 .............. 3,241 12,201 3,474 43,244 6,715 55,445

2003 .............. 2,139 8,110 1,993 25,238 4,132 33,348

2004 .............. 1,999 7,759 2,150 26,390 4,149 34,149

2005 .............. 1,883 7,420 1,692 21,866 3,575 29,286

2006 .............. 2,581 10,382 2,257 28,597 4,838 38,979
2014 SSI Annual Report 113

Vocational Rehabilitation/Ticket to Work Program 

Note: Totals do not necessarily equal the sums of rounded components.

Table V.E6 provides historical data on the number of employment network payments allowed and the

amount of such payments for SSI recipients.

2007 .............. 2,037 8,407 1,871 26,468 3,908 34,875

2008 .............. 2,743 11,229 2,515 35,732 5,258 46,961

2009 .............. 2,567 11,046 2,373 34,801 4,940 45,847

2010 .............. 2,337 9,431 2,109 32,511 4,446 41,942

2011 .............. 1,300 6,551 1,407 23,196 2,707 29,747

2012 .............. 1,418 6,046 1,540 24,351 2,958 30,397

2013 .............. 2,788 12,847 2,636 40,167 5,424 53,014

a For concurrent title II/XVI claims, amounts shown represent title XVI portion of claim.

b For fiscal years 1987-89, data on title II reimbursement claims involving concurrent title XVI reimbursement claims are not available.

Table V.E6.—Employment Network Payments Allowed, Fiscal Years 2002-2013a

a Does not include reimbursements to State VR agencies for tickets assigned under the VR cost-reimbursement option.

Fiscal year

Concurrent title II/XVI payments Title XVI only payments Total payments

Number

Amount b

(in thousands)

b For concurrent title II/XVI payments, amounts shown represent title XVI portion of the payments.

Number

Amount

(in thousands) Number

Amount b

(in thousands)

2002 .............. 7 $1 1 c

c Less than $500.

Note: Totals do not necessarily equal the sums of rounded components.

8 $1

2003 .............. 138 19 260 $47 398 66

2004 .............. 245 35 674 127 919 162

2005 .............. 692 105 1,292 251 1,984 356

2006 .............. 975 137 1,648 317 2,623 454

2007 .............. 1,259 181 1,713 334 2,972 515

2008 .............. 1,827 274 2,524 520 4,351 794

2009 .............. 2,575 594 3,282 1,310 5,857 1,904

2010 .............. 3,461 864 3,819 1,704 7,280 2,568

2011 .............. 4,565 1,145 5,879 2,789 10,444 3,934

2012 .............. 5,577 1,359 6,257 2,971 11,834 4,330

2013 .............. 5,579 1,375 6,262 3,185 11,841 4,560

Table V.E5.—Vocational Rehabilitation Reimbursement Claims Allowed, Fiscal Years 1987-2013 (Cont.)

Fiscal year

Concurrent title II/XVI claims Title XVI only claims Total claims

Number

Amount a

(in thousands) Number

Amount

(in thousands) Number

Amount a

(in thousands)
Involvement in Other Programs

114 2014 SSI Annual Report

F. INVOLVEMENT OF SSI RECIPIENTS IN OTHER PROGRAMS

In this appendix, we present statistics on participation by Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients

in other programs using data from the Supplemental Security Record (SSR), the main administrative file

for the SSI program. We develop summary data on: (1) current participation by SSI recipients in other programs from a 100 percent extract of the SSR; and (2) previous participation by SSI recipients in other programs from a 10 percent extract of the SSR. Both sets of summary data are representative of the overall

SSI recipient population.

Since the amount of an individual’s income affects both the eligibility for and the amount of his or her SSI

benefit, the SSR must contain information on participation by SSI recipients in certain other programs that

may provide countable income to the SSI recipient. A significant number of SSI recipients are Social

Security beneficiaries whose total countable income, including Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) benefits, is less than the Federal benefit rate plus the amount of applicable federally administered State supplementation payment. A smaller number of SSI recipients participate in other programs

and receive income such as workers’ compensation benefits or disability cash benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

SSA does not maintain complete information concerning the involvement of SSI recipients in other assistance programs because under the law payments from such programs are not countable income attributable

to the individual. We do, however, have some data with regard to entitlement to benefits under two other

programs—Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) (which replaced Aid to Families with

Dependent Children (AFDC)) and State Interim Assistance Reimbursement—at the point that the individual applied for SSI benefits. TANF (and AFDC previously) is a State program funded under Part A of

title IV of the Social Security Act. Interim assistance is assistance a State gives to SSI applicants in cash or

vendor payments for meeting basic needs while they are awaiting the outcome of the SSI eligibility determination process.

Table V.F1 presents percentages of SSI recipients who: (1) concurrently receive payments from certain

other selected programs; or (2) have previously received TANF/AFDC benefits or Interim Assistance

Reimbursement.

Note: Total numbers of recipients do not necessarily equal the sums of rounded components.

Table V.F1.—Percentage of SSI Federally Administered Recipients in Current-Payment Status with Participationa

in Selected Programs Based on SSA Administrative Records, December 2013

a SSI recipients or households of SSI recipients may participate in more than one of these programs.

Age groups

0-17 18-64 All

65 or

older

Number of Federally administered recipients, 

December 2013 (in thousands).................................................................................................................... 1,322 4,934 2,108 8,363

Program (In percent)

Program participation by SSI recipients, December 2013

Federal SSI.............................................................................................................................................. 99.9 97.8 94.8 97.4

Federally administered State SSI supplementation................................................................................. 17.9 22.7 41.4 26.6

OASDI .................................................................................................................................................... 7.6 30.4 55.9 33.2

Black Lung.............................................................................................................................................. 0.0 b

b Less than 0.05 percent of SSI recipients in this age grouping participate in the program.

b b

Railroad retirement ................................................................................................................................. bb b b

Veterans Affairs disability cash benefits................................................................................................. 0.4 0.4 0.9 0.5

Workers’ compensation .......................................................................................................................... b 0.1 b b

Previous program participation by SSI recipients at SSI application, December 2013

TANF/AFDC........................................................................................................................................... 24.4 27.8 13.0 23.5

Interim Assistance Reimbursement ........................................................................................................ 0.8 13.5 11.2 10.9
2014 SSI Annual Report 115

Involvement in Other Programs

There are other potential sources for information on SSI recipients when that information is not available

on the SSI administrative files. These sources include the three surveys described below:

 • The Survey of Income and Program Participation, a U.S. Census Bureau sample survey, is comprised

of a continuous series of national panels that collect information, such as the source and amount of

income, asset holdings, program participation, and general demographic characteristics for the U.S.

civilian noninstitutionalized population.

 • The Current Population Survey (CPS), a U.S. Census Bureau sample survey conducted monthly by

the Bureau of the Census for the Bureau of Labor Statistics is the primary source of information on

the labor force characteristics of the U.S. population. The CPS March Supplement (the Annual Social

and Economic Supplement), collects (in addition to the usual monthly labor force data) information

on income, noncash benefits, program participation, and general demographic characteristics for the

U.S. resident noninstitutionalized population.

 • The Health and Retirement Study, a survey sponsored by the National Institute on Aging and conducted by the University of Michigan, is a biennial survey that collects information such as health status, health care utilization, income, asset holdings, program participation, and general demographic

characteristics for the U. S. population over age 50.
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116 2014 SSI Annual Report

G. RESEARCH ON RELATED TOPICS

The legislative mandate for this report requires inclusion of information about relevant research on the

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program by the Social Security Administration (SSA) and others.

Section 1 of this appendix describes SSA’s major ongoing projects. Section 2 presents a bibliography of

studies regarding SSI payment levels, recipients, and reform proposals published in the past 10 years by

both public and private entities.

1. Ongoing Research

a. SSI Policy Simulations

Using Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) data matched to administrative records, SSA

researchers have developed a model of financial eligibility for SSI to estimate the rate of participation

among the eligible elderly and the effects of various options to modify the SSI program (see Davies et al.

2001/2002). The model suggests that the rate of participation among the eligible elderly was about 62 percent in 1991. The comparable participation rate estimate at the end of 1996 was also 62 percent. An

updated version of the model uses the 2008 SIPP matched to administrative records.

We used the model to simulate the potential effects of several approaches to expand the SSI program to

fight poverty among the elderly. Approaches focusing on incremental changes in the Federal benefit rate,

the general income exclusion, and the resources test appear roughly equally effective in reducing the poverty gap among the elderly on a cost-equivalent basis, while two approaches focusing on relaxing the

earned income exclusion are less effective (Davies, Rupp, and Strand 2004). We expanded the model to

address SSI participation and financial eligibility among the working-age disabled and to assess SSI benefit restructuring options for the entire SSI population. The working-age model allows for the identification

of working-age persons by their SSI financial eligibility status, Social Security Disability Insurance

(SSDI) insured status, and participation in both programs. We used the expanded model to assess SSI’s

role in complementing SSDI and enhancing the safety net for the working-age population (Rupp, Davies,

and Strand 2008). We simulated the effects of several approaches to changing in-kind support and maintenance rules and options for altering the calculation of the Federal benefit rate for certain living arrangement categories (Balkus et al. 2009). We also studied eligibility for Medicare buy-in programs with the

financial eligibility model (see Rupp and Sears 2000; Sears 2001/2002). In unpublished internal research,

we used the model to estimate the size of the population potentially eligible for the Medicare Part D low

income subsidy.

b. National Survey of SSI Children and Families

The National Survey of SSI Children and Families (NSCF) addressed a number of agency policy and program objectives. One objective was to address issues specifically pertaining to the effects of the Personal

Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (welfare reform). However, the survey

as designed is useful for the study of a broader range of issues of current interest to policy makers. Most

importantly, it allows for the analysis of a nationally representative cross-section of SSI recipient children

aged 0-17 and young adults aged 18-23. Among the questions the survey answers are the following: 

 • What are the characteristics of SSI children? 

 • What alternative sources of care are available to disabled children who lose SSI benefits?

 • How is quality of life and utilization of medical services impacted by gaining or losing SSI benefits?

 • What is the cost of caring for a child with disabilities?
2014 SSI Annual Report 117

Ongoing Research

 • What are the uses of SSI benefits?

 • What is the impact of the nature and severity of the child’s disabilities on parental labor force participation? 

The NSCF data collection began July 2001 and concluded June 2002. The NSCF sample size was considerably larger for SSI children and young adults than the sample size available in other surveys. Altogether,

the NSCF includes 8,535 completed interviews with 5,006 individuals who received SSI benefits in

December 2000 and 5,033 who received SSI benefits in December 1996. The NSCF public-use data file

and documentation is available on our website at www.socialsecurity.gov/disabilityresearch/nscf.htm.

Davies and Rupp (2005/2006) provides an overview of the survey and describes some key features. We

discuss other analyses using these data in section c, Analytic Studies, below. Although it was a cross-sectional data collection effort, we continue to update the match between NSCF and SSI administrative

records with longitudinal data on SSI program participation. 

c. Analytic Studies

A number of studies by SSA researchers provide a better understanding of the SSI program, the elderly

and disabled target populations, program interactions, and the role of the SSI program in the United States

social safety net. Nicholas (2013) as well as Koenig and Rupp (2003/2004) estimate the prevalence, characteristics, and poverty status of SSI recipients living with others on SSI (who are not an eligible spouse)

in the context of their individual, family and household units. In 2003 and again in 2005, SSA provided

funding for interviewing supplemental samples of SSI and SSDI beneficiaries to increase the SIPP sample

size available for analyses of these target groups. DeCesaro and Hemmeter (2008) examines the characteristics of SSDI and SSI program participants using the 2003 supplemental sample combined with the

2001 SIPP, both matched to administrative records. Bailey and Hemmeter (2014) updated this research

note using the 2008 SIPP matched to 2010 administrative records to examine the characteristics of SSDI

and SSI program participants. Rupp and Davies (2004) tracks survey respondents from the 1984 SIPP for

14 years using administrative records on SSI and SSDI participation and death events to assess the relationship between self-reported health status, disabilities, mortality, and participation in the SSI and SSDI

programs. Weathers et al. (2007) uses a unique longitudinal dataset based on administrative data from the

National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) linked to our administrative records to conduct a case

study of SSI children who applied for postsecondary education at NTID. Another study uses our administrative records from August 2005 through August 2007 to analyze SSI recipients who lived in counties and

parishes affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita (Davies and Hemmeter 2010). Hemmeter (2009) examines the occupational distribution of SSI disability recipients aged 18-61 who work. Hemmeter and Gilby

(2009) analyzes age-18 redetermination outcomes for SSI youth, including appeals of initial cessations

and subsequent reapplications for benefits after a period of ineligibility, while Hemmeter (2012) looks at

changes in diagnostic codes following the age-18 redetermination. Another research study examines the

subsequent participation in the SSDI and SSI programs by individuals whose eligibility for those programs

ceased through a continuing disability review because of medical improvements (Hemmeter and Stegman

2013). Rupp (2012) analyzes factors affecting initial disability allowance rates for the SSDI and SSI programs and finds that demographic and diagnostic characteristics of applicants and the local unemployment

rate substantially affect the initial allowance rate.

Using data from the Current Population Survey matched to our administrative records, Nicholas and Wiseman (2009 and 2010) assess the impact of using administrative records on poverty estimation among

elderly SSI recipients using the official and alternative definitions of poverty. Wiseman and Ycas (2008)

compares the Canadian social assistance program for the elderly with the SSI program, looking at program

structure, cost, and consequences for elderly poverty rates. Kemp (2010) conducts a descriptive analysis of

the SSI student earned income exclusion. One ongoing study is examining the growth in SSI applications

and awards among children. Another ongoing study is looking at SSI children by year of award and age at
Research on Related Topics

118 2014 SSI Annual Report

award and analyzing transitions (e.g., onto SSDI, off SSDI and SSI, mortality) as they age into adulthood.

Parent, Sayman and Kulzer (2012) provides a comprehensive profile of the characteristics of disability

beneficiaries with a connection to workers’ compensation or public disability benefits. Parent et al. (2012)

found that 8.3 percent of disabled workers who have this connection tend to be economically better off,

more frequently middle-aged, male, afflicted with a musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorder, and

tend to wait longer to apply for SSDI benefits after onset than the general disabled-worker population.

Several studies focus on the distributional effects of the SSI program through its interactions with other

Federal and State programs. Dushi and Rupp (2013) uses longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study to assess the role of SSI and related social safety net programs in providing a buffer against the

potentially adverse effects of disability shocks in the near-elderly population on financial well-being.

Rupp et al. (2007) provides an empirical analysis of the SSI Federal benefit rate for assessing benefit adequacy among elderly Social Security beneficiaries and the effectiveness of the SSI benefit eligibility

screens for targeting economically vulnerable elderly beneficiaries. Balkus et al. (2009) examines the distributional effects of replacing current policies on living arrangements and in-kind support with a simpler,

cost neutral alternative. Strand and Rupp (2007) highlights the distributional implications of Social Security reform scenarios involving a potential shift from wage indexing to price indexing or longevity indexing in the establishment of initial benefits. Strand (2010) uses matched SIPP records to examine potential

eligibility for three major means-tested programs (SSI, Medicaid, and Food Stamp) among near retirees

aged 55-64 and eventual SSI participation upon reaching age 65. Rupp, Davies, and Strand (2008) finds

that over one-third of the working-age population is covered by SSI in the event of a severe disability,

which provides disability benefit coverage to many who are not SSDI-insured and enhances the potential

bundle of disability cash benefits among a substantial segment of those who are SSDI-insured. 

Ongoing work and previously published papers by Rupp and Riley are based on a linkage of individuallevel administrative data from SSA and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. First, Rupp and

Riley (2011) analyzes longitudinal patterns of interaction between SSDI and SSI and finds that one quarter

of the year 2000 cohort of first-ever, working-age disability awardees received benefits from both programs over a 60-month period. A second paper (Rupp and Riley 2012) analyzes the effect of longitudinal

interactions between the SSDI and SSI programs in providing access to Medicare and Medicaid, and finds

that SSI facilitates high levels of Medicaid coverage for SSI awardees overall and provides access to Medicaid for many SSDI awardees during the 24-month Medicare waiting period. A third paper (Riley and

Rupp, 2012) tracks expenditures for 2000-2006 for the SSDI, SSI, Medicare, and Medicaid programs and

finds that SSI is a relatively low-expenditure program with important implications for the other three programs. The authors conclude that SSI and Medicaid provide a temporary safety net supporting SSDI beneficiaries during their SSDI and Medicare waiting periods. Ongoing work by the authors focuses on

estimated cumulative expenditure patterns over the working-age adult portion of the life cycle for the year

2000 awardees for the four programs (SSDI, SSI, Medicare, and Medicaid). An additional piece of ongoing analysis focuses on the effect of State variations in Medicaid enrollment policy and implementation

regimes on Medicaid coverage and expenditures. The three State policy regimes compared include: (1)

automatic enrollment of SSI awardees; (2) requiring a separate Medicaid application in “Criteria States”;

and (3) more restrictive Medicaid eligibility requirements in “209B States.” Coe and Rupp (2013) analyzes whether disability benefit recipients (SSDI and SSI) in States with easier access to health insurance

will be more likely to work and exit from SSDI and/or SSI than their peers in States where health insurance is more difficult to access.

Wamhoff and Wiseman (2005/2006) examines the financial consequences of Temporary Assistance for

Needy Families (TANF)-to-SSI transfers and develops new estimates of both the prevalence of receipt of

SSI benefits among families receiving cash assistance from TANF and the proportion of new SSI awards

that go to adults and children residing in families receiving TANF-related benefits. Trenkamp and Wiseman (2007) addresses the connections between the SSI and Food Stamp programs. Meijer, Karoly, and
2014 SSI Annual Report 119

Ongoing Research

Michaud (2009, 2010) analyzes eligibility for the Medicare Part D Low Income Subsidy, which relies on a

simplified SSI methodology.

