The Social Security Administration (SSA) has made a move to redesign one of its programs, the Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The aim is to help the applicants with disabilities and/or blindness with low income not qualify for the SSDI benefits program.
This untidy system for the SSA will improve when, from December 2024, it rolls out a new system that will permit certain SSI applicants to provide all the necessary information on such applications online.
What is the supplemental security income (SSI) program?
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is another program of the Social Security Administration that aims at giving funds to some population category, namely disabled, blind, or first-level elder persons indigent or having low income. While SSDI is financed from work experience and paid to individuals who have made enough work credits, SSI, on the other hand, is available for those who, for one reason or another, cannot earn or work in a manner that enables them to qualify for enough credits for SSDI.
Changes to the SSI application process starting December 2024
Starting December 2024, the SSA will make a significant change in the method that is used to submit SSI applications. This update will also enable some people to finish the whole application process through a tool known as iClaim. This new option is specifically available to individuals who meet the following criteria:
- Are between the ages of 18 and 65
- Are single
- Are applying for SSI and Social Security retirement benefits simultaneously
The main of this modification is to provide an easy and fast application with plain language, preset options, and instructions to limit mistakes and time to perform the procedure.
Benefits of the new online application process
The calling for an online application system through iClaim can be traced to the online form of communication wherein applicants, as well as their advocates and Social Security workers, have been clamoring for a less complicated procedure of filing applications. The SSA has gone a long way to engage users and experts in order to design and build a platform that is easy to use and, at the same time, saves time.
Among the key advantages of this new system are:
- Ease of use: It has also provided simple and straightforward questions that make most of the applicants fill out the form easily on this platform.
- Speeding up the process: This way, using preloaded answers and the guided steps to complete the application helps in saving a lot of time.
- Reduced processing time: The SSA believes in reducing the time taken to record claims and in the elimination or reduction of errors and therefore claims will be processed faster for initial decisions so that beneficiaries would receive their cash benefits faster.
Expanding access in 2025
This newly developed first phase of constructing an efficient online application system will be opened for specific clients in December next year, 2024, but the SSA wants to make it open to more clients by December 2025. This second phase will thus encompass all the SSI applicants, no matter the nature of their situation or the kind of benefits that they are applying for.
This expansion will ensure that more people get to access an application process that has been streamlined for usage. This is especially so for those that may not be physically able to be getting to a Social Security office or those who prefer to manage their affairs from the comfort of their homes.
Impact of these changes on SSI beneficiaries
Both of these alterations to the SSI application process could be attributed to the SSA’s attempts at continuously reforming its service provision for the best experience for the target clients. As of July of this year, statistics indicate that roughly 4.9 million people in the population received SSI benefits. Further, around 65 million people in the U.S. claimed the Social Security retirement benefits, of which around 2.5 million also received SSI benefits.
This shift in the application of the process will not only be convenient to the new entrants but can also help the current beneficiaries to easily change or even apply for alternative benefit programs. By reducing the procedure, it is possible to progress towards the idea that those who require help can get it without many obstacles and complications.
FAQs
Q. What is the social security future in America?
A. It will be expected that 75% of the benefit will still be there for a person if he or she does not wish to make any alteration to the program. In the latest annual report by the Social Security Board of Trustees, it was revealed that if no amendments are made, the Social Security Administration will be unable to provide payments for scheduled benefits in full on time beginning 2035.
Q. How is social security calculated?
A. The Social Security benefits are usually calculated by using what is referred to as the average indexed monthly earnings that defines the overall average of indexed earnings of a worker for 35 years. We then use a formula for this average to determine what’s known as the primary insurance amount (PIA). The PIA is used as the basis for the benefits that are paid to an individual.
Q. When to take Social Security?
A. The Social Security administration will allow you to begin drawing your retirement benefits at age 62 years. But you are allowed full benefits if you continue to work and have not applied for the retirement benefits when you attain full retirement age. When you delay the start of your benefits from the full retirement age or up till the age of 70, then your benefit will be higher.