If you need to know how to apply for SSI in North Carolina, read on. The Bishop Law Firm represents disability clients in Raleigh and surrounding areas of NC. We do not get paid unless you win and we offer free case reviews by phone, (919) 615-3095. or you can start your free case review online now.
Types of Social Security Disability Benefits
SSA offers two types of benefits for disability claimants: Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). SSDI is based on the credits from the work you have done in your life while Supplemental Security Income is a need based program.
SSI is for children and, generally, adults with few resources/limited income that have not worked full time for five of the last ten years. After you apply, you must be found disabled under SSA’s Five Step Sequential Evaluation before you are entitled to either benefit.
Also watch: Who should apply for SSD/SSI?
How to apply for SSI NC?
One way to apply for Supplemental Security Income in NC is to call your local Social Security Office and set up an appointment to file an initial claim. This is the method that most of my clients use.
The Social Security Administration also has an online application for SSI but you must meet certain criteria to file online. You are eligible to a SSI application online if you: (via SSA )
Are between the ages of 18 and 65;
Have never been married;
Aren’t blind;
Are a U.S. citizen residing in one of the fifty states, District of Columbia, or the Northern Mariana Islands;
Haven’t applied for or received SSI benefits in the past; and
Are applying for Social Security Disability Insurance at the same time as your SSI claim.
To apply look here .
The Supplemental Security Income application process involves disclosing financial information to ensure that you are eligible for SSI payments. To be eligible for SSI an adult person must not have more than $2,000 in countable resources. A married couple must not have more than $3,000 in countable resources. Countable resources include cash, bank accounts, land, life insurance, personal property, vehicles and deemed resources.
Luckily, there are exceptions that do not count as resources to SSA: the home you live in, one vehicle, personal items in your home, insurance policies up to $1500 and burial plots, etc.
Deemed resources means that SSA will treat another’s income as yours. Your spouse’s income (if you live in the same home) and a parent’s income (to a child under 18) can disqualify a claimant from receiving benefits. Even people who are not legally married, but hold themselves out to the community as a married couple can be subject to deeming rules.
SSA checks the claimant’s financial qualifications when a claimant initially applies and again if they are found disabled by SSA. If your resources are more than what the Social Security Administration allows you will not be allowed to file for or receive SSI benefits. It is surely better to be denied initially due to resources than to go all the way through the disability process, be found disabled and then be told that you are not eligible due to resources.
Frequently asked questions
- How much do you get for SSI in North Carolina? Currently, (2023) SSI is $914 per month for an eligible individual and $1,371 for an eligible couple. The amount you actually receive in SSI will depend on your financial situation. In NC, SSI comes with Medicaid.
- Is SSI the same as disability? Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disability are both types of disability benefits offered by the Social Security Administration but the requirements for each type of benefits are different.
- How far back does SSI back pay go? SSI is not payable until you apply for it. This is different from SSDI which can be paid up to one year before your filing date depending on when you are found disabled. So, applying for SSI as soon as possible is imperative.
- How long does it take to get SSI once approved? Once SSA lets you know you have been approved for SSI (usually by mail), they will contact you to do a resource appointment to determine your financial need. Until you complete the resource appointment and give SSA the requested information, you will not receive any benefits. Usually, it takes a few months for clients to get paid after being approved.
- What pays more SSI or Social Security? Social Security Disability is based on the work that you have completed in your life while SSI is fixed at $914 a month. If you had a high earnings while you worked, your Social Security Disability payments would be higher than the amount SSI pays.
The Bishop Law Firm represents Social Security Disability clients in Raleigh, Durham, Fayetteville, Cary, Rocky Mount, Wilson, Smithfield, Louisburg, Chapel Hill, Roanoke Rapids and surrounding areas in North Carolina. Call us today for a free case review, (919) 615-3095 or start online now.
Also read North Carolina Social Security Disability Attorney