A number of studies utilize the NSCF to focus on children and young adults receiving SSI. Rupp et al.

(2005/2006) presents highlights from the survey characterizing SSI children with disabilities and their

families. Hemmeter (2011) analyzes the unmet health care needs of SSI children after the age-18 redetermination. Additional research studies employment and caregiving patterns of parents of SSI children

(Rupp and Ressler 2009), examines employment and program outcomes among young adults after their

eligibility redetermination at age 18 (Hemmeter, Kauff, and Wittenburg 2009), and analyzes factors affecting out-of-pocket medical expenses and unmet health care needs of disabled children (DeCesaro and Hemmeter 2009). These papers appear in a special issue of the Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation (volume

30, number 3, 2009) devoted to SSI children and young adults and the transition to adulthood. The special

issue also includes a paper that introduces the issue and examines the life-cycle human capital development and longer-term SSI and earnings outcomes of SSI youth as they transition to adulthood (Davies,

Rupp, and Wittenburg 2009), as well as two papers that focus on SSA’s Youth Transition Demonstration

(YTD) (Fraker and Rangarajan 2009; Luecking and Wittenburg 2009). The articles from the special issue

are available on SSA’s web site at www.socialsecurity.gov/policy/JVR.html. Camacho and Hemmeter

(2013) summarize the findings from two earlier YTD projects.

d. Evaluation of the Ticket to Work Program

The Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999 required the Commissioner of Social

Security to provide independent evaluations to assess the effectiveness of the Ticket to Work program. We

conducted all Ticket to Work evaluation reports through an independent evaluation contractor, Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. Our contractor has completed the evaluation of the Ticket to Work program.

There are seven Ticket to Work evaluation reports in all, and all reports are available on SSA’s website at

www.socialsecurity.gov/disabilityresearch/twe_reports.htm.

The findings through the fourth report indicated that, while the program may have significant potential, we

need to improve both beneficiary awareness of the program and employment network (EN) incentives.

Partly in response to these findings, we implemented new regulations for the Ticket to Work program in

July 2008 to improve EN and beneficiary participation and outcomes. The fifth and sixth reports consist of

studies focused on the employment efforts of working-age SSI recipients and SSDI beneficiaries, and on

the Social Security work incentives and supports designed to encourage their employment. The seventh

(final) report focused primarily on the overall success of the Ticket to Work program and on the effect of

the changes to the Ticket to Work regulations in 2008.

Overall, the Ticket to Work evaluation finds that beneficiaries who use Ticket to Work generally like the

program, that the program has increased use of return-to-work services, and those who participate in

Ticket to Work have better outcomes than those who return to work without the help of SSA-financed

employment services. However, we also find that the increase in service use and better outcomes by participants has not translated into net increases in benefit suspension or termination for work or an increase

in the number of months spent in suspension or termination for work. This suggests that Ticket to Work

has primarily extended the types of services that were available under the program that preceded Ticket to

Work, where services were offered only though State vocational rehabilitation agencies, and has achieved

the same level of success as before Ticket to Work. More beneficiaries are getting these services now, but

the success rate has not measurably changed.

The Ticket to Work evaluation has also produced two by-products that will continue beyond the end of our

specific evaluation efforts for the Ticket to Work program. One of the foundations of the evaluation was an

annual research file, the Disability Analysis File (DAF), previously called the Ticket Research File, which
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120 2014 SSI Annual Report

contains the agency's disparate administrative data resources for all beneficiaries age 10 to full retirement

age who have received disability cash benefits from the SSI; Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance

(OASDI); or both programs since 1996. We initially produced the DAF to support the Ticket to Work evaluation, and researchers now use it for a wide array of disability-related research.

A second foundation of the Ticket to Work evaluation was the National Beneficiary Survey (NBS). In the

NBS, we collected information that is not available from our administrative records from a representative

sample of SSI and OASDI disability beneficiaries. Key items of interest in the NBS include work attitudes

and work-related activities, health and functional status, education, access to health insurance, household

composition, and sources of income. We implemented the first four rounds between 2004 and 2010, with a

particular focus on participation in the Ticket to Work program. We will conduct three additional rounds in

2015, 2017, and 2019 with a broader focus on all SSA beneficiaries who work.

Other researchers and policy analysts within SSA and at other Federal agencies and academic institutions

use the DAF and the NBS for general disability research and analysis not limited to Ticket to Work program participants. Examples of these papers include: interactions between SSDI and SSI for new beneficiaries with disabilities (Rupp and Riley 2011); the differences in employment outcomes between young

participants (ages 18 to 30) with psychiatric disabilities versus young participants with other disabilities

(Schimmel, Liu, and Croake 2012); the impact of workplace injuries on receipt of SSDI benefits (O'Leary

et al. 2012); and work activities and employment outcomes for our beneficiaries with disabilities in seven

articles in a special issue of the Social Security Bulletin (volume 71, number 3, 2011).

e. Homeless Outreach Projects and Evaluation

In 2004, through the Homeless Outreach Project (HOPE), we awarded funds to 41 service providers

nationwide to provide outreach services to people who are homeless. We trained these service providers so

they could help individuals who are homeless with our disability application process. In October 2007,

Westat, the evaluation contractor, released the final evaluation report. We are currently conducting a longitudinal evaluation of HOPE. Findings from this analysis will be available in 2014.

f. Youth Transition Demonstration

The YTD established partnerships to improve employment outcomes for youths age 14-25 who receive (or

could receive) SSI or OASDI payments based on their own disability. The YTD projects included service

delivery systems and a broad array of services and supports to assist youth with disabilities in their transition from school to employment and to help them gain economic self-sufficiency.

YTD began in 2003, with seven projects in six States. In 2007, we piloted new projects in five States,

choosing three new projects in Florida, Maryland, and West Virginia. These three projects joined three

(Colorado; Bronx County, New York; and Erie County, New York) of the original seven projects in a random assignment study. This study will produce the first evaluation of the empirical evidence of the effects

of youth transition programs and modified SSI work incentives.

The modified SSI program rules that we tested under the YTD included five program waivers.

 • Despite the finding of a continuing disability review or an age-18 medical redetermination that an

individual is no longer eligible for benefits, we continued paying benefits for as long as the individual

continued to be a YTD participant.

 • The student earned income exclusion (section 1612(b)(1) of the Social Security Act (Act)), which

normally applies only to students who are age 21 or younger, applied to all participants who met

school attendance requirements.
2014 SSI Annual Report 121

Ongoing Research

 • The general earned-income exclusions (section 1612(b)(4) of the Act) permit the exclusion of $65

plus half of what an individual earns in excess of $65. For the YTD, we excluded the first $65 plus

three-fourths of any additional earnings.

 • We extended the SSI program’s treatment of federally supported Individual Development Accounts

(IDA) to IDAs that do not involve Federal funds.

 • Ordinarily, a plan to achieve self-support (PASS) must specify an employment goal that refers to getting a particular kind of job or starting a particular business. For the YTD, we approved an otherwise

satisfactory PASS that had either career exploration or postsecondary education as its goal. Income

and assets that an individual used for PASS expenses did not count when we determined SSI eligibility and payment amount.

The YTD projects in Colorado and New York ended in 2010. The Florida, Maryland, and West Virginia

projects ended in 2012. We have released the 12-month, post-random-assignment reports for all the sites to

the public. We published a 24-month, post-random-assignment report covering all the sites in the

February 2014 edition of the Social Security Bulletin (Hemmeter 2014). A comprehensive final report of

the six random assignment projects is due in August 2014.

While it is too early to determine the final outcomes of YTD, preliminary results show some promise of

increased earnings and employment. Florida and West Virginia show positive impacts on paid employment during the year after participants entered the evaluation. In Florida, 23 percent of participants in the

program group worked for pay during that year, compared with just 13 percent of control group members.

In West Virginia, 43 percent of program group members worked for pay, compared with 24 percent of control group members.

The Florida, West Virginia, and Bronx, New York YTD programs had positive effects on participant

income. Program group members in Florida earned an average of $895 during the year after they entered

the evaluation, which was $306 more than control group members earned, a difference of about 52 percent. Participants in the West Virginia program group earned an average of $1,559 in the year after they

entered the evaluation, which was just over 50 percent more than the $1,035 earned by control group

members.

Several youths took advantage of the modified program rules (listed in bullets above); however, these

were generally limited to the rules that were automatically applied if a youth worked ($3-for-$4 earned

income exclusion) or participated in the project. Given the patterns of use, program waivers are unlikely to

be a significant factor in the return-to-work effort for youth.

Our findings from YTD influenced the development of Promoting Readiness of Minors in SSI 

(PROMISE) project, a joint initiative of SSA and the Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and Labor that funds model demonstration projects in several States to promote positive outcomes

for children with disabilities who receive SSI and their families (described in section j).

g. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families/Supplemental Security Income Disability Transition 

Project

Both welfare agencies and the SSI program seek to support low-income people with disabilities and help

them become more independent. However, the two systems often have differing missions and organization, definitions of disability, operational and financial issues, and work rules and incentives, making it

challenging for the TANF and SSI programs to work together. TANF clients who apply for SSI may confront conflicting messages from TANF agencies regarding work requirements and benefit eligibility. The

Government Accountability Office (GAO) and Social Security Advisory Board recommended that we
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122 2014 SSI Annual Report

work with the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) to address serious concerns in Congress

among stakeholders that the TANF and SSI lacked the coordination necessary to serve the public effectively and efficiently.

In response to these concerns and to improve our understanding of the relationship between the TANF and

SSI populations and programs, our Office of Research, Demonstration, and Employment Support and

ACF launched the TANF-SSI Disability Transition Project in October 2008. Working with ACF, TANF

agencies in California, Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, and New York, select counties in these States, and

the evaluation firm MDRC, we analyzed program data and examined State and county program coordination, and pilot-testing program innovations for TANF clients with disabilities. SSA, ACF, TANF agencies,

and low-income individuals with disabilities and their families would benefit from more effective and efficient services—moving toward employment when possible, making informed decisions about applying for

SSI, receiving SSI as quickly as possible if eligible, and reducing administrative costs.

Our analysis of merged TANF and SSI administrative data and field assessments in seven sites identified

the following:

 • The overlap between the TANF and SSI populations is not large. Less than 4 percent of SSI applications in fiscal year 2007 received TANF at some point during the year prior to their SSI application.

 • There is little formal coordination between TANF and us, and the coordination is often informal,

locally based, and driven by personal relationships. Most TANF staff members know little about our

disability determination process.

 • There is no evidence that TANF agencies are inappropriately pushing TANF recipients to SSI.

Despite the current low level of coordination between TANF and us, TANF recipients who apply for

SSI are equally likely to be awarded benefits when compared to SSI applicants who are not TANF

recipients.

We pilot-tested programmatic innovations in three States, revealing two main findings:

 • Providing an array of co-located services targeting TANF recipients with disabilities increased

employment and earnings. By receiving co-located mental health services, health care services, and

employment services adhering to the Integrated Placement and Support model, a small pilot treatment

group had a 75 percent increase in earnings over a control group over a 1-year period.

 • Improving the level of coordination and communication between a TANF agency and SSA did not

result in substantial improvements in SSI applications. Disability determination services staff provided training and feedback to Los Angeles County TANF staff assisting TANF recipients with the

development of SSI applications, but there was no significant improvement in the quality of the applications or award rate.

On December 31, 2013, the project concluded with final reports on data analysis, program coordination,

pilot test observations, and options for a larger demonstration project that builds on these findings (Barden

2013, Farrell 2013, Farrell et al. 2013, Farrell and Walter 2013, Pardoe 2013, Skemer and Bayes 2013).

h. Occupational Information System

To determine whether disability applicants qualify for benefits, our adjudicators follow a sequential fivestep evaluation process. At steps four and five, we require information about work in the national economy to determine whether claimants' impairment-related limitations would prevent them from working.

The majority of our claims are decided at steps four and five. Currently, we base these medical-vocational

decisions on the occupational information found in the Department of Labor's (DOL) Dictionary of Occu-
2014 SSI Annual Report 123

Ongoing Research

pational Titles (DOT) and its companion volume, the Selected Characteristics of Occupations. Although

DOL did not design the DOT for our use, we adapted our disability program to it by incorporating many of

its concepts and definitions into our regulations and policy. DOL, however, stopped updating the DOT in

1991 and replaced it with the Occupational Information Network (O*NET), which we are not able to use

in our disability adjudication process without significant modifications. Neither the outdated DOT nor

O*NET can effectively and efficiently meet our disability adjudication needs. We also could not identify

any other existing Occupational Information System (OIS) that would meet our unique needs.

In July 2012, we signed an interagency agreement with the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to test the

feasibility of using the National Compensation Survey (NCS) platform to collect updated occupational

information similar to what our adjudicators currently use. We approached the BLS because the field

economists working on the NCS were already collecting information about occupations that was conceptually close to what we need. Under our agreement, the BLS will collect information about the physical,

skill, and mental/cognitive requirements of occupations as well as the environmental factors to which

workers are exposed. This information will support our current disability policy and will provide us with

data about work in the current economy to inform future policy. Initially BLS will aggregate occupational

data using the O*NET classification system.

We signed additional agreements with the BLS for fiscal years 2013 and 2014 to continue testing. In fiscal

year 2013, the BLS conducted data collection testing in three phases. After each test phase, the BLS

reported results to us, and we worked together to improve the survey and protocols. We expect to continue

testing in fiscal year 2014 to resolve outstanding issues identified in fiscal year 2013 and to test collecting

new data elements that describe the mental demands of occupations. The BLS will conclude

fiscal year 2014 testing by performing a large-scale preproduction data collection test that will end in

fiscal year 2015. The BLS will design a sampling plan and we will need to develop a plan for updating our

occupation descriptions.

In 2013, we met periodically with DOL's Employment and Training Administration (ETA) to discuss

whether it is possible to incorporate elements of O*NET with the data collected by the BLS for use in our

OIS. We have discussed the possibility of using the O*NET Internet portal to house our OIS, and ETA

staff have helped us understand the options available to us for funding our information technology platform. During fiscal year 2014 we will explore these options in depth, and in fiscal year 2015 we will begin

developing the web-based platform to house the OIS. We will continue working with ETA during the coming year.

i. Homeless with Schizophrenia Presumptive Disability Pilot Demonstration

The goal of the Homeless with Schizophrenia Presumptive Disability (HSPD) Pilot Demonstration is to

improve the economic well-being of adult SSI applicants who are both homeless and diagnosed with

schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. We partnered with clinicians and case managers in California

from the Health Services Agencies of San Francisco and Santa Cruz counties, the Department of Public

Health of the City of San Francisco, and the Department of Mental Health of Los Angeles County, who are

actively assisting their clients to navigate the SSI application process and have established relationships

with patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder who are also homeless. There are

two main features of the project: (1) the SSI application assistance; and (2) the use of presumptive disability (PD). The clinicians and case managers assist these individuals with gathering supporting medical

evidence, coordinating medical appointments, and submitting the SSI application. Along with the SSI

application, a Presumptive Disability Recommendation Form, created for this pilot demonstration, is also

submitted. Clinicians from the community agencies certify that the applicant meets the SSA criteria for a

diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. To provide economic relief to the applicant while

we process the application, we pay up to 6 months of SSI payments to the applicant based on PD. Appli-
Research on Related Topics

124 2014 SSI Annual Report

cants are not required to pay back these payments if we ultimately deny their applications, as long as we

did not deny the applications for non-medical reasons; therefore, there must be a high degree of probability that the applicant is disabled when we confer PD SSI payments. Our field offices generally make PD

findings only for specific disability categories, which do not include schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.

Project implementation began in April 2012, with a goal of recruiting at least 200 participants. We met

this enrollment goal and completed the implementation phase in April 2014. The community partners

identified 259 individuals to assist through the SSI application process. As of May 5, 2014, we approved

237 of these applicants, denied 7, and 15 are pending. We are subsequently moving to the evaluation phase

of the demonstration. 

In our evaluation, we will examine whether the program improves the administration of the SSI application and determination process. The evaluation is based on a quasi-experimental design, in which we will

compare outcomes for applicants who receive assistance and PD payments with applicants from a previous period and applicants in surrounding areas. Within this framework, we plan to examine differences in

initial allowance rates, appeals, failure-to-cooperate denials, processing times, total payments, exits from

SSI, mortality, and the need for consultative exams. We expect to complete the evaluation by December

2014.

j. Promoting Readiness of Minors in SSI 

PROMISE is a joint project between SSA and the Departments of Education (ED), Labor, and Health and

Human Services. The goals of the project are to improve the provision and coordination of services and

supports for children with disabilities who receive SSI and their families in order to achieve improved

education and employment outcomes. The targeted outcomes include completing postsecondary education

and job training to obtain competitive employment in an integrated setting that may result in long-term

reductions in the child recipient's reliance on SSI. In 2013, ED funded model demonstration projects in

five individual States (Arkansas, California, Maryland, New York, and Wisconsin) and one consortium of

States (Arizona, Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Utah) for 5 years. SSA is responsible for evaluating PROMISE.

Each PROMISE project will enroll 2,000 youths; youths ages 14-16 are eligible and will be randomly

assigned to a treatment or control group within each project. Each PROMISE project will provide youths

randomly assigned into the treatment group services including: case management; benefits counseling;

career and work-based learnings experiences; and parent/guardian training and information. Youths randomly assigned to a control group will receive the services usually available in their communities.

The PROMISE evaluation will include process, impact, and cost-benefit analyses. Enrollment began in

April 2014 and will continue through April 2016. Services will continue through late 2018. The first evaluation reports (on the process analyses and short-term impacts) will be available in late 2016. The final

evaluation report (on the longer-term impacts and cost-benefit analyses) will be available in 2022.
2014 SSI Annual Report 125

Bibliography of Recent Publications

2. Bibliography of Recent Publications

Altshuler, Norma, Sarah Prenovitz, Bonnie O’Day, and Gina Livermore. “Provider Experiences Under the

Revised Ticket to Work Regulations.” Final Report: Mathematica Policy Research, 2011.

