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Inheritance, SSI, and the PASS program.

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Eric Hunting

Junior Member
What is the name of your state? New Jersey

I am a long term SSI recipient whose last remaining supporting relative recently died. As a result, I will soon be forced to relocate from my current residence but require a rather rare kind of adaptive housing to suit the needs of my disability. I anticipate receiving a small inheritance and it is absolutely critical that this be preserved if I am to have any chance of obtaining the housing I need. Without it, homelessness it absolutely assured because no public housing, shelters, or nursing homes anywhere in this country can provide what is necessary. According to the SSA Handbook, inheritance is deemed on a monthly basis just like any other 'unearned income' and, of course, as an SSI recipient I am prohibited from any kind of normal savings. Logically, if one could spend this money in the month it's received on a 'resource' that cannot be counted -like a home- this should not present a problem. But this inheritance is unlikely to be large enough to pay for this needed housing outright. It will take time to save the necessary amount. How can I shelter this money for this desperately critical purpose?

I understand there is a program called the Plan for Self-Sufficiency which is supposed to allow for establishing a specific sheltered savings account in which to shelter income for purposes aiding the pursuit of self-sufficiency; ie. purchases of adaptive/assistive equipment used to aid the pursuit of work. Can PASS be used to shelter this money for specialized housing?

I thank readers for their attention and consideration.
 


ellencee

Senior Member
Eric Hunting
It is possible that PASS will allow you to put some of the money into its savings account system. If the inheritance is divided and counted as monthly income, it reasons that a lump sum deposit into savings would be counted (pro-rated) as monthly deposits. Then again, we are talking about government programs...so who knows, certainly not the PASS program reps. I am not familiar with NJ's PASS program, but the similar programs of which I have knowledge do not allow for much in the way of savings, something under $200 a month if I recall correctly.

It is possible that you will have to live off of the inheritance until such time as you again qualify for SSI.

EC
 

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