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COMBINED MANUAL

ISSUE DATE 11/2019

INCOME FROM RSDI AND SSI

0017.15.45

Refer to each program to determine how to count RSDI and/or SSI income. Also see 0017.15.45.03 (How to Determine Gross RSDI).

For more information on RSDI and SSI, see 0029.06.03 (Supplemental Security Income Program), 0029.06.06 (Retirement, Survivors, and Disability Insurance). Also see 0015.60 (Evaluation of Lump Sums).

MFIP, DWP: See 0017.15.30 (Lump Sum Income) for information on SSI and RSDI lump sum payments.

Do not budget SSI income toward the MFIP cash portion or the DWP grant.

See 0012.12 (Applying for Other Benefits) for MFIP participants who apply for and are approved for SSI.

If a client receives RSDI, count the gross RSDI amount as unearned income.

If the client has a representative payee who does not live in the client's household, presume the gross RSDI is available to the client unless the client can demonstrate it is not. If the client demonstrates that part of the payment is unavailable, count only that portion available to the client in cash or spent on behalf of the client or the unit.

EXCEPTION: If the representative payee of a minor child is the minor child’s non-unit member parent, presume the minor child does not have legal access to the RSDI unless the representative payee demonstrates that part of the payment is available. Count only that portion available to the minor child in cash or spent on behalf of the minor child while in the unit.

Ask the Social Security Administration in writing to change the representative payee in either of the following circumstances:

● The representative payee is diverting the RSDI benefit for use by the payee or someone other than the client.

● You believe the representative payee is not using the RSDI benefit in an appropriate way to meet the client's needs.

SNAP: Count gross RSDI and/or SSI as unearned income, EXCEPT for the following:

● Exclude retroactive SSI benefit payments. The Social Security Administration may make payments for retroactive benefits in a 1-time lump sum payment, or in installments.

● Exclude any portion of RSDI and/or SSI payments that SSA recoups or that the client returns to the SSA to repay an overpayment.

● Exclude fees paid from SSI/RSDI to organizational representative payees as income.

MSA: For SSI recipients, count the client's Federal Benefit Rate (FBR) as gross unearned income, even if the actual SSI check is less. See 0029.06.03 (Supplemental Security Income Program).

For clients who are not current SSI recipients due to excess income:

● Do not count retroactive SSI installment payments as income.

● Count current RSDI payments as unearned income in the month received.

● Count the gross amount of RSDI even if the SSA recoups a portion or the client returns part of the payment to the SSA to repay an overpayment.