American Academy of Pediatrics. Council on Children with Disabilities. “Supplemental Security Income

(SSI) for Children and Youth with Disabilities.” Pediatrics 124, 6 (December 2009): 1702-1709.

Aron, Laudan Y. and Pamela Loprest. Meeting the Needs of Children with Disabilities. Washington, DC:

The Urban Institute Press, 2007.

Autor, David, Amitabh Chandra, and Mark Duggan. Public Health Expenditures on the Working Age Disabled: Assessing Medicare and Medicaid Utilization of SSDI and SSI Recipients. National Bureau of Economic Research SSA Project No. NB09-08, September 2011.

Bailey, Michelle Stegman and Jeffrey Hemmeter. Characteristics of Noninstitutionalized DI and SSI Program Participants, 2010 Update, Research and Statistics Note 2014-02, Social Security Administration,

February 2014.

Balkus, Richard, L. Scott Muller, Mark Nadel, and Michael Wiseman. “The Challenge of Growth: Public

Disability Benefits in the United States.” In Sick Societies? Trends in Disability Benefits in Post-Industrial

Welfare States, edited by Peter A. Kemp, Annika Sunden, and Bernhard Bakker Tauritz. Geneva, Switzerland: International Social Security Association, 2006.

Balkus, Richard, James Sears, Susan Wilschke, and Bernard Wixon. “Simplifying the Supplemental Security Income Program: Options for Eliminating the Counting of In-Kind Support and Maintenance.” Social

Security Bulletin 68, 4 (2009): 1-25.

Barden, Bret. Assessing and Serving TANF Recipients with Disabilities, OPRE Report 2013-56, Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation; Administration for Children and Families; U.S.

Department of Health and Human Services, December 2013.

Battaglia, Carol. “SSI and Medicaid Recipients Have a Responsibility to Report Changes that Can Affect

Benefits.” Exceptional Parent 37, 2 (February 2007): 47-48.

Ben-Shalom, Yonatan, and David Stapleton. The Work Experiences of New SSI Beneficiaries: A Longitudinal Perspective. Center for Studying Disability Policy Issue Brief Number 12-06. Princeton, NJ: Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. November 2012.

Ben-Shalom, Yonatan, David Stapleton, Dawn Phelps, and Maura Bardos. Longitudinal Statistics for New

Supplemental Security Income Beneficiaries. Final Report. Report prepared for the Social Security

Administration, November 2012.

Berkowitz, Edward D. and Larry DeWitt. 2013. The Other Welfare: Supplemental Security Income and

U.S. Social Policy. New York, NY: Cornell University Press, 2013.

Berry, Hugh G. and Leslie J. Caplan. “Employment and Earnings Growth Among Transition-Age Supplemental Security Income Program Participants.” Journal of Disability Policy Studies 21, 3 (December

2010): 152-159.
Research on Related Topics

126 2014 SSI Annual Report

Berry, Hugh G., Michael Ward, and Leslie Caplan. “Self-Determination and Access to Postsecondary Education in Transitioning Youths Receiving Supplemental Security Income Benefits.” Career Development

and Transition for Exceptional Individuals 35, 2 (2012): 68-75.

Blyler, Crystal, Denise Hoffman, and Gina Livermore. Ticket to Work Participants: Then and Now. Center

for Studying Disability Policy Issue Brief Number 13-02. Princeton, NJ: Mathematica Policy Research,

Inc. May 2013.

Bond, Gary R, Haiyi Xie, and Robert E. Drake. “Can SSDI and SSI Beneficiaries with Mental Illness Benefit from Evidence-Based Supported Employment?” Psychiatric Services 58, 11 (November 2007): 1412-

1420.

Burkhauser, Richard V. and Mary C. Daly. The Changing Role of Disabled Children Benefits. Federal

Reserve Bank of San Francisco Economic Letter 2013-25, September 3, 2013.

________. The Declining Work and Welfare of People with Disabilities: What Went Wrong and a Strategy

for Change. Washington, DC: AEI Press, 2011.

________. The Returns to Work for Children Leaving the SSI-Disabled Children Program. Financial Literacy Center Working Paper No. WR-802-SSA, A Joint Center of the RAND Corporation, Dartmouth College and the Wharton School, October 2010.

________. Testing Education Tools to Demonstrate Returns to Work for Children Aging Out of the SSIDisabled Children Program. Financial Literacy Center Working Paper No. WR-896-SSA, A Joint Center

of the RAND Corporation, Dartmouth College and the Wharton School, November 2011.

Burkhauser, Richard V., Mary C. Daly, and Philip R. de Jong. Curing the Dutch Disease: Lessons for

United States Disability Policy. Michigan Retirement Research Center Working Paper No. 2008-188, University of Michigan Retirement Research Center, September 2008.

________. The Role of Disability Transfer Programs on the Economic Well Being of Working-Age People

with Disabilities. Michigan Retirement Research Center Working Paper No. UM08-Q2, University of

Michigan Retirement Research Center, October 2008.

Burkhauser, Richard V., Mary C. Daly, Jeff Larrimore, and Joyce Kwok. The Transformation of Who is

Expected to Work in the United States and How it Changed the Lives of Single Mothers and People with

Disabilities. Michigan Retirement Research Center Working Paper No. 2008-187, University of Michigan

Retirement Research Center, September 2008.

Camacho, Christa Bucks, and Jeffrey Hemmeter. “Linking Youth Transition Support Services: Results

from Two Demonstration Projects.” Social Security Bulletin 73, 1 (2013): 59-71.

Chatterji, Pinka and Ellen Meara. Health and Labor Market Consequences of Eliminating Federal Disability Benefits for Substance Abusers. National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper No. 13407,

September 2007.

Coe, Norma B. and Kalman Rupp. Does Access to Health Insurance Influence Work Effort Among Disability Cash Benefit Recipients. Center for Retirement Research Working Paper No. 2013-10, Center for

Retirement Research at Boston College, April 2013.
2014 SSI Annual Report 127

Bibliography of Recent Publications

Coe, Norma B. and Matthew S. Rutledge. What is the Long-Term Impact of Zebley on Adult and Child

Outcomes? Center for Retirement Research Working Paper No. 2013-3, Center for Retirement Research at

Boston College, January 2013.

Compton, Charles Michael. An Exploration of the Attitudes, Values and Beliefs of Young SSI/DI Beneficiaries At or Near the Completion of Postsecondary Education Regarding Self-Sustaining Employment.

D.E. dissertation, San Diego State University, 2010.

Congressional Budget Office. 2012. Supplemental Security Income: An Overview. Washington, DC: CBO.

Croke, Erin E. and Ashleigh B. Thompson. “Person Centered Planning in a Transition Program for Bronx

Youth with Disabilities.” Child and Youth Services Review 33 (2011): 810-819.

Davies, Paul S. and Jeffrey Hemmeter. “Supplemental Security Income Recipients Affected by Hurricanes

Katrina and Rita: An Analysis of Two Years of Administrative Data,” Population and Environment – Special Issue on Demographic Dynamics and Natural Disasters: Learning from Katrina and Rita 31(1-3),

(2010): 87-120.

Davies, Paul S., Minh Huynh, Chad Newcomb, Paul O’Leary, Kalman Rupp, and Jim Sears. “Modeling

SSI Financial Eligibility and Simulating the Effect of Policy Options.” Social Security Bulletin 64, 2

(2001/2002): 16-45.

Davies, Paul S. and Kalman Rupp. “An Overview of the National Survey of SSI Children and Families

and Related Products.” Social Security Bulletin 66, 2 (2005/2006): 7-20.

Davies, Paul S., Kalman Rupp, and Alexander Strand. “The Potential of the SSI Program to Fight Poverty

Among the Elderly.” Journal of Aging and Social Policy 16, 1 (2004): 21-42.

Davies, Paul S., Kalman Rupp and David Wittenburg. “A Life-Cycle Perspective on the Transition to

Adulthood Among Children Receiving Supplemental Security Income Payments.” Journal of Vocational

Rehabilitation. 30, 3 (2009): 133-151.

DeCesaro, Anne and Jeffrey Hemmeter. Characteristics of Noninstitutionalized DI and SSI Program Participants. Research and Statistics Note No. 2008-02. Washington, DC: Office of Research, Evaluation, and

Statistics, Office of Retirement and Disability Policy, Social Security Administration, January 2008. 

________. “Unmet Health Care Needs and Medical Out-of-Pocket Expenses of SSI Children.” Journal of

Vocational Rehabilitation 30, 3 (2009): 177-199.

Dobkin, Carlos and Steven L. Puller. “The Effects of Government Transfers on Monthly Cycles in Drug

Abuse, Hospitalization and Mortality.” Journal of Public Economics 91, 11-12 (December 2007): 2137-

2157.

Duggan, Mark G. and Melissa Schettini Kearney. “The Impact of Child SSI Enrollment on Household

Outcomes.” Journal of Policy Analysis and Management 26, 4 (Autumn 2007): 861-886.

________. The Impact of Child SSI Enrollment on Household Outcomes: Evidence from the Survey of

Income and Program Participation. National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper No. 11568,

August 2005.
Research on Related Topics

128 2014 SSI Annual Report

Dushi, Irena and Kalman Rupp. “Disability Shocks Near Retirement Age and Financial Well-Being.”

Social Security Bulletin, 73(3) (2013): 23-43.

Elder, Todd and Elizabeth Powers. “The Effect of Falling SSI Generosity on SSI Participation Among the

Aged Since the 1970s.” Proceedings of the 98th Annual Conference on Taxation of the National Tax Association (2005): 400-406.

Elder, Todd and Elizabeth Powers. “The Incredible Shrinking Program: Trends in SSI Participation of the

Aged.” Research on Aging 28, 3 (May 2006): 341-358.

________. A Longitudinal Analysis of Entries and Exits of the Low-Income Elderly to and from the Supplemental Security Income Program. Michigan Retirement Research Center Working Paper No. 2007-

156, University of Michigan Retirement Research Center, October 2007.

________. Public Health Insurance and SSI Program Participation Among the Aged. Michigan Retirement Research Center Working Paper No. 2006-117, University of Michigan Retirement Research Center,

April 2006.

Erkulwater, Jennifer L. “The Other Welfare: Supplemental Security Income and U.S. Social Policy.” Journal of Children and Poverty 19, 2 (2013): 127-137.

Farrell, Mary. Connections between TANF and SSI: Lessons from the TANF/SSI Disability Transition

Project, OPRE Report 2013-57, Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation; Administration for Children and Families; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, December 2013.

Farrell, Mary, Peter Baird, Bret Barden, Mike Fishman, and Rachel Pardoe. The TANF/SSI Disability

Transition Project: Innovative Strategies for Serving TANF Recipients with Disabilities, OPRE Report

2013-51, Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation; Administration for Children and

Families; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, December 2013.

Farrell, Mary and Johanna Walter. The Intersection of Welfare and Disability: Early Findings from the

TANF/SSI Disability Transition Project, OPRE Report 2013-06, Washington, DC: Office of Planning,

Research, and Evaluation; Administration for Children and Families; U.S. Department of Health and

Human Services, December 2013.

Fraker, Thomas. “The Youth Transition Demonstration: Interim Findings and Lessons for Program Participation.” Center for Studying Disability Policy Issue Brief Number 11-04. Princeton, NJ: Mathematica

Policy Research, Inc., October 2011.

________. “The Youth Transition Demonstration: Lifting Employment Barriers for Youth with Disabilities.” Center for Studying Disability Policy Issue Brief Number 13-01. Princeton, NJ: Mathematica Policy

Research, Inc., February 2013.

Fraker, Thomas, Peter Baird, Alison Black, Arif Mamun, Michelle Manno, John Martinez, Anu Rangarajan, and Debbie Reed. The Social Security Administration’s Youth Transition Demonstration Projects:

Interim Report on Colorado Youth WINS. Report prepared for the Social Security Administration, April

2011.
2014 SSI Annual Report 129

Bibliography of Recent Publications

Fraker, Thomas, Peter Baird, Arif Mamun, Michelle Manno, John Martinez, Debbie Reed, and Allison

Thompkins. The Social Security Administration’s Youth Transition Demonstration Projects: Interim

Report on the Career Transition Program. Report Prepared for the Social Security Administration,

December 2012.

Fraker, Thomas, Alison Black, Joseph Broadus, Arif Mamun, Michelle Manno, John Martinez, Reanin

McRoberts, Anu Rangarajan, and Debbie Reed. The Social Security Administration’s Youth Transition

Demonstration Projects: Interim Report on the City University of New York’s Project. Report prepared for

the Social Security Administration, April 2011.

Fraker, Thomas, Alison Black, Arif Mamun, Michelle Manno, John Martinez, Bonnie O’Day, Meghan

O’Toole, Anu Rangarajan, and Debbie Reed. The Social Security Administration’s Youth Transition

Demonstration Projects: Interim Report on Transition WORKS. Report prepared for the Social Security

Administration, February 2011.

Fraker, Thomas and Todd Honeycutt. Promoting Readiness of Minors in Supplemental Security Income

(PROMISE): Recommendation of the Technical Advisory Panel Regarding the Use of Incentive Payments

and the Evaluation Design. Final Report. Report prepared for the Social Security Administration, February 2012.

Fraker, Thomas, Todd Honeycutt, Arif Mamun, Michelle Manno, John Martinez, Bonnie O'Day, Debbie

Reed, and Allison Thompkins. The Social Security Administration's Youth Transition Demonstration Projects: Interim Report on Broadened Horizons, Brighter Futures. Report prepared for the Social Security

Administration, December 2012.

Fraker, Thomas, Arif Mamun, Michelle Manno, John Martinez, Debbie Reed, Allison Thompkins, and

David Wittenburg. The Social Security Administration's Youth Transition Demonstration Projects:

Interim Report on West Virginia Youth Works. Report prepared for the Social Security Administration,

December 2012

Fraker, Thomas and Anu Rangarajan. “The Social Security Administration’s Youth Transition Demonstration Projects.” Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation 30, 3 (2009): 223-240.

Fremstad, Shawn and Rebecca Vallas. Supplemental Security Income for Children with Disabilities. Social

Security Brief No. 40. Washington, DC: National Academy of Social Insurance, November 2012.

Gerst, Kerstin. “Supplemental Security Income Among Older Immigrants From Central and South America: The Impact of Welfare Reform.” Journal of Aging and Social Policy. 21, 3 (2009): 297-317.

Gerst, Kerstin and Jeffrey A. Burr. “Welfare Use among Older Hispanic Immigrants: The Effect of State

and Federal Policy.” Population Research and Policy Review. 20, 1 (2011): 129-150.

Gettens, John, Alexis D. Henry, Aniko Laszlo, and Jay Himmelstein. “The Prospect of Losing Benefits

and the Work Decisions of Participants in Disability Programs: A Cross-Program Comparison.” Journal

of Disability Policy Studies 23, 3 (2012): 179-189.

Gibson, Nancy P. “SSI Rules Simplification Provides Helpful Changes.” The Exceptional Parent 35, 4

(April 2005): 64-65.
Research on Related Topics

130 2014 SSI Annual Report

Giertz, Seth and Jeffrey Kubik. “The Disability Screening Process and the Labor Market Behavior of

Accepted and Rejected Applicants: Evidence from the Health and Retirement Study.” Journal of Labor

Research. 32, 3 (2011): 237-253.

Gimm, Gilbert, Denise Hoffman, and Henry T. Ireys. “Early Interventions to Prevent Disability for Workers with Mental Health Conditions: Impacts from the DMIE.” Disability and Health Journal 7, 1 (2014):

56-63.

Hemmeter, Jeffrey. Changes in Diagnostic Codes at Age 18. Research and Statistics Note, No. 2012-04.

Washington, DC: Office of Retirement and Disability Policy, Social Security Administration, October

2012.

Hemmeter, Jeffrey. “Earnings and Disability Program Participation of Youth Transition Demonstration

Participants After 24 months.” Social Security Bulletin 74, 1(2014): 1-25.

________. “Health Related Unmet Needs of Supplemental Security Income Youth after the Age- 18 Redetermination.” Health Services Research 46, 4 (2011): 1224-1242.

________. “Occupations of SSI Recipients Who Work.” Social Security Bulletin 69, 3 (2009): 47-75.

Hemmeter, Jeffrey, and Elaine Gilby. “The Age-18 Redetermination and Postredetermination Participation

in SSI.” Social Security Bulletin 69, 4 (2009): 1-25.

Hemmeter, Jeffrey, Jacqueline Kauff, and David Wittenburg. “Changing Circumstances: Experiences of

Child SSI Recipients Before and After their Age-18 Redetermination for Adult Benefits.” Journal of

Vocational Rehabilitation 30, 3 (2009): 201-221.

Hemmeter, Jeffrey and Michelle Stegman. “Subsequent Program Participation of Former Social Security

Disability Insurance Beneficiaries and Supplemental Security Income Recipients Whose Eligibility

Ceased Because of Medical Improvement.” Social Security Bulletin 73, 2 (2013): 1-38.

Herd, Pamela, Robert F. Schoeni, and James S. House. “Upstream Solutions: Does the Supplemental

Security Income Program Reduce Disability in the Elderly?” The Milbank Quarterly 86, 1 (March 2008):

5-45. 

Hogan, Sean R., Richard Speiglman, and Jean C. Norris. “The Effects of Eliminating Supplemental Security Income Drug Addiction and Alcoholism Eligibility on the Mental Health of Low-Income Substance

Abusers.” Social Work in Public Health 25, 5 (2010): 438-453.

Hogan, Sean R., George J. Unick, Richard Speiglman, and Jean C. Norris. “Gender-Specific Barriers to

Self-Sufficiency Among Former Supplemental Security Income Drug Addiction and Alcoholism Beneficiaries: Implications for Welfare-to-Work Programs and Services.” Journal of Social Service Research 37,

3 (2011): 320-337.

