KELLEY LAND, MPA CENTER ON COMMUNITY LIVING & CAREERS INDIANA INSTITUTE ON DISABILITY & COMMUNITY INDIANA UNIVERSITY Improving Financial Literacy for Individuals in Supported Employment

The Importance In 2015, Nine million people with disabilities were on Social Security benefits. Assistance programs may be a way of survival for clients. Misinformation and myths 65.5% of people with disabilities were not working in 2013 Social Security. (2015, October 13). Retrieved June 14, 2016, from Disability Status Report - United States | © 2015 Cornell University

BEING EDUCATED IS THE BEST THING WE CAN DO. TALK TO CLIENTS ABOUT FACTS, NOT FICTION Overview of SSA Benefits

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Supplemental Security Income (SSI) SSDI is funded through the Social Security Trust Fund SSDI beneficiaries have worked and paid into the system through FICA or draw off of someone else’s record SSI comes from general tax dollars SSI recipients meet the same disability criteria as SSDI recipients, but have not worked and paid enough into the system. Must have very few resources and little income SSDI & SSI: What’s the Difference?

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Work Incentives Trial Work Period (TWP) Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE) Impairment Related Work Expense (IRWE) Subsidies & Special Conditions Expedited Reinstatement of Benefits Extended Medicare Coverage

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Work Incentives Countable Income Formula (Provision 1619a) Student Earned Income Exclusion (SEIE) Impairment Related Work Expense (IRWE) Blind Work Expense (BWE) Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS)

Countable Income Formula (1619a) General Income Exclusion (from any unearned income, such as SSDI) of $20 Earned Income Disregard of $65 Divide by 2 Subtract remainder from Federal Benefit Rate (FBR - maximum amount able to receive) to find out the amount of Supplemental Security Income due 2016 FBR individual - $ FBR SSI eligible couple - $1100

Step OneScenario 1Scenario2Scenario3 Unearned Income Subtract General Income Exclusion --$20.00 Equals Countable Unearned income = Step Two Gross Earned Income Student Earned Income Exclusion - Subtract Earned Income Exclusion --$65.00 Subtract GIE (if not used above) - Remainder = Impairment-Related Work Exp. - Remainder = Divide by 2 /2/2 Remainder = Blind Work Expenses - Equals Countable Earned Income = Step Three Total Countable Unearned Income Total Countable Earned Income + Countable Income = PASS Deduction - Equals Total Countable Income = Step Four Base SSI Rate Deductions: (e.g., Overpayment) - Total Countable Income - Equals Adjusted SSI Payment = Before/After Work Illustration Unearned Income (if any) + Gross Earned Income + New SSI Payment + Equals Total Income From All Sources = Minus cost of IRWE (if applicable) - Equals Total Adjusted Monthly Income =

MEDICAID MEDICARE Healthcare

209 B 1634 State States use at least one eligibility criterion more restrictive than the SSI program Medicaid Spenddown State Medicaid Programs SSA makes the determination Requires the State to provide Medicaid coverage to recipients of federally- administered State supplementary payments (SSP’s)

State Medicaid Choice

Provision 1619(b) Protects SSI eligibility once earnings are high enough for cash benefits to be reduced to $0 (Break Even Point – BEP) Protects Medicaid eligibility without a spenddown once at the BEP until earnings have reached the state threshold (must have Medicaid 30 days prior to employment) Each state has a different threshold amount

Medicare US’ health insurance program for people age 65 or older, certain people with disabilities who are under age 65, and people of any age who have permanent kidney failure It provides basic protection against the cost of health care, but it does not cover all medical expenses or the cost of most long-term care The Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) taxes paid by workers and their employers funds Medicare. It also is financed in part by monthly premiums paid by beneficiaries The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services or CMS is the federal agency in charge of the Medicare program Social Security Administration determines who is eligible for Medicare, enrolls people in the program, and disseminates general Medicare information

Medicare Continued There are two parts of Medicare Medicare Part A (also known as Hospital Insurance or HI) helps pay for care in a hospital and skilled nursing facility, home health care and hospice care. Medicare Part B (also known as Supplemental Medical Insurance) helps pay for doctors, outpatient hospital care and other medical services. The current Medicare charges can be found at or by calling the Medicare toll free number at

Other

Additional Programs Housing and Urban Development Food Stamps Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

The office of Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VRS), the Indiana institute on disability and community (IIDC), and the Social Security Administration (SSA) are building capacity throughout Indiana by engaging providers and community advocates in supporting work incentive planning and assistance services. Indiana’s Benefit Information Network

What Do We Do? The Benefits Information Network (BIN), funded by Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services and administered through the Center on Community Living and Careers, improves the ability of people with disabilities to use and access federal and State work incentives by providing an informed, efficient network of Indiana benefits information counselors and organizations that provide disability support services by: providing a comprehensive curriculum; training BIN liaisons and ensuring that they have a thorough knowledge and understanding of the programs; disseminating information on federal and state work incentives and provides regular updates to BIN liaisons; and providing ongoing training and technical assistance to BIN liaisons on work incentives and community resources enhancing employment.

WHY, WHO, WHAT, HOW Activity

How Can YOU Help? Be informed Share the information Ticket To Work Follow up and continue to encourage – don’t stop talking about it! We Rise By Lifting Others - Robert Ingersoll

Resources sheets-on-work-incentives sheets-on-work-incentives Kelley Land