How to Increase SSI Payments
Hello,
My son receives SSI payments of $449. per month and I am trying to determine how to get his SSI payment to increase to the full $674. When I applied for SSI for him (he's disabled, since birth) I told his case worker that we were charging him $300. per month, for food and shelter, and that our household costs (rent, utilities, food) were $2,200. per month. The case worker divided this amount by 3, (my husband, me and our son) and determined that we were supplying ISM (In-kind support and Maintenance).
Recently, since reading more about social security benefits, I have learned that we should have also counted our daughter, who is attending college (supported by us). She will be moving home with us in July. I know that I am required, as my son's payee, to report that she will be living with us, and suspect that I should report that she should have been counted, all along.
My question is, when I tell my son's case worker that there are 4 in our household, and that we intend to increase what we charge our son for food and shelter to 1/4 of our monthly bills ($2,200.), food and shelter costs of $550., do I need to include, in the change to the claim, a loan agreement with my son, or any other documentation to show that we will no longer be supplying in-kind support and maintenance (ISM) and that he will be expected to pay 1/4 of the costs of our household bills?
I'm very happy to have found this forum and thank anyone who takes the time to answer.
Re: Increasing SSI Payment Questions
https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0500835482
Probably won't work because repayment of this loan is conditional upon receipt of extra SSI. See #3.
If it was valid, you would also need to report when your college age daughter moved out or changes her intent to move home. That would again change the pro-rata share.
Re: Increasing SSI Payment Questions
Thank you, Janke. I understand your first comment, about repayment of the loan, and found that Example 3 does repay it (copied below). So by establishing that my son does have to pay back the 'loan of food and shelter' he should get approved for the higher SSI amount, I think.
A question on the pro-rate share: by reporting our correct pro-rate (I reported incorrectly due to ignorance of being required to count a college student, and the case worker didn't ask about other family members), and increasing the amount that our son must pay (to 1/4th the costs, or $550. per month) should our son's SSI be increased, or will he be stuck at the lower rate since we're obviously giving him 'in kind support' currently? Our daughter, regardless of where she is currently living, is a full-time college student, supported by us, so should be reported, changing our son's potential to pay 'fair share' of household costs (pro-rate change from 1/3 to 1/4 the costs), and our daughter will be moving home, upon graduation, and living with us for at least one year (that is the current plan and, for many personal reasons, I believe that it will go exactly as planned).
I just want to make certain that when I report the change to our son's Social Security case worker, in the change of our living situation (from 3 people to 4), and request that he pay 1/3 of the costs, that I'm not missing anything in the request. I prefer to not go the route of a 'loan agreement', since I think that opens a whole big can of worms.
EXAMPLE 3: Obligation to repay is established
Ms. Smith applies for SSI in April 2010. She alleges that her brother provides her with food and shelter as a loan. When interviewed by the CR, Ms. Smith and her brother both state that she must repay the loan of food and shelter whether or not Ms. Smith is found eligible for SSI. In this case, the CR determines that an obligation to repay exists because both parties confirmed that the obligation to repay is not contingent on whether Ms. Smith’s financial circumstances improve.
Re: Increasing SSI Payment Questions
The validity of the loan agreement is going to be a judgement call based on your local office. I actually don't think that you have a valid loan agreement with your son because unless he gets increased SSI, how is he going to pay it? If he had a car loan with the bank, there wouldn't be an issue of validity. So how much does he owe you?
But your local office may see it differently.