________. “Social Welfare Policy and Public Assistance for Low-Income Substance Abusers: The Impact

of 1996 Welfare Reform Legislation on the Economic Security of Former Supplemental Security Income

Drug Addiction and Alcoholism Beneficiaries.” Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare 35, 1 (March

2008): 221-24.

Honeycutt, Todd and David Wittenburg. Identifying Transition-Age Youth with Disabilities Using Existing

Surveys. Report prepared for the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, July 2012.
2014 SSI Annual Report 131

Bibliography of Recent Publications

Houston, Kyle, H. Bruce Lammers, and Shirley Svorny. “Perceptions of the Effect of Public Policy on

Employment Opportunities for Individuals Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.” Journal of Disability Policy Studies 21, 1 (June 2010): 9-21.

Houtenville, Andrew J. and Debra L. Brucker. “Participation in Safety-Net Programs and the Utilization of

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Johnson, Richard W., Melissa M. Favreault and Corina Mommaerts. Work Ability and the Social Insurance

Safety Net in the Years Prior to Retirement. Center for Retirement Research Working Paper No. 2009-28,

Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, November 2009.

Katz, Marsha R. Don’t Look for Logic: An Advocate’s Manual for Negotiating the SSI and SSDI Programs.

Missoula, MT: University of Montana Rural Institute, 2005.

Kaushal, Neeraj. Elderly Immigrants’ Labor Supply Response to Supplemental Security Income. Center

for Retirement Research Working Paper No. 2008-25, Center for Retirement Research at Boston College,

January 2009.

Kemp, Mary. “Recipients of Supplemental Security Income and the Student Earned Income Exclusion.”

Social Security Bulletin 70, 2(2010): 31-61.

King, Laura and Aneer Rukh-Kamaa. “Youth Transitioning Out of Foster Care: An Evaluation of a Supplemental Security Income Policy Change.” Social Security Bulletin 73, 4 (2013): 53-57.

Kirk, Adele. Understanding the Growth in Federal Disability Programs: Who are the Marginal Beneficiaries and How Much Do They Cost? Center for Retirement Research Working Paper No. 2012-1, Center

for Retirement Research at Boston College, January 2012.

Koenig, Melissa and Kalman Rupp. “SSI Recipients in Households and Families with Multiple Recipients: Prevalence and Poverty Outcomes.” Social Security Bulletin 65,2 (2003/2004): 14-27.

Levy, Helen. Income, Material Hardship, and the Use of Public Programs among the Elderly. Michigan

Retirement Research Center Working Paper No. 2009-208, University of Michigan Retirement Research

Center, September 2009.

Livermore, Gina A. “Social Security Disability Beneficiaries with Work-Related Goals and Expectations.”

Social Security Bulletin 71, 3 (2011): 61-82.

________. “Work-Oriented Social Security Disability Beneficiaries: Characteristics and EmploymentRelated Activities.” Center for Studying Disability Policy Research Brief Number 09-05. Princeton, NJ:

Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. December 2009.

Livermore, Gina and Silvie Colman, “Use of One Stops by Social Security Disability Beneficiaries in Four

States Implementing Disability Program Navigator Initiatives.” Washington, DC: Mathematica Policy

Research, 2010.

Livermore, Gina A., Denise Hoffman, and Maura Bardos. Ticket to Work Participant Characteristics and

Outcomes Under the Revised Regulations. Final Report. Report prepared for the Social Security Ad-ministration. September 2012.
Research on Related Topics

132 2014 SSI Annual Report

Livermore, Gina, and Sarah Prenovitz. “Benefits Planning, Assistance, and Outreach (BPAO) Service

User Characteristics and Use of Work Incentives.” Work Activity and Use of Employment Supports Under

the Original Ticket to Work Regulations Report No. 6. Washington, DC: Mathematica Policy Research,

2010.

________. “Benefits Planning, Assistance, and Outreach (BPAO) Service User Characteristics and Use of

Work Incentives.” Evaluation of the Ticket to Work Program, Report 5: Work Activity and Use of

Employment Supports Under the Original Ticket to Work Regulations Washington, DC: Mathematica Policy Research, 2011.

Livermore, Gina A., Sarah Prenovitz, and Jody Schimmel. Employment-Related Outcomes of a Recent

Cohort of Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) Program Enrollees. Final Report. Report prepared for the Social Security Administration, September 2011.

Livermore, Gina A. and Allison Roche. “Longitudinal Outcomes of an Early Cohort of Ticket to Work

Participants.” Social Security Bulletin 71, 3 (2011): 105-132.

Livermore, Gina, Allison Roche, and Sarah Prenovitz. “Longitudinal Experiences of an Early Cohort of

Ticket to Work Participants.” Work Activity and Use of Employment Supports Under the Original Ticket

to Work Regulations Report No. 10. Washington, DC: Mathematica Policy Research, 2010.

________. “Longitudinal Experiences of an Early Cohort of Ticket to Work Participants.” Evaluation of

the Ticket to Work Program, Report 5: Work Activity and Use of Employment Supports Under the Original Ticket to Work Regulations. Washington, DC: Mathematica Policy Research, 2011. Washington, DC:

Mathematica Policy Research, 2011.

________. “SSI and DI Beneficiaries with Work-Related Goals and Expectations.” Work Activity and Use

of Employment Supports Under the Original Ticket to Work Regulations Report No. 5. Washington, DC:

Mathematica Policy Research, 2009.

________. “SSI and DI Beneficiaries with Work-Related Goals and Expectations.” Evaluation of the

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Ticket to Work Regulations. Washington, DC: Mathematica Policy Research, 2011.

Livermore, Gina, and David Stapleton. “Highlights of the Fifth Ticket to Work Evaluation Report.” Evaluation of the Ticket to Work Program, Report 5: Work Activity and Use of Employment Supports Under the

Original Ticket to Work Regulations. Washington, DC: Mathematica Policy Research, 2011.

Livermore, Gina, David Stapleton, and Allison Roche. “Characteristics, Employment, and Sources of Support Among Working-Age SSI and DI Beneficiaries.” Work Activity and Use of Employment Supports

Under the Original Ticket to Work Regulations Report No. 2. Washington, DC: Mathematica Policy

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________. “Characteristics, Employment, and Sources of Support Among Working-Age SSI and DI Beneficiaries.” Evaluation of the Ticket to Work Program, Report 5: Work Activity and Use of Employment

Supports Under the Original Ticket to Work Regulations Washington, DC: Mathematica Policy Research,

2011.

Livermore, Gina, Debra Wright, Allison Roche, and Eric Grau. “2006 National Beneficiary Survey: Background and Statistical Tables.” Work Activity and Use of Employment Supports Under the Original Ticket

to Work Regulations Report No. 4. Washington, DC: Mathematica Policy Research, 2009.
2014 SSI Annual Report 133

Bibliography of Recent Publications

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(December 2007): 583-608.

Luchansky, Bill, Dan Fordlund, Sharon Estee, Peter Lund, Antoinette Krupski, and Kenneth Stark. “Substance Abuse Treatment and Criminal Justice Involvement for SSI Recipients: Results from Washington

State.” American Journal on Addictions 15, 5 (September-October 2006): 370-379.

Luecking, Richard G. and David Wittenburg. “Providing Supports to Youth with Disabilities Transitioning

to Adulthood: Case Descriptions from the Youth Transition Demonstration.” Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation 30, (2009): 241-251.

Mamun, Arif, Paul O'Leary, David Wittenburg, and Jesse Gregory. “Employment among Social Security

Disability Program Beneficiaries: 1996-2007.” Social Security Bulletin 71, 3 (2011): 11-34.

Mann, David R. and David Stapleton. “A Roadmap to a 21st Century Disability Policy.” Center for Studying Disability Policy Issue Brief Number 12-01. Princeton, NJ: Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. January 2012.

Mann, David R. and David Wittenburg. “Back to Work: Recent SSA Employment Demonstrations for

People With Disabilities.” Center for Studying Disability Policy Issue Brief Number 12-05. Princeton, NJ:

Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. June 2012.

Martin, Patricia P. “Hispanics, Social Security, and Supplemental Security Income.” Social Security Bulletin 67, 2 (2007): 73-100.

Martin, Patricia P. and John L. Murphy. African Americans: Description of Social Security and Supplemental Security Income Participation and Benefit Levels Using the American Community Survey,

Research and Statistics Note 2014-01, Social Security Administration, January 2014.

Martinez, John, Thomas Fraker, Michelle Manno, Peter Baird, Arif Mamun, Bonnie O’Day, Anu Rangarajan, and David Wittenburg. The Social Security Administration's Youth Transition Demonstration Projects:

Implementation Lessons from the Original Projects. Report prepared under contract to the Office of Disability and Retirement Research, Social Security Administration, February 2010.

Martinez, John, Michelle S. Manno, Peter Baird, Thomas Fraker, Todd Honeycutt, Arif Mamun, Bonnie

O’Day, and Anu Rangarajan. The Social Security Administration’s Youth Transition Demonstration Projects: Profiles of the Random Assignment Projects. Report prepared under contract to the Office of Disability and Retirement Research, Social Security Administration, December 2008.

McGarry, Kathleen and Jonathan Skinner. The Long-Term Financial and Health Outcomes of Disability

Insurance Applicants. Paper presented at 11th Annual Joint Conference of the Research Retirement Consortium, Washington, DC, August 10-11, 2009.
Research on Related Topics

134 2014 SSI Annual Report

Meijer, Erik, Lynn A. Karoly, and Pierre-Carl Michaud. “Using Matched Survey and Administrative Data

to Estimate Eligibility for the Medicare Part D Low-Income Subsidy Program.” Social Security Bulletin

70, 2(2010): 63-82.

Meyer, Bruce D., Wallace K.C. Mok, and James X. Sullivan. The Under-Reporting of Transfers in Household Surveys: Its Nature and Consequences. National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper No.

NB08-12, September 2008.

Mitchell, Jean M. and Darrell J. Gaskin. “Factors Affecting Plan Choice and Unmet Need Among Supplemental Security Income Eligible Children with Disabilities.” Health Services Research 40, 5, pt. 1 (October 2005): 1379-1399.

Mitchell, Jean M., Darrell J. Gaskin, and Chahira Kozna. “Health Supervision Visits Among SSI-Eligible

Children in the D.C. Medicaid Program: A Comparison of Enrollees in Fee-for-Service and Partially Capitated Managed Care.” Inquiry 45, 2 (Summer 2008): 198-214.

Moore, Timothy J. The Employment Effect of Terminating Disability Benefits. National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper No. 19793, January 2014.

Morton, William R. Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Reform: An Overview of Proposals to

Reduce the Growth in SSDI Rolls. Washington, DC: Library of Congress, Congressional Research Service

Report No. R43054, April 2013.

________. Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program: Overview and Current Issues. Washington, DC:

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Moulta-Ali, Umar. Child Welfare: Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Benefits for

Children in Foster Care. Washington, DC: Library of Congress, Congressional Research Service Report

No. RL33855, September 2012.

________. Primer on Disability Benefits: Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental

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RL32279, February 2014.

________. Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Washington, DC: Library of Congress, Congressional

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________. Supplemental Security Income (SSI): Income/Resource Limits and Accounts Exempt From Benefit Determinations. Washington, DC: Library of Congress, Congressional Research Service Report No.

RS20294, January 2014

Msall, Michael E., Fernando Bobis, and Shelly Field. “Children with Disabilities and Supplemental Security Income.” Infants & Young Children: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Special Care Practices 19, 1

(January-March 2006): 2-15.

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2014 SSI Annual Report 135

Bibliography of Recent Publications

Neumark, David, Elizabeth T. Powers, and Klaus F. Zimmermann. “Supplemental Security Income, Labor

Supply, and Migration.” Journal of Population Economics 19, 3 (July 2006): 447-479.

Nicholas, Joyce. “Prevalence, Characteristics, and Poverty Status of Supplemental Security Income Mutirecipients.” Social Security Bulletin 73, 3 (2013): 11-21.

Nicholas, Joyce and Michael Wiseman. “Elderly Poverty and Supplemental Security Income.” Social

Security Bulletin 69, 1 (2009): 45-73.

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O'Day, Bonnie, Allison Roche, Norma Altshuler, Liz Clary, and Krista Harrison. “Process Evaluation of

the Work Incentives Planning and Assistance Program.” Work Activity and Use of Employment Supports

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5: Work Activity and Use of Employment Supports Under the Original Ticket to Work Regulations Washington, DC: Mathematica Policy Research, 2011.

O'Day, Bonnie and David Stapleton. “Transforming Disability Policy for Youth and Young Adults with

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the Take-Up of Social Security Disability Benefits.” Social Security Bulletin 72, 3 (2012): 1-17. 

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Pardoe, Rachel. Understanding Supplemental Security Income (SSI): A Guide for TANF Staff Members,

OPRE Report 2013-50, Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation; Administration

for Children and Families; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, December 2013.

Parent, Rene. Defined Contribution Pension Plans and the Supplemental Security Income Program. Policy

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Parent, Rene, Jeffrey Hemmeter, and Nancy Early. Selected Characteristics and Self-Perceived Performance of Individual Social Security and Supplemental Security Income Representative Payees. Research

and Statistics Note No. 2009-02. Washington, DC: Office of Retirement and Disability Policy, Social

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Parent, Rene, Incigul Sayman, and Kevin Kulzer. Profile of Social Security Disabled Workers and Dependents Who Have a Connection to Workers’ Compensation or Public Disability Benefits. Research and Statistics Note No. 2012-03. Washington, DC: Office of Research, Evaluation, and Statistics, Office of

Retirement and Disability Policy, Social Security Administration, September 2012.
Research on Related Topics

136 2014 SSI Annual Report

Prenovitz, Sarah. “Service Providers’ Experiences Under the Revised Ticket to Work Regulations.” Center

for Studying Disability Policy Issue Brief Number 12-04. Princeton, NJ: Mathematica Policy Research,

Inc., February 2012.

Pulcini, Christian D., Milton Kotelchuck, Karen A. Kuhlthau, Alixandra A. Nozzolillo, and James M. Perrin. “Potential Savings From Redetermining Disability Among Children Receiving Supplemental Security

Income Benefits.” Academic Pediatrics 12, 6 (2012): 489-494.

Rangarajan, Anu, Thomas Fraker, Todd Honeycutt, Arif Mamun, John Martinez, Bonnie O’Day, and

David Wittenburg. The Social Security Administration’s Youth Transition Demonstration Projects: Evaluation Design Report. Report prepared under contract to the Office of Disability and Retirement Research,

Social Security Administration, January 2009.

Reichman, Nancy E., Hope Corman, and Kelly Noonan. “Effects of Child Health on Sources of Public

Support.” Southern Economic Journal 73, 1 (July 2006): 136-156.

Riley, Gerald F. and Kalman Rupp. “Expenditure Patterns Under the Four Major Public Cash Benefit and

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over Time for SSI-Eligible Children with Disabilities.” Inquiry 42, 2 (Summer 2005): 145-159.

Rogers, Jackie B., Malachy Bishop, and Ralph M. Crystal. “Predicting Rehabilitation Outcome for Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disability Income Recipients: Implications for Consideration with the Ticket to Work Program.” Journal of Rehabilitation 71, 3 (July/August/September 2005): 5-

10.

Romig, Kathleen. Social Security Reform: Possible Effects on the Elderly Poor and Mitigation Options.

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Payments on Substance Abuse in a Homeless Mentally Ill Cohort.” Health Services Research 41, 1 (February 2006) 173-191.

Rosen, Marc I., Thomas J. McMahon, and Robert A. Rosenheck. “Homeless People Whose Self-Reported

SSI/DI Status Is Inconsistent with Social Security Administration Record.” Social Security Bulletin 67, 1

(2007): 53-62.

Rudbeck, Jason. “Paying Attention to Welfare: Supplemental Security Income, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and the Incentives of Parents.” Ph.D. diss., Clemson University, 2006.

Rupp, Kalman. “Factors Affecting Initial Disability Allowance Rates for the Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income Programs: The Role of the Demographic and Diagnostic Composition of

Applicants and Local Labor Market Conditions.” Social Security Bulletin 72, 4 (2012): 11-36.

Rupp, Kalman and Paul S. Davies. “A Long-Term View of Health Status, Disabilities, Mortality, and Participation in the DI and SSI Disability Programs.” In Research in Labor Economics, Accounting for

Worker Well-Being, Volume 23, edited by Solomon W. Polachek. Amsterdam: Elsevier, JAI Press, 2004.
2014 SSI Annual Report 137

Bibliography of Recent Publications

Rupp, Kalman, Paul S. Davies, Chad Newcomb, Howard Iams, Carrie Becker, Shanti Mulpuru, Stephen

Ressler, Kathleen Romig, and Baylor Miller. “A Profile of Children with Disabilities Receiving SSI Benefits: Highlights from the National Survey of SSI Children and Families.” Social Security Bulletin 66, 2

(2005/2006): 21-36.

Rupp, Kalman, Paul S. Davies, and Alexander Strand. “Disability Benefit Coverage and Program Interactions in the Working-Age Population.” Social Security Bulletin 68, 1 (2008): 1-30.

Rupp, Kalman and Steve Ressler. “Family Caregiving and Employment Among Parents of Children with

Disabilities on SSI.” Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation 30, 3 (2009): 153-175.

Rupp, Kalman and Gerald F. Riley. “Longitudinal Patterns of Medicaid and Medicare Coverage Among

Disability Cash Benefits Awardees.” Social Security Bulletin 72, 3 (2012): 19-35.

________. “Longitudinal Patterns of Participation in the Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income Programs for People With Disabilities.” Social Security Bulletin 71, 2 (2011): 25-

51.

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Income and Program Participation Simulation.” Social Security Bulletin 63, 3 (2000): 13-25.

