Understanding Supplemental Security Income SSI Work Incentives — 2021 Edition
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SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME (SSI) WORK INCENTIVES
WHAT ARE WORK INCENTIVES?
One of our highest priorities is to help people with disabilities achieve independence by helping them take advantage of employment opportunities. Work incentive employment supports help disabled and blind SSI recipients go to work by minimizing the risk of losing their SSI or Medicaid benefits.
Some incentives allow us to not count some of your income or resources.
Other incentives let you continue to receive Medicaid coverage even though you are not receiving SSI cash benefits.
You may be entitled to take advantage of more than one work incentive program. Depending on the types of income you receive, it will change the amount we do not count and the SSI benefit amount.
Visit our websites at www.ssa.gov/disabilityresearch/workincentives.htm and www.ssa.gov/redbook for more information about work incentives.
EARNED INCOME EXCLUSION
We do not count the first $65 of earned income plus one–half of the amount over $65. Therefore, we reduce your SSI benefit only $1 for every $2 you [...]