Milwaukee County Supplemental Security Income Lawyer

Attorney Helping People in Need of SSI Benefits in Milwaukee, WI

Developing a disability is difficult for anyone, but it can be especially challenging for someone without a steady work history and with extremely limited financial resources. In many cases, these individuals may not even qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), but they may have another means of obtaining financial assistance in the form of Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

Due to the strict eligibility requirements, obtaining SSI benefits can be a difficult process. However, Attorney Jonathan Pearson can help you navigate it. Jonathan is committed to personally handling your case, helping you understand your eligibility, and gathering evidence to support your application. He understands that your financial resources are limited, and he will charge no fees until he successfully secures your benefits.

How Do I Qualify for Supplemental Security Income?

SSI benefits are not limited to people with disabilities, as they are also available to any qualifying person aged 65 or above. However, to qualify based on a disability, you must meet the same disability criteria as for SSDI benefits. This means you must demonstrate that your condition keeps you from performing substantial gainful activity (SGA) for 12 months or more. Specifically, you must be incapable of performing work that earns a monthly income of at least $1,350 as of 2022.

Unlike with SSDI benefits, you do not need to have earned a certain number of Social Security credits through your work in order to qualify for SSI benefits. Instead, qualification is based on financial need as determined by your income and financial resources. Currently, the maximum value of resources for a qualifying individual is $2,000, and for a qualifying married couple, it is $3,000. These resources include things like bank accounts, investments, cash, and some personal property, but they exclude other properties like your home, a vehicle that you rely on for transportation, and certain properties that you rely on to earn an income.

What Are Supplemental Security Income Benefits?

Supplemental Security Income benefits come in the form of a monthly payment. On a federal level, the maximum amount of this payment is $794 for an individual and $1,191 for a married couple in 2021, and this can be reduced based on the amount of qualifying income that you already earn. However, Wisconsin offers a state supplement to all who qualify for federal SSI benefits, and additional state supplements are available under some circumstances. For example:

• The Caretaker Supplement (CTS) is available to parents who qualify for SSI and who are responsible for the care of their minor children. In this case, the children themselves also have to meet certain criteria regarding income and financial resources.
• The Exceptional Expense Supplement (SSI-E) is available to those who qualify for SSI, reside in a qualifying facility such as a foster home or a community-based residential facility, and have monthly expenses above a certain threshold.

Qualifying for SSI benefits also often means qualifying for other forms of financial assistance. In Wisconsin, this includes Medicaid to help cover healthcare costs, the Foodshare Wisconsin program to assist with the costs of adequate nutrition, and public housing assistance to help with rent.

Contact a Waukesha County SSI Benefits Attorney

At a time when you likely need as much financial assistance as possible, we are ready to help. Attorney Jonathan Pearson can advise you on your eligibility for federal SSI benefits as well as the Wisconsin state supplements, and he will help you through the application process, including an appeal if your initial application is denied. Contact us today at 414-240-4801 to get started with a free consultation. We help clients in Milwaukee, Wauwatosa, West Allis, Greenfield, Oak Creek, South Milwaukee, Waukesha County, Milwaukee County, and the surrounding areas.