Rupp, Kalman, Alexander Strand, Paul S. Davies, and James Sears. “Benefit Adequacy Among Elderly

Social Security Retired Worker Beneficiaries and the SSI Federal Benefit Rate.” Social Security Bulletin

67, 3 (2007): 29-52.

Schimmel, Jody. New Evidence on the Role of Provider Business Model in the Economic Viability of

Employment Networks in Ticket to Work. Center for Studying Disability Policy Issue Brief Number 13-04.

Princeton, NJ: Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., July 2013.

Schimmel, Jody. Regulatory Changes and the Recession: How Did They Affect Ticket to Work Participants' Employment Efforts. Center for Studying Disability Policy Issue Brief Number 13-03. Princeton,

NJ: Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., July 2013.

Schimmel, Jody, Su Liu, and Sarah Croake. “Employment Experiences of Young Medicaid Buy-In Participants with Psychiatric Disabilities” Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 2012 Winter, 259-64.

Schimmel, Jody, Bonnie O'Day, and Allison Roche. “The Work Incentives Planning and Assistance Program: Promoting Employment Among Social Security Disability Beneficiaries.” Center for Studying Disability Policy Issue Brief Number 11-05. Princeton, NJ: Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., January 2012.

Schimmel, Jody, Bonnie O'Day, Allison Roche, Gina Livermore, and Dominic Harris. Evaluation of the

Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) Program: Beneficiaries Served, Services Provided, and

Program Costs. Final Report. Report prepared for the Social Security Administration, September 2010.

Schimmel, Jody, Allison Roche, and Gina Livermore. Evaluation of the Recent Experience of the Work

Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) Program: Beneficiaries Served, Services Provided, and Program Costs. Final Report. Report prepared for the Social Security Administration, September 2011.

Schimmel, Jody and David C. Stapleton. “Disability Benefits Suspended or Terminated Because of Work.”

Social Security Bulletin 71, 3 (2011): 83-103.
Research on Related Topics

138 2014 SSI Annual Report

Schimmel, Jody and David C. Stapleton. “How Many Disability Beneficiaries Forgo Cash Benefits

Because of Work? Evidence From a New Measure.” Center for Studying Disability Policy Issue Brief

Number 12-03. Princeton, NJ: Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., February 2012.

Schmidt, Lucie. “The Supplemental Security Income Program and Welfare Reform.” Public Policy Discussion Paper 12-3, Boston, MA: Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, May 2012.

________. “Supplemental Security Income, Welfare Reform, and the Recession.” Communities & Banking 24, 3 (2013): 20-21.

Sears, James. “Comparing Beneficiaries of the Medicare Savings Programs with Eligible Nonparticipants.” Social Security Bulletin 64, 3 (2001/2002): 76-80.

Skemer, Melanie and Brian Bayes. Examining the Interaction Between Welfare and Disability: Lessons

from an In-Depth Data Analysis, OPRE Report 2013-49, Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research,

and Evaluation; Administration for Children and Families; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, December 2013.

Smith-Kaprosy, Nolan, Patricia P. Martin, and Kevin Whitman. “An Overview of American Indians and

Alaskan Natives in the Context of Social Security and Supplemental Security Income.” Social Security

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Soss, Joe and Lael R. Keiser. The Political Roots of Disability Claims: How State Environments and Policies Shape Citizen Demand. Institute for Research on Poverty Discussion Paper No. 1292-05, January

2005.

Stapleton, David, Burt Barnow, Kevin Coleman, Kimberly Dietrich, Jeff Furman, and Gilbert Lo. Labor

Market Conditions, Socioeconomic Factors, and the Growth of Applications and Awards for SSDI and SSI

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Administration, May 23, 1995.

Stapleton, David, Cindy Gruman, and Sarah Prenovitz. “Participation in Ticket to Work Continues to

Grow but Assignments Under the Traditional Payment System Still Dominate.” Work Activity and Use of

Employment Supports Under the Original Ticket to Work Regulations Report No. 3. Washington, DC:

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________. “Participation in Ticket to Work Continues to Grow but Assignments Under the Traditional

Payment System Still Dominate.” Evaluation of the Ticket to Work Program, Report 5: Work Activity and

Use of Employment Supports Under the Original Ticket to Work Regulations Washington, DC: Mathematica Policy Research, 2011.

Stapleton, David C., Gina Livermore, Craig Thornton, Bonnie O’Day, Robert Weathers, Krista Harrison,

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Security Programs, Social Security Administration, September 2008.

Stapleton, David, Gina Livermore, Andrea Zeuschner, Jeffery Furman, Kimberly Dietrich, and Gilbert Lo.

Impairment Trends in the Growth of Applications and Awards for SSA Disability Benefits, final report and

appendix prepared under contract to the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation,

Department of Health and Human Services and the Social Security Administration, May 24, 1995.
2014 SSI Annual Report 139

Bibliography of Recent Publications

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Working Paper No. 2012-269. University of Michigan Retirement Research Center, September 2012.

Stapleton, David, Jody Schimmel, and Miriam Loewenberg. “Time that Beneficiaries Spend Off the Rolls

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Strand, Alexander and Kalman Rupp. “Disabled Workers and the Indexing of Social Security Benefits.”

Social Security Bulletin 67, 4 (2007): 21-50. 

Sweeney, Eileen P. and Shawn Fremstad. Supplemental Security Income: Supporting People with Disabilities and the Elderly Poor. Washington, DC: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, August 2005.

Szymendera, Scott. CRS Issue Statement on Disability Benefits. Washington, DC: Library of Congress,

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________. Potential Effect of Marriage on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Eligibility and Benefits.

Washington, DC: Library of Congress, Congressional Research Service Report No. RL33675, January

2008.

________. Social Security Administration: Suspension of Benefits for Fugitive Felons. Washington, DC:

Library of Congress, Congressional Research Service Report No. RS22355, December 2005.

________. Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI): Proposed

Changes to the Disability Determination and Appeals Processes. Washington, DC: Library of Congress,

Congressional Research Service Report No. RL33179, April 2006.

Szymendera, Scott and Carol D. Davis. Supplemental Security Income (SSI): Benefit Changes for California Residents, 2006 and 2007. Washington, DC: Library of Congress, Congressional Research Service

Report No. RS22365, January 2006.

Thornton, Craig. Can the Ticket to Work Program Be Self-Financing? Final Report. Report prepared for

the Social Security Administration, April 2012.

Thornton, Craig, Thomas Fraker, Gina Livermore, David Stapleton, Bonnie O’Day, Tim Silva, Emily

Sama Martin, John Kregel, and Debra Wright. Evaluation of the Ticket to Work Program: Implementation

Experience During the Second Two Years of Operation (2003-2004). Report prepared for the Social Security Administration, January 2006. 

Thornton, Craig, Gina Livermore, Thomas Fraker, David Stapleton, Bonnie O’Day, David Wittenburg,

Robert Weathers, Nanette Goodman, Tim Silva, Emily Sama Martin, Jesse Gregory, Debra Wright, and

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Early Impacts. Report prepared under contract to the Office of Disability and Income Security Programs,

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Research on Related Topics

140 2014 SSI Annual Report

Trenkamp, Brad and Michael Wiseman. “The Food Stamp Program and Supplemental Security Income.”

Social Security Bulletin 67, 4 (2007): 71-87.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being, No.

12 Estimates of Supplemental Security Income Eligibility for Children in Out-of-Home Placements.

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U.S. Government Accountability Office. Highlights of a Forum: Actions that Could Increase Work Participation for Adults with Disabilities. GAO-10-812SP, 2010.

________. Modernizing SSA Disability Programs: Preliminary Observations on Updates of Medical and

Occupational Criteria. GAO-12-511T, 2012.

________. Modernizing SSA Disability Programs: Progress Made, but Key Efforts Warrant More Management Focus. GAO-12-420, 2012.

________. Social Security Disability: Management of Disability Claims Workload Will Require Comprehensive Planning. Testimony Before the Subcommittees on Social Security and Income Security and Family Support, Committee on Ways and Means, House of Representatives, GAO-10-667T, 2010.

________. Social Security Reform: Raising the Retirement Ages Would Have Implications for Older Workers and SSA Disability Rolls. Report to the Chairman, Special Committee on Aging, U.S. Senate, GAO11-125, 2010.

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2012.

________. SSA Disability Representatives: Fee Payment Changes Show Promise, but Eligibility Criteria

and Representative Overpayments Require Further Monitoring. Report to Congressional Committees,

GAO-08-5, 2007.

________. SSA Has Taken Steps to Prevent and Detect Overpayments, but Additional Actions Could be

Taken to Improve Oversight. GAO-13-109, 2012.

________. Students with Disabilities: Better Federal Coordination Could Lessen Challenges in the Transition from High School. GAO-12-594, 2012.

________. Supplemental Security Income: Better Management Oversight Needed for Children's Benefits.

GAO-12-497, 2012.

________. Ticket to Work Participation Has Increased, but Additional Oversight Needed. GAO-11-324,

2011.

________. Work Activity Indicates Certain Social Security Disability Insurance Payments Were Potentially Improper. GAO-13-635, 2013.

U.S. Social Security Administration. Annual Statistical Supplement to the Social Security Bulletin. SSA

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Research, Evaluation, and Statistics.
2014 SSI Annual Report 141

Bibliography of Recent Publications

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________. Trends in the Social Security and Supplemental Security Income Disability Programs. SSA

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Wamhoff, Steve and Michael Wiseman. “The TANF/SSI Connection.” Social Security Bulletin 66, 4

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Weathers, Robert R. II., Gerard Walter, Sara Schley, John Hennessey, Jeffrey Hemmeter, and Richard V.

Burkhauser. “How Postsecondary Education Improves Adult Outcomes for Supplemental Security Income

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Weaver, Robert D. and Ruthanne L. Hackman. “A New Era for Legal Immigrants?: Rethinking Title IV of

the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act.” Journal of Policy Practice 8, 1

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Wiseman, Michael. Supplemental Security Income for the Second Decade. Prepared for the Conference

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Wiseman, Michael and Martynas Ycas. “The Canadian Safety Net for the Elderly.” Social Security Bulletin 68, 2 (2008): 53-67.

Wittenburg, David and Pamela J. Loprest. “Early Transition Experiences of Transition-Age Child SSI

Recipients: New Evidence from the National Survey of Children and Families.” Journal of Disability Policy Studies 18, 3 (2007): 176-187. 

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Wixon, Bernard and Alexander Strand. Identifying SSA's Sequential Disability Determination Steps Using

Administrative Data, Research and Statistics Note 2013-01, Social Security Administration, June 2013.

Wright, Debra, Gina Livermore, Denise Hoffman, Eric Grau, and Maura Bardos. 2010 National Beneficiary Survey: Methodology and Descriptive Statistics. Final Report. Report prepared for the Social Security Administration, April 2012.
Glossary

142 2014 SSI Annual Report

H. GLOSSARY

Administrative Expenses (or Costs). Expenses incurred by the Social Security Administration (SSA) in

administering the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. The Department of the Treasury (Treasury) initially pays such administrative expenses from the Old-Age and Survivors, Insurance and Disability Insurance Trust Funds as provided in section 201(g)(1) of the Social Security Act (Act). Treasury

subsequently reimburses the trust funds for such expenditures, including any interest lost, from the General Fund of the Treasury.

Affidavit of Support. A contract under which a United States citizen or legal resident agrees to provide

support to maintain (i.e., to sponsor) an immigrant as a condition of the immigrant’s admission into the

United States.

Aged. Individuals aged 65 or older.

Aid—Old-Age Assistance (OAA), Aid to the Blind (AB), and Aid to the Permanently and Totally

Disabled (APTD). The former Federal-State programs of adult cash assistance under titles I, X, and XVI

respectively. The SSI program replaced these programs in the 50 States and the District of Columbia in

1974. The United States Department of Health and Human Services administers these programs in Guam,

the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.

Alien Lawfully Admitted for Permanent Residence. A noncitizen lawfully accorded the privilege of

residing permanently in the United States. Such individuals may obtain immigrant visas overseas from the

Department of State or be adjusted to permanent resident status while living in the United States by the

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

Appeal Rights Process. Includes administrative appeals and judicial review. The administrative review

process followed by SSA in determining an individual’s rights under the Act typically consists of several

steps: (1) reconsideration; (2) hearings; and (3) Appeals Council review. Individuals dissatisfied with the

outcome of the administrative review process may request judicial review by filing a complaint in the U.S.

District Court. Each step in the process must be requested within certain time periods. SSA introduced a

modification of this process in 10 States for disability applications filed October 1, 1999 and later. Under

this revised process, claimants file appeals of initial disability denials directly with the Office of Disability

Adjudication and Review, thereby eliminating the reconsideration step. The options for appeal beyond the

hearing level are unchanged. 

Assistance Based on Need. Assistance provided by certain programs which use income as a factor of eligibility. The assistance must be funded wholly by a State, a political subdivision of a State, or a combination of such jurisdictions.

Assumptions. Values relating to future trends in certain key factors that affect the eligibility for SSI benefits and the level of such SSI payments. Demographic assumptions include fertility, mortality, net immigration, marriage, and divorce. Economic assumptions include unemployment rates, average earnings,

inflation, interest rates, and productivity. Program-specific assumptions include rates of application for

and new receipt of various SSI benefits and rates of termination of SSI benefits. The assumptions underlying the projections presented in this report are consistent with the intermediate assumptions of the 2014

Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) Trustees Report.

Asylee. A noncitizen already in the United States or at a port of entry who is granted asylum in the United

States. Asylum may be granted to an individual who is unable or unwilling to return to his or her country

of nationality or to seek the protection of that country because of persecution (or a well-founded fear of

persecution) based on the noncitizen’s race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group,

or political opinion.
2014 SSI Annual Report 143

Glossary

Attendant Care Services. Services (including personal care assistance) paid for from Federal, State or

local funds and provided by a paid attendant required to assist with work-related or personal functions. 

Automatic Cost-of-Living Increase. The annual increase in SSI Federal benefit rates (FBR), effective for

January of the current year, which reflects the change in the cost of living. In general, the benefit increase

equals the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers

(CPI-W) measured from the third quarter of the previous year to the third quarter of the current year. If

there is no increase in the CPI-W, there is no cost-of-living benefit increase.

Award. An administrative determination that an individual is eligible for an SSI benefit.

Blind. For purposes of the SSI program, the law considers an individual to be blind if he or she has 20/

200 or less vision in the better eye with the use of a correcting lens, has tunnel vision of 20 degrees or less,

or met the October 1972 State definition of blindness and received benefits under the State’s former program of Aid to the Blind in December 1973.

Blind Work Expenses (BWE). Any expenses incurred by a blind individual that are reasonably attributable to earning income. The BWE provision permits the exclusion of these expenses from the earned

income of a blind individual. (See “Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE)” for the related exclusions for disabled individuals.)

Burial Funds. A comprehensive term that for SSI purposes includes revocable burial contracts, trusts and

other burial arrangements (including amounts paid on installment sales contracts for burial spaces), cash,

accounts, or other financial instruments with a definite cash value clearly designated for the individual’s

burial expenses.

Child. A blind or disabled individual who is neither married nor the head of household and who is: (1)

under age 18; or (2) under the age of 22 and a student regularly attending a school, college or university, or

a course of vocational or technical training designed to prepare him or her for gainful employment. A

child 18 or older is subject to the adult definition of disability and is not subject to parental deeming. 

Comparable Severity. The phrase in the Act that defined disability for children prior to the Personal

Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-193). Under prior law,

an individual under age 18 would have been considered disabled if he or she had an impairment of comparable severity to one that would disable an adult. 

CPI-Indexed Dollars. Dollar amounts adjusted by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to the value of the

dollar in a particular year.

Consumer Price Index (CPI). An official measure of inflation in consumer prices. In this report, all references to the CPI relate to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers

(CPI-W). The Bureau of Labor Statistics, Department of Labor, publishes historical values for the CPI-W.

Continuing Disability Review (CDR). An evaluation of an individual’s impairment(s) to determine

whether the person is still disabled within the meaning of the law for purposes of eligibility for SSI and

OASDI benefits.

Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA). See “Automatic Cost-of-Living Increase.”

Countable Income. An individual’s income less all applicable exclusions. This amount is an important

factor in SSI eligibility and payment amount determination.

Countable Resources. The amount of resources after all exclusions. This amount is an important factor in

an individual’s or couple’s SSI eligibility determination. A resource may be cash or other liquid assets or

any real or personal property that an individual (or his or her spouse) owns and could convert to cash to be

used for support and maintenance. Title XVI stipulates what items are to be excluded from resources. 
Glossary

144 2014 SSI Annual Report

Current Dollars. Amounts expressed in nominal dollars with no adjustment for inflationary changes in

the value of the dollar over time.

Current-Payment Status. Status of an SSI recipient when we pay a benefit to that person for a given

month. SSI benefits for a month are usually payable on the first day of that month.

Dedicated Account. An account in a financial institution established for a disabled or blind child to contain retroactive SSI payments that exceed six times the FBR plus State supplementation (certain smaller

retroactive payments may be placed in the account once it is established). Representative payees may only

use dedicated account funds for the following allowable expenses: 

 • Education or job skills training;

 • Personal needs assistance;

 • Special equipment or housing modifications;

 • Medical treatment;

 • Therapy or rehabilitation; or

 • Other items or services that the Commissioner deems appropriate—

provided that the expense benefits the child and, in the case of the last five items, is related to the child’s

impairment. A representative payee must repay money from a dedicated account that is knowingly spent

on items or services that are not allowable. We exclude these accounts from resources and the interest

earned is excluded from income.

Deeming. The process by which we consider the income and resources of an ineligible individual to be

available to a recipient when determining eligibility or payment amount. Deeming applies only between:

 • The living-with ineligible spouse and the eligible spouse;

 • The living-with ineligible parent(s) and eligible child(ren) under age 18; and

 • The immigration sponsors of some noncitizens and the noncitizen(s).

Demographic Assumptions. See “Assumptions.”

