BECAUSE OF MY DISABLING IMPAIRMENT, I HAVE TO PAY FOR CERTAIN ITEMS SO I CAN WORK. HOW DO THESE EXPENSES AFFECT MY SSI?

In most cases, we can deduct the out-of-pocket costs of these items, which we call impairment related work expenses (IRWE), from the amount of earnings we use to figure your SSI benefit.

This means that we do not reduce your SSI benefit as much because we do not count all of your earnings.

WHAT ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF IRWE THAT CAN BE DEDUCTED?

If you work, we may deduct your out-of-pocket expenses for items such as medicine, medical supplies, medical devices, service animals, assistive technology that people with disabilities use for employment-related purposes; such as software applications, computer support services, and special tools which have been specifically designed to accommodate the person’s impairment, and disposable items such as bandages and syringes when figuring the amount of your earned income.  

We may also be able to deduct your out-of-pocket expenses for medical services such as counseling, doctors visits, and some attendant care services charged for preparing you for work, attending to you while you are at work, or getting you to and from work.  We may also deduct certain out-of-pocket expenses for transportation and modifications to your home, car, or van to allow you to work.

The expense must not be reimbursed by any other source, and must be related to your disabling impairment(s) and needed in order for you to work.

Example:  Ellen Jones receives SSI because of a disability.  Ellen works and earns $1,025 a month, which is the only income received.  Ellen has the following work expenses:

• Pays $125 a month for union dues and insurance.
• Pays $250 a month to a special transportation service that is needed to get to and from work because of their disabling impairment.

Although Ellen has work expenses of $375 a month, only the $250 of the earnings which they use to pay for the special transportation service are related to their impairment and not counted in determining the amount of their SSI benefit as follows: 

$ 1,025 - $20 (general exclusion) = $1,005

$ 1,005 - $65 (work exclusion) = $940

$  940 - $250 (impairment-related work expense) = $690

$  690 / 2 = $345

$  345 = countable earnings.

Note:  Normally, public transportation is not an IRWE.

WHAT IF I NEED THE ITEM OR SERVICE BOTH ON AND OFF THE JOB?

Generally, it does not matter if you also need the item or service for daily living. For example, the cost of a wheelchair usually can be deducted from the earnings we might count even though the wheelchair is used for both daily living and work.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER RULES THAT MAY HELP?

A person who is disabled may also use other SSI work incentives, such as a Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) and continued Medicaid coverage while working.