Disabled or aged Kentucky residents receiving SSI may be available for extra benefits.
Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, is a federal program that provides financial assistance to individuals who are over the age of 65 or who are blind or disabled. While the benefits are mandated by the federal government, the state of Kentucky has its own standards for approval and SSI payments in addition to what the federal government provides.
What is SSI?
SSI is a program for which need is determined on a case by case basis. To determine how much an individual is entitled to, the government uses the amount of income that person has against the maximum agreed-upon amount that SSI can provide. The state of Kentucky provides an extra supplement to the federal SSI benefits for individuals who are no longer living independently. An individual who is in a care facility rather than their personal home or if an individual receives regular care in their home can apply for the supplement. Kentucky residents who qualify for the state supplement must first be qualified for federal SSI.
Who Qualifies?
Like the other states in the U.S., Kentucky follows the federal guidelines for awarding SSI to its residents. For adults, you can make a claim for SSI if you are unable to work because of physical or mental disabilities due to age, blindness or injury. If you are claiming SSI because of your age, you must 65 years old or older. A disabled applicant is an individual with disabilities that are expected to last more than a year or result in death. Adults applying for SSI must have limited income, which includes the money they receive from work or other government programs, and limited resources, meaning personal property and bank accounts. Children can also qualify for SSI if their disabilities will last more than a year or result in death.
How You Get Approved
Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disability payments are not the same thing. SSI is a government program and funded by general taxes, and is similar to welfare programs that award aid based on an individual's need. SSD is funded by the Social Security taxes removed from person's paychecks. In Kentucky, according to the Social Security Disability Legal Help website, only 40 percent of SSI claims are approved after the first application. About 20 percent of those rejected win their case in the reconsideration phase and the hearing phase, which involves a hearing before a judge to determine what jobs an applicant can perform, is the last opportunity to win an SSI case.
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