Direct Express® Debit Card. Direct Express® is a low-cost prepaid debit card program sponsored by

Treasury that is available to OASDI and SSI beneficiaries through Comerica Bank. Beneficiaries can

access their OASDI and SSI benefits by making purchases, paying bills, and getting cash at thousands of

Automatic Teller Machines (ATM) and retail locations using the Direct Express® debit card.

Disability. For individuals aged 18 or older, the inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity by

reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in

death or that has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of at least 12 months. An individual under age 18 must have a medically determinable physical or mental impairment that results in marked

and severe functional limitations and that can be expected to result in death or that has lasted or can be

expected to last for a continuous period of at least 12 months. 

Disability Determination Services (DDS). Federally funded State agencies that make disability determinations for SSA.
2014 SSI Annual Report 145

Glossary

Disaster Assistance. Assistance from Federal programs and agencies, joint Federal and State programs,

State or local government programs, and private organizations (e.g., the Red Cross) provided to victims of

a Presidentially declared disaster.

Disposal of Resources for Less Than Fair Market Value. Transferring resources, either liquid, real, or

personal property, for less than the resources are worth.

Earned Income. For SSI purposes, we consider wages, net earnings from self-employment, remuneration

for work in a sheltered workshop, royalties on published work, and honoraria for services rendered to be

earned income. The distinction between earned and unearned income is significant because we apply more

generous exclusions to earned income.

Earned Income Exclusion. The first $65 of a recipient’s monthly earnings and one-half of the earnings in

excess of $65 are excluded in computing an SSI benefit.

Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). A special tax credit that reduces the Federal tax liability of certain

low-income working taxpayers. This tax credit may or may not result in a payment to the taxpayer.

Economic Assumptions. See “Assumptions.”

Effective Date of Application. An application for SSI benefits is effective on the first day of the month

following the date on which the application is filed, or on which the individual first becomes eligible,

whichever is later. 

Electronic Transfer Account (ETA). A low-cost account, available at participating financial institutions,

for recipients of certain Federal payments. Once a recipient opens an ETA, his or her Federal payment will

be directly deposited into that account.

Eligible Couple. Two persons married and living together in the same household or living together as

married, both being aged, blind, or disabled and meeting all qualifications, including filing an application

for SSI.

Eligible Individual. An aged, blind or disabled person who meets all the requirements for eligibility

under the SSI program, including filing an application.

Emergency Advance Payments (EAP). Special SSI payments of up to 1 month of SSI benefits that are

available only at the time of initial application to those individuals who present strong evidence that they:

(1) qualify for an SSI payment in the current or following month by meeting the qualifications for SSI eligibility (age, disability, blindness, citizenship or alien status as applicable); and (2) face a financial emergency due to insufficient income or resources to meet an immediate need for food, clothing, shelter or

medical care. We recover from subsequent benefit payments the amount of the EAP an individual

receives. If an individual who receives an EAP is found ineligible for SSI because he or she is not blind or

disabled, the amount of the EAP is waived; if the individual is found ineligible for other reasons, we treat

the amount of the EAP as an overpayment. 

Essential Person. An individual whose presence in the home of an SSI recipient who was transferred

from a State assistance program to SSI in January 1974 results in an increase in the FBR of the SSI recipient. The essential person must have been: (1) living in the household of the SSI recipient in December

1973 and continuously thereafter; (2) never eligible for SSI; (3) not eligible for State assistance in December 1973; and (4) taken into account when the SSI recipient’s need for State assistance was determined in

December 1973.

Federal Benefit Rate (FBR). The standard used in computing the amount of Federal SSI benefits for

individuals and couples. The FBRs increase annually to reflect increases in the cost of living. (See table

IV.A2.)
Glossary

146 2014 SSI Annual Report

Fiscal Year. The accounting year of the U.S. Government Since 1976, a fiscal year is the 12-month period

ending September 30. For example, fiscal year 2014 began October 1, 2013 and will end September 30,

2014.

Food Stamps. See “Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).”

General Fund of the Treasury. Funds held by the Treasury of the United States, other than receipts collected for a specific purpose (such as Social Security) and maintained in a separate account for that purpose.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The total dollar value of all goods and services produced by labor and

property located in the United States, regardless of who supplies the labor or property. 

Home Energy Assistance. A Federal Government block grant program that provides funds to States for

energy assistance (including weatherization) to low-income households. This assistance may be provided

by a variety of agencies (e.g., State or local welfare offices, community action agencies, special energy

offices, etc.) and may be known by a variety of names (e.g., Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, Project Safe, etc.).

Household. A group of two or more individuals who use a single dwelling unit separate from other individuals’ living units as their primary quarters for living and eating.

Household of Another. We consider an individual to be living in the household of another when the individual lives with others, does not own or rent the shelter, and does not pay a pro rata share of the household’s food and shelter expenses. We do not consider an individual who provides all of his or her own

food, or lives in a public assistance household or in noninstitutional care, to be living in the household of

another. We consider an individual who is determined to be living in the household of another to be receiving in-kind support and maintenance from that household, and we reduce his or her SSI benefit by onethird of the FBR. 

Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE). The provision that permits the exclusion from earnings

of the costs of items and services needed in order for a disabled individual to work, paid for by the individual, and necessarily incurred by that individual because of a physical or mental impairment. We exclude

these IRWEs from earnings when determining substantial gainful activity (SGA) or computing eligibility

and ongoing SSI monthly payments. (See “Blind Work Expenses (BWE)” for the related exclusions for

blind individuals.)

Income. See “Earned Income,” “In-Kind Income”, and “Unearned Income.”

Individual Development Account (IDA). A savings account that low-income individuals, including SSI

recipients, may establish in order to save for purchasing a first home, meeting the costs of post-secondary

education, or capitalizing a business. An individual's deposits into an IDA receive matching funds by a

sponsoring nonprofit organization, or State or local government participating in the program.

Ineligible Spouse. The husband or wife of an eligible individual who is not eligible for SSI benefits.

Inflation. An increase in the volume of money and credit relative to available goods, which results in an

increase in the general price level.
2014 SSI Annual Report 147

Glossary

Infrequent or Irregular Income. Income received either infrequently or irregularly that we can exclude

from the determination of an individual’s income. Infrequent income1 is income an individual has not

received more than once in a calendar quarter from a single source.2 Irregular income is income that an

individual could not reasonably expect to receive. In any given quarter, we exclude up to $30 of earned

(infrequent or irregular) and $60 of unearned (infrequent or irregular) income.

Initial Determination. A determination SSA makes about an individual’s eligibility for benefits or about

any other matter that gives that person a right to further administrative or judicial review.

In-Kind Income. Income that is not cash, but is food or shelter or something an individual can use to

obtain food, shelter, or both.

In-Kind Support and Maintenance (ISM). Unearned income in the form of food, shelter, or both.

Interim Assistance Reimbursement (IAR). The process used to reimburse a State for basic assistance

provided by the State to a claimant either while the claimant’s application for SSI was pending or during

the period in which the claimant’s SSI benefits were suspended. SSA may reimburse a State from the

claimant’s retroactive SSI payment if: (1) the State has an agreement with SSA to participate in IAR; 

(2) the claimant has given SSA written authorization to reimburse the State from the retroactive payments;

and (3) we find the claimant eligible for SSI benefits or for reinstatement of his or her benefits for the

same period of suspense. 

Living With. A required condition for parent-to-child and spouse-to-spouse deeming. Deeming of income

and resources occurs if an eligible child lives with his or her ineligible parent(s) or an eligible individual

lives with his or her ineligible spouse. 

Maintenance-of-Effort. See “Passalong.”

Mandatory State Supplementation. See “State Supplementation.”

Means-Testing. The measuring of income and resources against specified amounts as eligibility factors

for certain assistance benefits. SSI is a means-tested benefit program.

Medicaid. The program authorized under title XIX of the Act, which provides medical assistance to certain low-income individuals and families and certain disabled and medically needy individuals. Medicaid

is administered by the States with support from the Federal Government in the form of matching grants.

The Federal Government provides guidelines to the States for formulating their programs. As a result of

the flexibility of these guidelines, Medicaid programs vary widely among the States.

Medicaid Facility. A medical treatment facility such as a hospital, extended care facility, nursing home,

or intermediate care facility, where Medicaid pays more than 50 percent of the cost of a person’s care.

Medical Treatment Facility. An institution or that part of an institution licensed or otherwise approved

by a Federal, State, or local government to provide inpatient medical care and services.

Medicare. A nationwide, federally administered health insurance program authorized in 1965 under

title XVIII of the Act to cover the cost of hospitalization, medical care, and some related services for most

people age 65 and over. In 1972, lawmakers extended coverage to people receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) payments for 2 years and people with End-Stage Renal Disease. Effective July

2001, people with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis became Medicare-eligible during their first 24 months of

receiving SSDI payments. In 2010, people exposed to environmental health hazards within areas under a

1 We modified the definition of infrequent income in final rules published on August 9, 2006 (71 FR 45375). Previously, we defined infrequent income as

income not received more than once a quarter from a single source.

2 Also, infrequent income is income that an individual has not received in two consecutive months, regardless of whether these payments occur in different

calendar quarters.
Glossary

148 2014 SSI Annual Report

corresponding emergency declaration became Medicare eligible. Traditional Medicare consists of two separate but coordinated programs; Hospital Insurance (HI, also known as Part A) and Supplementary Medical Insurance (SMI, also known as Part B). HI helps pay for inpatient hospital care, inpatient skilled

nursing care, and hospice care. SMI helps pay for doctors’ services and other medical expenses, and supplies not covered by HI. In 2006, prescription drug coverage (also known as Part D) was added. Almost all

persons who are aged 65 and over or disabled and who are entitled to Part A are eligible to enroll in Part B

and Part D on a voluntary basis by paying monthly premiums.

New Recipient. An SSI recipient in the first month of SSI payment receipt.

Noncitizen. An individual who is not a U.S. citizen. Also referred to in welfare and immigration law as an

alien. (See “Alien Lawfully Admitted for Permanent Residence,” “Asylee,” “Parolee,” and “Refugee.”)

Nonqualified Alien. A noncitizen who is not in a qualified alien category for SSI eligibility purposes. 

Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI). The programs established under title II of the

Act.

One-Third Reduction. The reduction of an individual’s SSI payment that occurs when an individual is

living in the household of another. Instead of determining the actual dollar value of in-kind support and

maintenance, we count one-third of the FBR as additional income to an individual living in another person’s household for a full calendar month and receiving both food and shelter from the household.

Optional State Supplementation. See “State Supplementation.”

Overpayment. The payment of more than the amount due for any period, including any amounts of federally administered State supplementation payments.

Parent. For SSI purposes, the natural mother or father of the child, or the person who legally adopted the

child, or the stepparent who lives in the same household as the child.

Parolee. A noncitizen who appears to be inadmissible to the inspecting U.S. Citizenship and Immigration

Services (USCIS) officer but is allowed to enter the United States because of emergency humanitarian

conditions or the noncitizen’s entry is determined to be in the public interest. Parole does not constitute a

formal admission to the United States and confers temporary admission status only, requiring parolees to

leave when the conditions supporting their parole cease to exist.

Passalong.A requirement that States must meet in order to be eligible for Medicaid reimbursement. Any

State making supplementary payments (see “State Supplementation”) after June 30, 1977, must continue

making such payments and must pass along any cost-of-living increase to the FBR. Two methods are

available to ensure that cost-of-living increases are passed on to the recipients.

 • Payment Levels Method—States may not lower their supplementary payment for any of the living

arrangement categories below their adjusted March 1983 levels. The adjusted level is the State’s

March 1983 payment level minus that portion of the July 1983 increase in the FBR that was not attributable to the increase in the cost of living (i.e., $10.30 per individual and $15.40 per couple).

 • Total Expenditures Method—State expenditures for supplementary payments in the current calendar

year must at least equal expenditures in the preceding calendar year. If expenditures are less in the

current year (shortfall), the State must increase expenditures in the next calendar year by an amount at

least equal to the shortfall.

Past-Due Benefits. The total amount of SSI payments accumulated because of a favorable administrative

or judicial determination or decision, up to but not including the month the determination is made and

excluding any corresponding windfall offset amounts.
2014 SSI Annual Report 149

Glossary

Personal Needs Allowance. The amount allowed for an institutionalized recipient’s personal needs (currently $30). If an SSI recipient is in a Medicaid facility, the law requires that the SSI benefit be used only

for the recipient’s personal needs (i.e., that the institution cannot retain the benefit in repayment of the cost

of the individual’s care).

Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS). A plan that permits a disabled or blind SSI recipient to set aside

income (earned or unearned) or resources for a work goal. The income and resources set aside under a

PASS are used to pay for goods or services needed to reach that goal, such as education, vocational training, starting a business, or purchasing work-related equipment. We exclude income and resources set aside

under a PASS from SSI income and resources. SSA must approve an individual’s PASS.

Presumptive Disability or Blindness. A finding that SSI payments may be made before SSA makes a

formal determination as to whether or not the individual is disabled or blind. The individual’s impairment

must be apparent and meet specified criteria. In addition, the individual must meet all other requirements

for eligibility. These payments may be made for no more than 6 months. The presumptive payments will

not be considered overpayments if SSA later finds that the individual is not blind or disabled.

Property Essential to Self-Support. The real and personal property used in a trade or business, nonbusiness income-producing property and property used to produce goods or services essential to the individual’s daily activities. We may exclude property essential to self-support from resources under certain

conditions.

Proration of Benefits. The method of computing payment amounts in months in which the individual

reacquires eligibility after a month or more of ineligibility. In such months, we will pay an individual’s SSI

benefit according to the number of days in the month that he or she is eligible, beginning with the first day

in the month on which he or she meets all eligibility requirements. In order to determine the benefit payable in a prorated month SSA counts the number of days an individual is eligible in the month. We then

multiply the amount of the individual’s regular monthly payment by the number of days for which he or

she is eligible for benefits. Finally, we divide that figure by the number of days in the month for which the

benefit is being determined. The resulting amount is the amount due for the prorated month. The statute

eliminated proration for months of initial eligibility for all claims filed August 22, 1996 and later.

Public Emergency Shelter for the Homeless. A shelter for homeless individuals that provides food, a

place to sleep, and some services.

Public Institution. An institution operated by or controlled by the Federal Government, a State, or a political subdivision of a State, such as a city or county. 

Publicly Operated Community Residence. A facility that provides food and shelter and some other service such as social services, help with personal living activities, training in socialization and life skills, or

occasional or incidental medical or remedial care. In order to be publicly operated, it must be operated or

controlled by the Federal Government, a State, or a political subdivision of a State, such as a city or

county. The facility must serve no more than 16 residents and must be located in a community setting.

Qualified Alien. An individual who is:

 • Lawfully admitted for permanent residence under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA);

 • A refugee under section 207 of the INA;

 • An asylee under section 208 of the INA;

 • A person whose deportation is withheld under section 243(h) of the INA as in effect prior to April 1,

1997, or whose removal has been withheld under section 241(b)(3) of the INA;
Glossary

150 2014 SSI Annual Report

 • A parolee under section 212(d)(5) of the INA for at least 1 year;

 • A person granted conditional entry under section 203(a)(7) of the INA as in effect prior to

April 1, 1980;

 • A Cuban or Haitian entrant as defined by Federal statute, including section 501(e) of the Refugee

Education Assistance Act of 1980;

 — Former parolees and other aliens who became permanent residents under the Cuban Adjustment

Act of 1966;

 — Aliens who became permanent residents under the provisions of the Immigration Reform and

Control Act of 1986;

 — Aliens who became permanent residents under the Nicaraguan and Central American Relief Act;

or

 — Aliens who became permanent residents under the Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act;

or

 • A certain alien, or an alien parent of a child, or an alien child of a parent who:

 — Has been battered or subjected to extreme cruelty in the United States by a spouse, parent, or certain other family members the alien, parent, or child lived with;

 — Is not living in the same household with the abusive individual;

 — Has been determined to need SSI because of this abuse; and

 — Has a determination from the USCIS for a certain change in status.

Qualifying Quarter of Earnings. Credit for a requisite amount of earnings assigned to a calendar quarter

for the purpose of determining the SSI eligibility of a lawfully admitted permanent resident.

Quarter of Coverage. The crediting of coverage needed for insured status under the Social Security program. In 2014, a worker receives one quarter of coverage (up to four a year) for each $1,200 of annual

earnings reported from employment or self-employment. The amount of earnings required for a quarter of

coverage is subject to annual automatic increases in proportion to increases in average wages.

Recipient. A person who is receiving SSI payments based on an evaluation of his or her countable income

and resources, age, and disability status.

Reconsideration. The first step in the administrative review process if an individual is dissatisfied with

SSA’s initial determination, unless it is 1 of 10 States that has eliminated reconsideration. See “Appeal

Rights Process.”

Redetermination. A periodic review of eligibility for SSI recipients to ensure that non-medical requirements for eligibility continue to be met and that payment levels are in the proper amount. During redeterminations we review income, resources, living arrangements and other factors. Redeterminations at age 18

also include an assessment to determine if an SSI recipient meets the adult standard of disability.

Refugee. A noncitizen outside of his or her country of nationality who is unable or unwilling to return to

his or her country of nationality or to seek the protection of that country because of persecution (or a wellfounded fear of persecution) based on the noncitizen’s race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion. Unlike asylees, refugees apply for and receive this status prior to

entry into the United States.
2014 SSI Annual Report 151

Glossary

Relocation Assistance. A type of assistance provided to persons displaced by projects that acquire real

property. Examples of types of reimbursement, allowances, and help provided are:

 • Moving expenses;

 • Reimbursement for losses of tangible property;

 • Displacement allowances;

 • Amounts required to replace a dwelling that exceed the agency’s acquisition cost for the prior dwelling;

 • Rental expenses for displaced tenants;

 • Amounts for down payments on replacement housing for tenants who decide to buy;

 • Mortgage insurance through Federal programs with waiver of requirements that borrowers must usually meet; and

 • Replacement housing.

