Opinion ID: 3063481
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Disability benefits and SSI

Text: We review the decision of the Administrative Law Judge (“ALJ”) as the Commissioner’s final decision when the ALJ denies benefits and the Appeals Council denies review of the ALJ’s decision. Doughty v. Apfel, 245 F.3d 1274, 1278 (11th Cir. 2001). The Commissioner’s decision on a disability benefits application will be affirmed if it is supported by substantial evidence and the Commissioner applied the correct legal standards. Kelley v. Apfel, 185 F.3d 1211, 1213 (11th Cir. 1999). The Commissioner’s legal conclusions are reviewed de novo. Lewis v. Barnhart, 285 F.3d 1329, 1330 (11th Cir. 2002). The Social Security Disability Insurance program provides for benefits under Title II of the Social Security Act to persons who have contributed to the program and who are determined to be “disabled” due to a physical and/or mental impairment. 42 U.S.C. § 401 et seq. The SSI program extends benefits under Title XVI of the Social Security Act to indigent disabled persons. 42 U.S.C. § 1381 et 5 seq. The Act places a statutory limitation on retroactivity of disability benefits: An individual who would have been entitled to a disability insurance benefit for any month had he filed application therefor before the end of such month shall be entitled to such benefit for such month if such application is filed before the end of the 12th month immediately succeeding such month. 42 U.S.C. § 423(b). The basic purpose underlying the SSI program is to “assure a minimum level of income for people who are age 65 or over, or who are blind or disabled and who do not have sufficient income and resources to maintain a standard of living at the established Federal minimum income level.” 20 C.F.R. § 416.110. The Social Security Act conditions eligibility for SSI benefits on meeting income and resource requirements. 42 U.S.C. § 1382(a)(1)(A) and (B). Pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1382a(a)(2)(B), unearned income for purposes of calculating SSI eligibility includes disability benefits. 42 U.S.C. § 1382a(a)(2)(B); 20 C.F.R. § 416.1121(a). Pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 423(b), Scarbrough could not receive benefits beginning more than 12 months before the date he filed his application. Because he filed the application at issue here in November 1991, November 1990 was the earliest date Scarbrough was eligible for disability benefits. Thus, substantial evidence supports the ALJ’s decision that Scarbrough was ineligible for benefits 6 for the period from 1984 to 1990. Furthermore, as demonstrated in the ALJ’s charts, Scarbrough’s monthly income from his disability benefits exceeded the maximum permissible income for SSI during every year between 1990 and 2006. Because disability benefits are unearned income counting toward the maximum permissible income under SSI, substantial evidence supports the ALJ’s finding that Scarbrough’s income rendered him ineligible for SSI from 1990 until 2006. Accordingly, because substantial evidence supports the ALJ’s findings that Scarbrough was not entitled to disability benefits beginning more than one year before his 1991 application and that he was ineligible for SSI due to his income, we affirm the district court’s order.