Special Needs Answers
Can a Person Who Receives Disability Benefits Own a Car?
Yes, a person who receives disability benefits can own a car, but there are some considerat...
Read moreCan I offer a job to a person who receives disability benefits?
- January 21st, 2015
Q
I want to offer a job to a young man with special needs but his father says that if my potential employee receives more than $85 a month, he will no longer receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Can I hire this qualified person without hurting his benefits?
A
The Social Security Administration (SSA) treats earned income in a special way for people who receive SSI. The first $85 per month of earned income is entirely exempt and for every $2 earned over the $85 amount, $1 is deducted from the beneficiary's SSI check. Thus, if the SSI-eligible person earned $585 per month, his SSI check would be reduced by $250. So as long as your employee does not receive enough income to reduce his SSI benefit to zero, he can still work and receive SSI. In addition, there are several other programs, like Ticket to Work and the PASS Program that can help people with disabilities ease into the workforce.
For more on SSI, click here.