Representative Payee. A person who receives SSI payments on behalf of an SSI recipient. SSA will pay

benefits to a representative payee on behalf of an individual 18 years old or older when it appears that such

method of payment will be in the interest of the individual. A representative payee will be appointed if the

individual is legally incompetent or mentally or physically incapable of managing or directing the management of his or her benefits. Also, in general, if the individual is under age 18, a representative payee

will be appointed. The law and regulations require that a recipient under age 15 have a representative

payee.

Resident of a Public Institution. An individual who can receive substantially all of his or her food and

shelter while living in a public institution is considered a resident of the public institution. Generally, an

individual who is a resident of a public institution throughout a month is ineligible for SSI.

Resident of the United States. A person who has established an actual dwelling place within the geographical limits of the United States with the intent to continue to live in the United States. (See “United

States.”)

Resource. The cash or other liquid assets or any real or personal property of an individual (or his or

her spouse) that he or she could use or could convert to cash to be used for his or her support and maintenance.

Retroactive Payments. The SSI payments made in a month later than the month or months in which they

were due.

Retrospective Monthly Accounting. The calculation method used in the SSI program to determine an

individual’s eligibility for each month. Retrospective monthly accounting has two parts: (1) an eligibility

determination; and (2) a payment computation. If the individual is ineligible based on the current month’s

factors (including the current month’s countable income), no payment is due and we make no payment. If

the individual is eligible based on the current month’s factors, we compute the payment. The benefit for a

month is generally based on the individual’s countable income in the second month prior to the current

month. However, at the start of a period of eligibility or re-eligibility, we determine the amount of benefits

for both the first and second months using the income received in the first month.
Glossary

152 2014 SSI Annual Report

Section 1619(a) Status. The special SSI cash benefits provided to disabled individuals who lose eligibility

for SSI benefits under the regular rules because they have earnings at the level ordinarily considered substantial gainful activity.

Section 1619(b) Status. The special SSI recipient status for Medicaid purposes provided to working disabled or blind individuals when their earnings make them ineligible for regular or special cash payments.

SNAP. See “Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).”

Social Security Act. Provisions of the law governing most operations of the Social Security programs.

The original Act is Public Law 74-271, enacted August 14, 1935. With subsequent amendments, the Act

consists of 21 titles, of which three have been repealed. In particular five titles of the Act authorized the

following programs:

 • Title II of the Act authorized the OASDI program;

 • Title VIII of the Act authorized special benefits for certain World War II veterans;

 • Title XVI of the Act authorized the SSI program;

 • Title XVIII of the Act authorized the Medicare program; and

 • Title XIX of the Act authorized the Medicaid program.

Social Security Area Population. The population comprised of: (1) residents of the 50 States and the

District of Columbia (adjusted for net census undercount); (2) civilian residents of Puerto Rico, the Virgin

Islands, Guam, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands; (3) Federal civilian employees and

persons in the U.S. Armed Forces abroad and their dependents; (4) crew members of merchant vessels;

and (5) all other U.S. citizens abroad.

Sponsor. An individual who has signed an affidavit of support for a noncitizen entering the country.

State Supplementation. The payments made by a State or one of its political subdivisions to aged, blind,

or disabled individuals.

 • Administration—The governmental unit responsible for administering State supplementation payments may be either a State or local agency, or SSA. Under State administration, the State must

absorb both program benefits and administrative costs. Under Federal administration, the State is

responsible for the program benefits and, for fiscal year 2014, pays a $11.32 administrative fee for

each benefit paid according to our website.

 • Mandatory Supplementation—The supplementary payments made only to recipients converted to the

SSI program from former State assistance programs at the inception of the SSI program. The law

requires mandatory minimum State supplementation payments to maintain the December 1972 payment levels that these recipients received under the former State assistance programs. The law also

requires States to provide the supplementation to maintain their Federal matching funds for Medicaid.

 • Optional Supplementation—The payments made by States to help persons meet needs not fully covered by Federal SSI benefits. The State determines whether it will make a payment, to whom, and in

what amount. These supplements, paid on a regular basis, are intended to cover such items as food,

shelter, clothing, utilities, and other daily necessities. Some States provide optional supplementary

payments to all persons eligible for SSI benefits, while others may limit them to certain SSI recipients

such as the blind or residents of domiciliary-care facilities, or they may extend payments to persons

ineligible for SSI because of SSI income.

Statutory Blindness. See “Blind.”
2014 SSI Annual Report 153

Glossary

Student. An individual who is regularly attending a school, college or university, or a course of vocational

or technical training designed to prepare him or her for gainful employment.

Student Earned Income Exclusion (SEIE). An earned income exclusion for a student under age 22 with

certain limitations established by regulations. The amounts of earned income that can be excluded are subject to monthly and calendar year limits that change annually consistent with changes in the cost of living.

See table V.E1 for the history of maximum monthly and calendar year exclusion amounts.

Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA). The level of work activity used to establish disability. A finding of

disability requires that a person be unable to engage in SGA. A person who is not statutorily blind and is

earning above the SGA level in a month (net of impairment-related work expenses) is ordinarily considered to be engaging in SGA. According to regulation, SSA bases yearly increases in the SGA level on

increases in the national average wage base. See table V.E1 for the history of SGA level amounts.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The Department of Agriculture, under cooperative Federal-State agreements, issues SNAP benefits in the form of paper food coupons (commonly known

as food stamps) and through electronic benefit transfer, to provide nutrition for low-income families.

Recipients can use food stamps only to buy food at stores authorized by the Department of Agriculture to

accept them. Prior to October 1, 2008, SNAP was known as the Federal Food Stamp Program.

Supplemental Security Record (SSR). The computerized database maintained by SSA and containing

identifying information, income, resources and other eligibility factors, for all SSI recipients. The SSR

includes the history of SSI payments made to an individual.

Suspension. An ineligibility status that causes the nonpayment of benefits for a period of anywhere from

1 to 12 months for any of a number of reasons such as income or resources over allowable levels, absence

from the United States, residence in a public institution, etc. Benefits can resume without reapplication,

when all requirements for entitlement are again met. Suspense that lasts more than 12 months (24 months

for individuals who were made ineligible because of their spouses or parent being called to active military

duty) results in a termination of the SSI record. (Once a record is terminated, reapplication is necessary.)

TANF. See “Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).”

Temporary Absence. An individual’s physical move from his or her permanent place of residence that

does not constitute a change in living arrangement. In general, a temporary absence is an absence from a

permanent residence that is not intended to, and does not, exceed a full calendar month. 

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). The State grant program of assistance for needy

families established by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996

(Public Law 104-193). TANF replaced the Aid to Families with Dependent Children program.

Termination. For an individual, cessation of benefits, which can occur for a number of reasons, including

death, medical improvement, or a period of suspension lasting longer than 12 months. 

Terminations. As used in section IV, the total of (1) deaths while in current-payment status during a

period plus (2) the number of persons during that same period moving out of payment status into suspended status less those returning to payment status from suspended status.

Ticket to Work Program. The Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999 established

a voluntary Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency program (Ticket to Work program) under which a blind or

disabled beneficiary may obtain vocational rehabilitation (VR), employment and other support services

from a qualified private or public provider referred to as an “employment network,” or from a State VR

agency. 
Glossary

154 2014 SSI Annual Report

Trusts. A legal arrangement involving property and ownership interests. Generally, we consider property

held in a trust to be a resource for SSI purposes if the assets of the trust could be used for the benefit of the

individual or spouse. 

Unearned Income. The income that is not earned income. Unearned income may be in cash or in-kind.

Some examples of unearned income are:

 • Annuities, pensions, and other periodic payments;

 • Retirement and disability benefits;

 • Veterans’, workers’, and unemployment compensation;

 • Alimony and support payments;

 • Dividends, interest, and certain royalties; and

 • Rents. 

United States. For purposes of the SSI program, the United States consists of the 50 States, the District of

Columbia, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR). The process of restoring individuals with disabilities to full capabilities.

VR services are designed to provide an individual with the training or other services that are needed to

return to work, to begin working, or to enter a new line of work.

Windfall Offset. A provision to prevent a person from receiving monthly SSI and OASDI benefits in

excess of the total amount that would have been paid if the OASDI benefits had been paid when they were

due rather than retroactively. 

Work Incentives. Provisions in the SSI program that are intended to act as incentives for disabled or blind

individuals to work. Examples of work incentives under the SSI program are:

 • Earned income exclusions;

 • Impairment related work expenses;

 • Blind work expenses;

 • Plan to achieve self-support;

 • Section 1619 benefits; and

 • Ticket to Work program.
1

SOCIAL SECURITY ADVISORY BOARD STATEMENT

ON THE SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME PROGRAM

Public Law 104-193 requires that members of the Social Security Advisory Board (SSAB) be 

given an opportunity, either individually or jointly, to include their views in the Social Security 

Administration’s annual report to the President and Congress on the Supplemental Security 

Income (SSI) program. We have asked the Social Security Administration (SSA) to include in 

this year’s annual report the continuation of an issue we raised in last year’s report, SSAB’s 

concerns regarding the SSI children’s program.

INTRODUCTION

In our report last year we noted that the historical record of the SSI program for children 

suggests that changes in its laws and in the standards governing SSI disability adjudications were 

motivated by public opinion as reflected in media reports, court decisions and congressional 

mandates. We asked the big policy questions, about defining disability and determining criteria 

for eligibility, about where the disability program for children should be housed, and what 

benefits should be provided. We recommended that SSA conduct a comprehensive review of the 

children’s program. This year we underscore the importance of taking on this review by looking 

at children in the foster care system.

SSI AND FOSTER CARE PROGRAMS

Today, about 400,000 children receive foster care benefits in the United States.

1

There are about 

1.3 million children receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) under the children’s SSI

disability program. The following briefly outlines the two programs and how they overlap.

SSI Program 

Title XVI of the Social Security Act authorizes a Federal benefit that provides a monthly cash 

payment to low-income individuals, including children, who have a physical or mental 

impairment or combination of impairments that meet the Act’s definition of disability, and its 

income and resource limitations. 

Disability

Determining whether a child meets the definition of disability involves a 3 step analysis. The 

child must have a physical or mental impairment that results in “marked and severe functional 

limitations”; the child must have a condition that has lasted or is expected to last at least 12 

 

1 Congressional Research Service. Child Welfare: Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Benefits 

for Children in Foster Care. By Umar Moulta-Ali, Adrienne L. Fernandes-Alcantara, Emilie Stoltzfus. Report No 

33855.September 2012. 

http://greenbook.waysandmeans.house.gov/sites/greenbook.waysandmeans.house.gov/files/2012/documents/RL338

55_%20v3_gb.pdf Note, the definition of child may vary from state to state and vary in age up to 20 years old.
2

months or result in death; and the child must not earn more than the substantial gainful activity 

amount or not work.2

Income and Resource Limitations

In determining resource eligibility a child’s income and assets must fall below program 

guidelines. Since children rarely have income or assets of their own, SSA uses a process called 

“deeming” to assign part of the value of the parent’s income and assets to the child. For children 

in foster care, the income and assets of the family they are living with are not deemed to them in 

making the resource eligibility determination. 

Overview of State/Federal Relationship in Foster Care System

Title IV Part-E of the Social Security Act authorizes a Federal-State foster care program which 

authorizes Federal funding for foster care to States, Territories and Tribal Organizations,

3

To 

participate, States must have a written case plan, reviewed annually by a judge. The plan details

where each child in foster care is placed and outlines the services to be provided, with the 

ultimate objective of finding the child a permanent home, either through reunification with the 

child’s own family, adoption or placement with a legal guardian. Children may wait in foster 

care for many years until this objective is met, and some end up aging out of the system.

Eligibility Requirements for Partial Reimbursement Under The Social Security Act Title IV-E

While a child is in foster care a State may seek partial reimbursement to cover the cost of the

care if the child meets the income eligibility requirements under Title IV-E which is determined 

by looking at the family income of the home that the child has been removed from. If the child’s 

family would have been eligible for benefits under Aid to Families with Dependent Children 

(AFDC) as it was in effect on July 16, 1996 then the child is eligible for benefits under Title IVE.

4

The timeframe for determining eligibility is based on either the month when a petition is filed in 

court to remove the child from his or her family home or the month a Voluntary Placement 

Agreement (VPA) is signed. From the date of the eligibility month:

 The child must have lived in the home of a specified relative within six months of the 

eligibility month. 

 The child must be deprived of parental support. 

 There must be a court order that finds: (1) continuation in his/her own home would be 

"contrary to the welfare of the child" and (2) reasonable efforts were made to prevent 

the removal of the child from his/her family or to facilitate the return of the child who 

has been removed.5

 

2 The definition of the phrase in quotation marks is given as: “... a level of severity that meets, medically equals, or 

functionally equals the listings.” See http://www.socialsecurity.gov/OP_Home/cfr20/416/416-0902.htm.

3 The Social Security Act, Title IV Part E Federal Payments for Foster Care and Adoption Assistance 

http://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/ssact/title04/0400.htm

4 AFDC rules as they existed on July 16, 1996 --- P.L. 106-169

5 Child Welfare Policy Manual: 8.2B 

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/cwpm/programs/cb/laws_policies/laws/cwpm/policy_dsp.jsp?citID=32#653
3

It should be noted that without these requirements the current provision of Title IV-E federal 

financial support to the States on an open-ended entitlement basis may not be sustainable. 

Other Federal Funding

Other Federal sources exist to provide funding for children’s programs with fewer constraints but

they target other objectives. Title IV-B, the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Child Welfare Services 

program, allows Federal funding to offset the administrative costs related to case management, 

child placement, personnel training, data collection and other administrative costs, but do not 

directly benefit children in foster care. The Social Service Block Grant (SSBG) and the 

Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) grant provide funding for child welfare 

benefits not covered under Title IV-E. However, Title IV-E remains the largest source of funding 

for State foster care agencies.

Under Title IV-E, there are three expenditures for which States may request federal 

reimbursements; maintenance, administration and training. The reimbursement funding formula 

is different for each. 

1. Maintenance includes room and board payments that are made to licensed foster parents, 

group homes and residential child care facilities, clothing expenses, school supplies, a 

child’s personal incidentals, liability insurance with respect to a child, reasonable travel 

to the child’s home for visitation and reasonable travel for the child to remain in the 

school in which the child is enrolled at the time of placement. The Federal government 

will reimburse the State for 50 percent to 83 percent of the costs. The State is responsible 

for the balance;

2. Administration includes those activities necessary for the proper and efficient 

administration of the Title IV-E State plan. Examples of reimbursable administrative 

activities include:

a) Referral to services

b) Determination of Title IV-E eligibility

c) Preparation for and participation in judicial determinations

d) Placement of the child

e) Development of the case plan

f) Case reviews

g) Case management and supervision

h) Recruitment and licensing of foster homes and institutions

i) Rate setting

j) Costs related to data collection and reporting

k) Proportionate share of related agency overhead;

3. Training includes the cost of providing short and long term training at educational 

institutions as well as in-service training for personnel employed by or preparing for 

employment by the State (including a Tribal Organization) or a local public agency 

administering the Title IV-E State plan. It also includes training for staff in private child 

welfare agencies and court personnel. Training also includes the cost of short term 
4

training for current or prospective foster, adoptive parents, and relative guardians and 

members of State (or tribal) licensed or approved child care institutions providing care to 

foster or adopted children.

Overlap of Title IV-E Benefits and SSI

If a child receives benefits under Title IV Part E of the Social Security Act, it will not affect the 

child’s eligibility for SSI benefits, but it may affect the amount of the SSI benefit. SSI does not 

consider the Title IV-E benefit earned income (i.e., income earned in exchange for work) which 

would disqualify the child from SSI. Rather, the Title IV-E benefit is considered “income based 

on need”6 which affects the SSI benefit amount with a dollar for dollar offset. Every Title IV-E 

dollar received on the child’s behalf is offset from the SSI benefit. This includes the $20.00 

exclusion of unearned income which SSI allows many other beneficiaries to keep.7 

There is no Federal mandate for States to screen to see if the child is eligible for SSI. In many 

states if the child is eligible for SSI the state can use the SSI benefit to offset its cost of caring for 

the child. But the state cannot receive reimbursement from both Title IV-E and SSI for one child. 

As described below, information exchange problems in this regard may lead to improper SSI 

payments in some cases.8

Title IV-E Waivers and its Effect on SSI

To test innovation and encourage reform, Congress has allowed the Department of Health and 

Human Services (HHS) to approve a set number of proposed projects from States that want to 

test programs that might improve outcomes for children and families. On September 30, 2011, 

The Federal Child and Family Services Improvement and Innovation Act (P.L. 112-34), was 

signed into law. It reauthorized HHS to approve up to 10 waiver demonstration projects for fiscal 

years 2012-2014. The approval from HHS does not provide additional money to fund proposed 

projects but instead waives Title IV-E’s strict funding constraints. This allows states some 

flexibility to utilize Title IV-E funds. 

Approved projects must be designed to accomplish one or more of the following goals:

 Increase permanency for all infants, children, and youth by reducing the time in foster 

placements when possible and promote a successful transition to adulthood for older 

youth;

 Increase positive outcomes for infants, children, youth, and families in their homes and 

communities, including tribal communities, and improve safety and well-being;

 Prevent abuse, neglect, and re-entry of infants, children and youth into foster care.9

 

6

Income based on need, as defined by 20 C.F.R. §416.1124(c)(12), is assistance that is provided under a program 

which uses income as a factor of eligibility; and which is funded wholly or partially by the federal government or a 

non-governmental entity. 

7

20 CFR Section 416.1124c(12) http://www.socialsecurity.gov/OP_Home/cfr20/416/416-1124.htm and SSA, 

POMS SI 00835.706.C.5 https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0500835706

8

SSA Office of the Inspector General. Reduce Improper Payments and Increase Overpayment Recoveries (A-04-09-

19091). May 26, 2009, http://oig.ssa.gov/sites/default/files/audit/full/pdf/A-04-09-19091_7.pdf

9 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau. 

