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A Rite of Passage: The SSI Age-18 Redetermination

Apr 11, 2018

There are quite a few milestones along the way as we get older but reaching the age of 18 has come to be a point when you can really acknowledge that you aren’t a child anymore. Of course, you’re not allowed to do everything (notwithstanding the laws on drinking,...

The Student Earned Income Exclusion: Appealing to Working Youth

Mar 30, 2018

There can be little dispute that the Student Earned Income Exclusion (SEIE) is one of the more generous work incentives devised by the Social Security Administration. As is the nature of all good deals, it’s only actually available to a relatively small percentage of...

New Medicare Cards are Coming Soon!

Mar 1, 2018

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has made changes to the Medicare card and it’s on its way. CMS will be phasing in the new cards gradually and on a state by state basis. Maryland is one of the first states slated for the new cards and beneficiaries...

Just Like Starting Over: Expedited Reinstatement and the Initial Reinstatement Period

Feb 20, 2018

It might seem that once someone has worked herself off benefits it would be quite the challenge to get them back again, but, under certain circumstances, it is easier to resume eligibility than it is for those seeking benefits for the first time. This is all thanks to...

Total and Permanent Disability Discharge: True Student Loan Forgiveness

Feb 13, 2018

In 2015 the Student Aid Bill of Rights included plans to make paying for higher education easier for more Americans. As part of that plan the Department of Education teamed up with the Social Security Administration to identify Social Security beneficiaries who would...

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Forking Out: SNAP Updates and Maryland’s Response

It is now widely known that it is forty-two million Americans who receive SNAP benefits, still also known as food stamps. They remain at the mercy of a government, which has remained shut down for thirty-seven days at the time of writing, and shows no sign of opening...

SSA Announces 2026 COLAs

2026’s Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) was recently published and there are some limited but welcome increases across the board. Benefits are due to go up 2.8%. In terms of how that looks to SSI recipients, it means that the Federal Benefit Rate (FBR) will rise to...

SSA Reveals Service Plan during the Federal Government Shutdown

Social Security has issued a statement on its Advocates webpage highlighting the level of its availability during the government shutdown which went into effect today, October 1. Crucially, all SSI and SSDI payments will continue without change and on the same payment...

Oscillate Wildly: Changes to SSDI Overpayment Recovery Rates

It may have escaped your attention, as it did this writer’s, that on August 29 this year Social Security issued Emergency Message 25029 REV. Emergency Messages are the agency’s method of notifying every office of the new protocols to follow. This one’s purpose is to...

Tapping In: Maryland’s Assistive Technology Financial Loan Program

To judge from the figures presented in the 2024 review of Maryland Department of Disabilities’ Technical Assistance Program (MDTAP) there’s not much knowledge within the state of the program itself or any of its projects. MDTAP has provided the Assistive Technology...

Listen Up: Maryland DDA’s Low Intensity Support Services Program Accepting Applications

Maryland’s Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) has long understood the need to provide funding to children and adults in the community in order that they might lead happier and more fully integrated lives in the community. What was once called Rolling...

Social Security Turns 90!

To commemorate this landmark birthday, we've re-published the open letter from Frank Bisignano, the agency's current commissioner. Today, we celebrate the 90th anniversary of Social Security—a program that has stood as a pillarof economic security and dignity for...

Healthy Options? USDA Encouraging SNAP Food Restrictions

In further changes under the new administration (remarkably, it has only been seven months) the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Services are now actively seeking states to implement further restrictions on what you can buy with food...

As You Were: VCU’s National Training and Data Center Re-opens

Last week we reported that Virginia Commonwealth’s NTDC has been closed and all services terminated. This week Social Security announced that the center is open once more. Melanie Webb, the Branch Chief of SSA’s Employment Programs, sent out an n email to the nation’s...

VCU’s National Training and Data Center Closed Down

Benefits Counselors around the country received the news today that Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) was forced to close the National Training and Data Center (NTDC) on July 29. The brief announcement from Melanie Webb, Branch Chief of Employment Programs at...