YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY
By DAVID BROWN

Sometimes people are surprised to find that things they have thought for years were true are actually false. Over the years I have found that this is often the case with the Supplemental Security Income program, or SSI. The following are what I consider the big three myths about the SSI program - together with the actual truths about these subjects.

Myth: You have to be virtually homeless and destitute to qualify for SSI.

You have to be aged, blind or disabled to qualify for SSI - and you also must have little or no income or resources. But you certainly do not have to be homeless or destitute, because not everything you earn is counted as income and not everything you own is counted as a resource.

For example, income includes money received from wages and pensions, and also such things as food and shelter. The amount of income you can receive each month and still be eligible for SSI depends partly on where you live. You can call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) to find out the income limits in your state.

As to resources, you can own a home and car and burial plots and still get benefits. However, other resources, such as real estate, bank accounts, cash, stocks and bonds, cannot be worth more than $2,000 if you are unmarried, or $3,000 if you are married.

Myth: You can get Social Security benefits or SSI benefits, but you cannot get both.

Actually, some people can get both. As of April 2006, just over 2.5 million people were receiving both Social Security and SSI benefit payments.

We count your monthly Social Security benefit as income when we determine your eligibility for SSI, but you can still qualify for SSI as long as you meet the overall income and resource limits. For example, suppose Joan Jones receives a monthly Social Security benefit of $300 and has no other income. The SSI Federal benefit rate is $603, and the first $20 of income is not counted. So Ms. Jones would be entitled to an SSI benefit of $323 per month in addition to her Social Security.

You can get more information about SSI income and resource limits, and about qualifying for both Social Security and SSI, by visiting our Web site at www.socialsecurity.gov , or by calling us toll-free at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800325-0778) and asking for a copy of the pamphlet, Supplemental Security Income.

Myth: If you get SSI disability benefit payments, your SSI payments will stop if you try to go back to work.

If you are getting SSI disability payments and want to work, special rules may help you. You may be able to keep getting SSI payments while you work. As you earn more money, your SSI payments may be reduced or stopped, but you may be able to keep your Medicaid coverage. You also may be able to set aside some money for a work goal or to go to school. In this case, the money you set aside will not reduce the amount of your SSI. Blind or disabled people who apply for SSI may get free special services to help them work. These services may include counseling, job training and help in finding work.

You can get more information by visiting our Web site at www.socialsecurity.gov or calling us toll-free at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) to get a copy of Working While Disabled - How We Can Help.

For more information about the SSI program, visit our Web site at http://www.socialsecurity.gov or call us toll-free at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) and ask for a copy of the pamphlet, Supplemental Security Income.

Mr. Brown is District Manager of the Social Security Administration's Downtown New York Office.