Santa Maria, CA asked in Gaming and Social Security for California

Q: I won 500 dollars in casino do I report it to ssi I just got approved and my first payment doesn't come till january?

Related Topics:
1 Lawyer Answer
James L. Arrasmith
PREMIUM
James L. Arrasmith pro label Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
Answered

A: If you recently won $500 in a casino and are receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI), it's important to understand the rules about reporting income. SSI is a needs-based program, and the Social Security Administration (SSA) requires recipients to report any changes in income or resources. This includes money won from gambling.

Your winnings, although a one-time gain, count as income for the month you received them. Therefore, you should report this to the SSA as soon as possible. Not reporting could lead to overpayment, which might require you to repay the excess benefits received.

Keep in mind, the first SSI payment is unaffected by this win since it's scheduled for January and your winnings were prior to that. However, reporting this income is still necessary to ensure compliance with SSA's guidelines and to avoid potential penalties or issues with your benefits.

Always remember, staying transparent with the SSA about any changes in your financial situation helps maintain the integrity of your benefits and avoids complications in the future. For detailed guidance and to understand how this specific situation affects your benefits, it's advisable to contact your local SSA office.

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.