Summary of IV-E child welfare waiver demonstration. https://cbexpress.acf.hhs.gov See also the National
5

However, at least some of the waivers may inadvertently result in improper SSI payments and 

States may be receiving Federal funds from two sources for the same purpose. This issue was 

discussed in a 2009 report by the SSA’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) which noted that 

when the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded a 5-year waiver to Florida 

in 2006, it exempted the detailed reporting requirements for Title IV-E expenditures.10 This lack 

of detail made it difficult for SSA to determine if the State was receiving money under Title IVE and, thus, whether the SSI payment to the child should be offset. The issue was resolved when 

SSA instructed field offices to verify the foster care funding source with the Florida Department 

of Children and Families (DCF). If Florida’s DCF asserted that State funds reimbursed the 

child’s foster care maintenance costs, rather than Title IV-E funds, then SSA would not consider 

the foster care benefits as income and SSI benefits would not be subject to offset. The OIG report 

noted that it did not believe that Florida’s accounting system provided enough detail to confirm 

its assertion, and moreover, several other States, Indiana, Ohio, Oregon and California were also 

participating in the same waiver program. 

THE CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE

Health Issues of Children in Foster Care and Young Adults

SSI provides financial support to adults and children with disabilities who meet the definition 

and income and resource limitations. Some SSI program costs could be reduced through 

proactive measures. Redirecting federal non-SSI support payments to states toward “early 

intervention” initiatives – to prepare those who age out of government support programs for a 

self-sufficient and self-determined life style – would help to minimize federal SSI expenditures 

on young adults with physical and mental impairments while assisting them to transition 

successfully toward a fulfilling adult lifetime. A case in point is foster care children, especially 

those who, today, age out of the program without adequate preparation. 

Children arriving into the foster care system are often in crisis. This population is especially 

disadvantaged – with a high likelihood of chronic physical, emotional, and developmental 

conditions because of cumulative adverse life events. Studies profiling the health of children 

after entering the foster care system show high prevalence of medical problems and behavioral 

health conditions that if not adequately treated are likely to continue during adulthood:

In congressional testimony before the Ways and Means committee, Dr. David Rubin, Assistant 

Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine, testified;

 Several decades of research has firmly established that the health care needs of children 

in out-of-home care far exceed other children living in poverty. Nearly half of all children 

 

Conference of State Legislators http://www.ncsl.org/research/human-services/child-welfare-title-ive-waiver-2012-

thru-2014.aspx

10 SSA Office of the Inspector General. Reduce Improper Payments and Increase Overpayment Recoveries (A-04-

09-19091). May 26, 2009, http://oig.ssa.gov/sites/default/files/audit/full/pdf/A-04-09-19091_7.pdf
6

in foster care have chronic medical problems, and up to 80% have serious emotional 

problems.”11

Many foster care children who are not placed in a permanent home, age out of the system and 

find themselves without any supports or life skills to succeed. The transition to adulthood and 

self-sufficiency is challenging for such individuals. They may have questions about renting their 

first apartment, purchasing a car, going to college, managing expenses, and navigating all the 

paperwork required for insurance or taxes but they do not have access to the support networks 

who can help them. 

 A Northwest Foster Care Alumni Study noted that alumni from foster care were six times

more likely to suffer post-traumatic stress disorder, four times more likely to turn to 

substance abuse, twice as likely to experience depression, and more than two-and-a-half 

times more likely to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.12

The key support that many young adults would benefit from is counseling on how they could 

adapt despite health impairments and strive to successfully exit from government supports. 

To compound these problems, some foster care alumni discover that their social security number 

(SSN) has been wrongfully used and their credit ruined while they were in the foster care system. 

 An OIG audit report found potential misuse of foster-care children’s SSNs for work, 

credit or other purposes: Of the 96,000 children in the population studied the credit 

reporting agency estimated that over 4900 (5 percent) had credit files that contained 

evidence of misuse of SSNs.

13

Repairing credit problems can be a complex, expensive, and time-consuming process and

children exiting foster care need assistance getting negative items on their credit report 

removed.14 Such problems can severely impede transition toward a normal and productive 

adulthood. 

But in many cases, such problems may be preventable, and dependency on SSI and other welfare 

programs could be minimized if foster-care support systems target individuals for providing 

assistance in acquiring life- and job-skills, provide counseling, and ensure access to support 

networks to pro-actively minimize problems and prepare them for life after foster care. Thus, 

while additional discussion about how to improve SSI eligibility, financial constraints, and 

 

11Testimony of David Rubin, MD MSCE FAAP, House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Income Security and 

Family Support hearing Foster Children and the Health Care System, July, 2007, available at: 

http://stoneleighfoundation.org/content/foster-children-and-health-care-system.

12 Pecora P, Kessler R, Williams J, et al. Improving Family Foster Care: Finding from the Northwest Foster Care 

Alumni Study. Seattle, WA: Casey Family Programs, 2005. Available at 

http://www.casey.org/media/AlumniStudies_NW_Report_FR.pdf 

13 See OIG report A-08-12-11253 Potential Misuse of Foster Children’s Social Security Numbers, September 2013, 

see also The Fleecing of Foster Children How We Confiscate Their Assets and Undermine Their Financial Security, 

the Children’s Advocacy Institute of the University of San Diego School of Law, (2011).

14 Linda Foley, et al. Identity Theft: The Aftermath 2009, Identity Theft Resource Center. 2009. available at, 

http://www.idtheftcenter.org/images/surveys_studies/Aftermath2009.pdf
7

benefit structure is needed, the time seems ripe for broader conversations on “early intervention” 

initiatives in order to reduce the likelihood of entry into SSI by children aging out of 

government support systems such as foster care. This perspective of the Board is consistent with

SSA’s statutory role in ensuring public awareness about problems facing vulnerable populations 

under SSI.15

REPRESENTATIVE PAYEES

The Social Security Act16 specifies that SSA may assign a representative payee to a beneficiary 

if the agency determines that the “interest of the individual” beneficiary would be served by such 

an assignment.17 

In the majority of cases, SSA assigns a representative payee for children who receive SSI 

benefits. Generally the representative payee is the biological parent, adoptive parent, or courtappointed guardian. SSA has a list of preferred payees which can be used as a guide but SSA 

stresses that the best interest of the beneficiary should always remain the top priority when 

selecting a representative payee. Applicants to become a representative payee are required to be 

carefully screened to ensure that the beneficiary’s best interest is served. 

For minor children the order of preferred applicants are;

1. A natural or adoptive parent with custody;

2. A legal guardian;

3. A natural or adoptive parent without custody, but who shows strong concern;

4. A relative or stepparent with custody;

5. A close friend with custody who can provide for the child’s needs;

6. A relative or close friend without custody, but who demonstrates strong concern;

7. An authorized social agency or custodial institution; or

8. Anyone not listed above who shows strong concern for the child, is qualified, and able to 

act as payee, and who is willing to do so. 18

The rules governing the responsibilities of representative payees are extensive. The

representative payee must ensure that benefits are spent for the current and future use of the 

child, and if not used for current needs, the benefits should be saved and invested. Representative 

payees are required to complete an annual report explaining how benefits were used during the 

preceding year, and they must keep records so that an accurate accounting of benefits can be 

provided. Certain large retroactive SSI payments covering more than six months of benefits must 

be paid into a “dedicated account” in a financial institution. No other funds may be combined 

 

15 Section 1635 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1383d) 

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/OP_Home/ssact/title16b/1635.htm

16 Section 1632(a)(2)(A)(I)

17 The procedures and guidelines for appointing a representative payee are outlined in Social Security regulations 

and policy.20 CFR §416.621 Program Operations Manual System (POMS) See also SSA website for representative 

payees http://www.socialsecurity.gov/payee/faqrep.htm/NewGuide/faqrep.htm#a0=9

18 20 CFR Section 416.621, http://www.socialsecurity.gov/OP_Home/cfr20/416/416-0621.htm; and POMS GN

0502.105 Payee Preference Lists https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0200502105
8

with benefits deposited in a dedicated account. Money in a dedicated account must be used for 

only certain allowable expenses for the benefit of the child:

• Medical treatment and education or job skills training

• Personal needs assistance, special equipment, housing modification, and therapy or

 rehabilitation

• Any other item or service related to the child’s disability that SSA determines to be

 appropriate.

Representative payees must keep a log of all withdrawals from a dedicated account and keep

receipts for all expenditures for a period of at least two years. 

Some advocates for children in foster care argue that SSA does not always correctly follow the 

representative payee appointment process and allege that State foster care agencies become a 

foster child’s representative payee as part of a revenue maximization strategy. Such systemic 

practice of converting foster children's Social Security benefits into a source of State funds.19

This practice was challenged in a seminal Supreme Court case, involving a minor child in foster 

care whose benefits were being used to reimburse the State for the cost of foster care.20

The Keffeler Case

Danny Keffeler was orphaned when he was twelve years old. He was placed in foster care, but 

his grandmother, Wanda Pierce, was appointed representative payee when Danny was awarded 

Social Security benefits. Mrs. Pierce did not provide any of Danny’s benefits to the State to pay 

for the cost of Danny's foster care, so SSA removed her as the representative payee and 

appointed the foster care State agency. The case eventually ended up before the United States 

Supreme Court. 

The question before the United States Supreme Court was whether the practice of reimbursing 

State costs from a child’s foster care benefits is a violation of § 207(a) of the Social Security Act, 

which states;

The right of any person to any future payment under this title shall not be transferable or 

assignable, at law or in equity, and none of the moneys paid or payable or rights existing 

under this title shall be subject to execution, levy, attachment, garnishment, or other legal 

process, or to the operation of any bankruptcy or insolvency law.

Twenty-six States filed briefs supporting the position of the State agency noting that the practice 

had been approved by SSA and arguing that barring the reimbursement practice could leave the 

States in a position of economic peril. The United States Supreme Court overturned the 

Washington State Supreme Court decision, finding that neither the agency’s actions to become a 

 

19 The Fleecing of Foster Children How We Confiscate Their Assets and Undermine Their Financial Security, 

Melanie Delgado, Kriste Draper, Amy Harfeld, Christina Riehl, Elisa Weichel, 2011, 

http://www.caichildlaw.org/Misc/Fleecing_Report_Final_HR.pdf ;Cardozo Law Review, Foster Children Paying 

for Foster Care, Daniel L. Hatcher, 7 Daniel L. Hatcher, Foster Children Paying for Foster Care, 27 CARDOZO L. 

REV. (2006) http://cardozolawreview.com/Joomla1.5/content/27-4/HATCHER.WEBSITE.pdf

20Washington State Dept. of Social and Health Services v. Guardianship Estate of Keffeler. 537 U.S. 371. Supreme 

Court. 2003. 
9

representative payee for the children, nor its use of the children’s Social Security benefits to 

reimburse State costs is the equivalent of an “execution, levy, attachment, garnishment, or other 

legal process,” prohibited under §207(a) of the Social Security Act. 

The United States Supreme Court decision has not completely settled the issue. Child Welfare 

advocates who oppose States acting as a representative payee and reimbursing themselves for 

the cost of care note that the court did not address the question of whether the reimbursement 

practice serves the child's "best interests."

21 However, other child welfare advocates believe that 

the SSA funds are critical for child welfare agencies operating on tight budgets and that the use

of these benefits to pay for the cost of current maintenance is consistent with the Federal purpose 

for providing those funds. Additionally, these advocates contend that by allowing the 

reimbursement, States will have a vested interest in implementing procedures to screen all 

children coming into foster care for possible eligibility for SSI which can then provide children 

vital services that they might not otherwise receive. Applying for SSI benefits can be a long and 

complicated process which States will not become involved in without some kind of incentive. In 

a National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being, researchers estimate that there are more 

than 10 percent of children and youth in foster care who are eligible for SSI but do not receive it.

22 SSI can provide additional security and benefits such as:

 

 Diagnostic evaluations completed during the application process will improve the 

likelihood that the child or youth will receive timely and appropriate treatment.

 SSI benefits can increase the amount of funds available to meet a child’s/youth’s needs, 

although children with a foster care maintenance payment or adoption assistance subsidy 

above the benefit payment will see no immediate, practical effect in receiving SSI or 

Social Security benefits.

 SSI benefits follow a child or youth who is returned home to a lower income biological 

family.

 SSI benefits can be a critical source of cash assistance and Medicaid for a youth who ages 

out of care and cannot be self-supporting because of a severe disability.

 SSI benefits ensure eligibility for a Federal adoption assistance subsidy if a child or youth 

cannot be returned to biological parents.23

Advocates that oppose the practice of States being named the representative payee and then 

reimbursing itself for the cost of care argue that States taking on the role of the representative 

payee dilutes the fiduciary responsibility owed to the beneficiary and obfuscates an otherwise 

clear mandate from SSA that benefits belong to the beneficiary and are not the property of the 

 

21 The decision did not affect Keffeler who had already reached the age of majority and used the benefits his 

grandmother had saved for him to pay for his college education http://www.spokesmanreview.com/newsstory.asp?date=120402&ID=s1267147

22 Estimates of Supplemental Security Income Eligibility for Children in Out-of-home Placements. Research Brief 

no. 12. : National Survey of Child and Adolescent Wellbeing, 2007. available 

at, http://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/opre/est_suppl.pdf

23 O'Connor, Michael A. A Guide to SSI and Social Security Benefits for Children and Youth in Out-of-Home Care. 

Rep. Seattle: Casey Family Programs, 2001. available at, 

http://www.ocfs.state.ny.us/main/publications/eligibility/29%20A%20Guide%20to%20SSI.pdf
10

payee.”24 These advocates also point to the potential Federal funding stream for States but note 

that the States are using the money to reduce State expenditures rather than as a resource to 

address the children’s unmet needs. These advocates also note that State agencies remain at the 

bottom of the payee preference list but are often automatically appointed as the payees for foster 

children through a process called the “kiddie loop” which is an expedited way to name a 

representative payee for more than one beneficiary.

25

In Re John G26

Advocates opposed to the State reimbursement practice point to another important case that had 

a different outcome than Keffeler, and note litigation strategies to differentiate future claims 

from the Keffeler decision. 

John G. was abandoned by his parents when he was still a child. John’s step father executed a 

will leaving his home purchased through Habitat for Humanity in trust to his son. After spending 

several years with other relatives, John G. eventually became a ward of the State. 

The Department of Social Services became John’s representative payee; instead of using his 

social security survivor’s benefits to pay the mortgage on John’s Habitat for Humanity home 

($221.00) DSS applied the entire benefit ($538.00) towards defraying the cost of foster care 

(approximately $1300.00 per month). The Habitat home, valued at approximately $80,000 with a 

$27,000 outstanding mortgage went into foreclosure. John G’s court appointed guardian

representing John G’s legal interests filed a motion to protect John’s interest in his home. The 

court noted that John will need the Habitat home as a residence when he turns eighteen years old 

and ages out of the foster care system. The court ordered DSS to use a portion of John’s Social 

Security benefits to pay the monthly mortgage on his home, the past-due mortgage and for some

needed repairs. DSS appealed, asserting that using the social security benefits for John’s current 

maintenance was a common and accepted practice post Keffeler. The attorney for DSS argued 

that the agency had no obligation to use the boy’s money to pay his mortgage. “What if he had a 

$2,000 monthly mortgage? What if every kid (in foster care) wanted a car?” . . . . “It would be 

wonderful if all this court had to do was what’s ‘fair and decent.’”

The Appeals Court upheld the trial court’s decision and the home that John G’s stepfather left for 

him was protected. This case shows that Social Security benefits should be purposed toward the 

beneficiary’s direct interest in each and every instance rather than used to offset expenses of the 

representative payee that may provide indirect or marginal benefits to the intended recipient. 

SSA should focus more attention on these issues when deciding who to appoint as representative 

payees and improve the clarity of rules regarding how benefits should be used. 

 

24 3 Social Security Online, Frequently Asked Questions: What to Do When Someone is Unable to Handle Their 

Benefits (updated 12/28/2010), http://www.socialsecurity.gov/payee/faqrep.htm#a0=4

25 POMS GN 00502.110 https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0200502110

26 652 S.E. 2d 266 (2007)
11

RECOMMENDATIONS

The Board does not make specific recommendations on how to reform the program, because 

even though reviewing the history of the children’s program reveals that there have been many 

changes, there has not been a comprehensive review followed by cohesive implementation of 

policy. In particular, the Board believes that the SSI program needs careful review with a clear 

objective of serving its child beneficiaries in the most effective way possible.

This report discusses several issues: The overlap between SSI and the Title IV-E foster care 

program; the potential for improper payments because of how these (and, potentially, other 

similar) programs interact with SSI; information gaps created by waivers for Federally funded 

but state-run (non-SSI) welfare programs such as the foster care program; the potential for 

repurposing non-SSI benefits to minimize Federal SSI expenditures in the long term; and the 

history of alternative and potentially conflicting perspectives on program implementation 

stemming from court cases - especially on how SSA benefits should be allocated. The 

discussion suggests the need for a broad-based review of the Federal SSI program within the 

context of complementary Federal welfare programs. SSA’s provision of clear policy guidance 

and oversight to ensure that its programs are being properly and consistently administered could 

minimize the likelihood of disputes, delays, and especially the evolution of SSA policies through 

individual court decisions – a recipe for creating an uncoordinated patchwork of rules and 

procedures that may detract from the key objective of providing direct and meaningful support to 

the beneficiaries themselves. The broad review that we are recommending should seek clarity in 

setting rules and procedures, improved data collection, closer oversight, and a process of 

continuing policy reviews.

Barbara B. Kennelly, Chair (A)

Bernadette Franks-Ongoy Jagadeesh Gokhale

Dorcas R. Hardy