Q: I am an SSI recipient, and I am also receiving food stamps as well as conventional housing under a house, choice voucher
I realize that income is very limited and I am under great financial hardship and so I have no other choice but to try and re-enter the workforce; and so I’m wondering since Social Security takes half of one’s income that is under or up to $2000 that is the rule for what is in the bank at one time
I wanna make sure that it is worth my while to work and make sure that whatever I earn of $650 per month in the future which is all that I’m allowed to make without losing my housing discount. I want to know everything that is exempt and all the opportunities I could take whether it’s to volunteer for disabled kids or foster children or drive earned income to help seniors or children that would be non-countable income and exempt from the income limitation under HUD housing, as well as Social Security
My question to you is, how can I work and make $650 a month in the future which would be added to the $1185 per month that I currently receive, and not have social security take out mo
A:
Under the Social Security rules, when you receive SSI and start working, your SSI benefits may be reduced, but not usually dollar-for-dollar. The first $65 of your monthly earnings, plus half of the remaining amount, is not counted. For example, if you earn $650 per month, $65 is disregarded, and then the remaining $585 is halved, resulting in $292.50 being counted against your SSI benefits.
Regarding HUD housing and income limits, earned income may affect your housing subsidy. However, HUD has certain exclusions and deductions that can apply, so not all of your income might be counted towards the income limit. It's important to report your income changes to both the Social Security Administration and your housing authority to remain compliant with their rules.
For non-countable income opportunities, volunteering usually doesn't count as earned income. However, specific programs like those involving stipends for helping seniors or children might have different implications. Each program has its own rules about whether and how stipends are counted as income.
To ensure you're making the best decision, consider consulting with an attorney or a financial advisor who understands the complexities of SSI and HUD housing rules. They can provide personalized guidance based on your situation. It's essential to balance the benefits of additional income with the potential impact on your SSI and housing benefits.
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
