Jump
to content Social Security Online |
Electronic Leaflets | |||||
www.socialsecurity.gov |
|
|||||
Publications Home |
Working While DisabledA Guide To Plans For Achieving Self-SupportSSA Publication No. 05-11017, February 2004 (Recycle prior editions), ICN 480302 (.pdf ) (En Espaņol) |
|
||
What
Is A Plan For |
A plan for achieving self-support (PASS) is a plan for your future. A plan lets you use your income or other things you own to help you reach your work goals. For example, you could set aside money to go to school to get specialized training for a job or to start a business. The job that you want should allow you to earn enough to reduce or eliminate your need for benefits provided under both the Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs. A plan is meant to help you get items, services, or skills you need to reach your goals. |
|
You can have a plan if: |
|
|
A plan can help you keep or get your SSI or could mean a higher payment |
Under SSI rules, any income that you have may reduce your SSI payment. But, if you have an approved plan, you can use that income to pay for the items you need to reach your work goal. We do not count money set aside under this plan when we decide your SSI payment amount. This means you may get a higher SSI payment. However, you cannot get more than the maximum SSI payment for the state where you live. In addition, your resources (money or the
things you own) cannot be worth more than $2,000 for an individual or
$3,000 per couple. However, if you have an approved plan, you can use
your resources to pay for the items or services you need to reach your
work goals. Resources you set aside for a plan do not count against the
$2,000 per individual or $3,000 per couple limit. This could help you
qualify for SSI. |
|
A plan can help you set aside money for most work expenses |
With an approved plan, you can set aside money to pay expenses to reach your work goal. For example, the money you save can be used for:
|
|
How to set up a plan |
The plan must be in writing, and Social Security must approve it. To start, contact your local Social Security office for an application (Form SSA-545-BK). Then, follow the steps below to set up your plan: 1. Decide what your work goal is. It should be a job that you are interested in doing and that you think you will be able to do when you complete your plan. If you want, we can refer you to a vocational rehabilitation counselor who can help you figure out your work goal. Other third parties can help you, too. You also can set up a plan to cover the costs of vocational services (including testing, vocational services and business planning). 2. Find out all the steps you need to take to reach your goal and how long it will take you to complete each step. 3. Decide what items or services you will need to reach your goal. Your plan must show how an item or service will help you reach your goal. For example, if you want to work in a restaurant, you may need training to learn to cook. If you want to become a computer programmer, you may need a college degree. If you want to start your own business, you may need to buy equipment. 4. Get several cost estimates for the items and services you need. We will approve items and services that are reasonably priced. 5. Find out how much money you will have to set aside each month to pay for these items and services. If you are setting aside income for your plan, your SSI payment usually will increase to help you meet your living expenses. We can estimate what your new SSI amount will be if we approve your plan. 6. Tell us how you will keep your plan’s funds separate from any other money you have. The easiest way to do this is to open a separate bank account for the money you save under your plan. 7. Include a detailed business plan with your application if you want to start your own business. Your business plan should explain:
8. Complete ALL the questions on the Form SSA-545-BK,
sign it and date it. Make sure that your correct address and phone number
are on the form. If you need help writing your plan your local Social
Security office can either help you or refer you to a local organization
that will help you. |
|
Social Security must evaluate your plan |
After you submit your application, a Social Security plan expert will:
If we approve your plan, the expert will
contact you from time to time to make sure that you are following your
plan to reach your goal. Make sure that you keep receipts for the items
and services you have bought under the plan. |
|
You may appeal if your plan is denied |
If we do not approve your plan, you have a right to appeal the decision. The letter you receive will explain your appeal rights and tell you how to file an appeal. You also may submit a new plan to us. |
|
You
may change your plan |
If you later decide to change your plan, you may do so. However, you must get approval from Social Security before you make any changes. Tell us in writing what changes you want to make, such as a change in the amount of money you set aside each month or a change in the expenses you will have. The expert will review the changes and let you know if they are approved. It is very important that you tell us as soon as possible about any changes that might affect your plan. |
|
Let us know if you cannot complete your plan |
It
is important to contact the Social Security office if you decide that
you cannot continue with your plan. The plan expert may be able to help
you change your plan so that you can still reach your goal. Or, you may
write a new plan with a new work goal. |
|
What Happens If I Cannot Complete My Plan? |
It is important to contact the Social Security office (PASS expert) as soon as you decide that you cannot continue with your plan. The PASS expert may be able to help you change your plan so that you can still reach your goal. Or, you may write a new PASS with a new work goal. If your PASS does stop, we will start counting
the income resources that you were setting aside for the PASS when we
figure your SSI benefit amount. That means that your SSI benefit will
go down or perhaps stop. If you wait too long to tell us that you stopped
working in your PASS plan, you may get too much SSI. Then you may have
to pay back the SSI money that you received after your PASS stopped. |
|
We have other help available if you work while disabled or blind |
Other SSI rules may help you while you work. They can help you keep more of your SSI payment and they can help you keep your Medicaid. There also are some special rules for students. For more information, ask Social Security for the publication, Working While Disabled—How We Can Help (Publication No. 05-10095). |
|
Contacting Social Security |
For more information, visit our website at www.socialsecurity.gov or call toll-free 1-800-772-1213 (for the deaf or hard of hearing, call our TTY number, 1-800-325-0778). We can answer specific questions and provide information by automated phone service 24 hours a day. We treat all calls confidentially. We also want to make sure you receive accurate and courteous service. That is why we have a second Social Security representative monitor some telephone calls. Social Security Administration |
Privacy Policy | Accessibility Policy | Linking Policy | Site Map |