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Work Incentives – Subsidies and Special Conditions

Dec 12, 2017

If you're familiar with how employment impacts Title II benefits like SSDI, then you are already aware that following the end of the Trial Work Period, Social Security will make a determination about whether an individual is performing Substantial Gainful Activity or...

Work Incentives – Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE)

Dec 4, 2017

Social Security has special rules called work incentives that support employment efforts and serve as an extra 'incentive' for SSI and SSDI beneficiaries to work. One of these work incentives is called an Impairment Related Work Expense, more commonly known by it's...

SSA’s Promoting Opportunities Demonstration (POD) – Have You Heard?

Nov 29, 2017

The Social Security Administration launched a new demonstration project known as the Promoting Opportunities Demonstration or POD with beneficiary enrollments beginning November, 2017. SSA will be implementing POD in select counties throughout the state of Maryland;...

Update on Maryland ABLE!

Nov 20, 2017

Just last week the Maryland Benefits Counseling Network posted information about the Achieving Better Life Experience or ABLE program - what it is, how it can help eligible individuals save money without impacting Medicaid and/or SSI benefits, and how to participate...

Social Security Resource Limit – Get Around It If You’re ABLE

Nov 13, 2017

#ABLEtoSave If you receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits you are hopefully already aware that Social Security limits the amount of resources you can have in order to remain eligible for SSI benefits - $2,000 for an individual or $3,000 for an eligible...

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SNAP Tackles Pop: States Ban Food Stamp Purchases of Soda and Candy

There have always been restrictions on what you can buy with food stamps, now dubbed the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP (a godsend to sub-editors everywhere). The simple, if perhaps occasionally dubious, pleasures that alcoholic beverages provide...

2026’s 1619(b) Thresholds Are Out!

Unlike many annual changes in the benefits world, which are announced on a fairly rigid schedule, recent history has shown that we can never quite be sure when the new thresholds for 1619(b) are going to be announced. Fortunately, this year there hasn’t been much of a...

Health Check: Changes to Medicaid in Maryland

The new year is an obvious time to make changes if that’s what you’re going to do and it might seem that if things are going to be different for Medicaid beneficiaries now would be the time to learn what’s new. Oddly enough, even though there are changes afoot,...

What’s New? Update on 2026 Benefits Changes

Now that we have to admit that the holidays are truly over and we're embedded in the new year, for better or for worse, it's worth having a quick look over the new annual figures that will affect those of us who receive federal benefits. By now everyone who receives...

Happy Holidays from MDBCN to You!

Another year comes to another close and although we can hardly look back on 12 months of love, peace, and harmony we can always hope for that in the future. Whatever may come to pass, we at the Maryland Benefits Counseling Network will continue to endeavor to keep you...

Getting Better: ABLE Changes for 2026

Back in 2022 Congress passed a bill that is about to go into effect. The ABLE Age Adjustment Act decreed that as of January 2026 the age threshold for Achieving Better Life Experience (ABLE) accounts would increase from 26 to 46. The ABLE Act has been around for more...

A Bitter Pill: Medicare Costs in 2026

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced the 2026 premium and deductible figures. It’s a familiar story, as those costs are up again. The standard Medicare Part B premium will raise eyebrows and blood pressure as it increases by $17.90 a...

From the Horse’s Mouth: SSA Commissioner Delivers 2025 Fiscal Report

Gues what? It’s all good. On November 20 Frank Bisignano, Social Security’s Commissioner, published his letter to Congress detailing the agency’s achievements in 2025. The letter, which you can read in full here (Commissioner Letter to Congress: Year in Review) begins...

SNAP’s Back: Federal Food Stamp Payments to Resume

After the longest shutdown in its 249-year history the US government officially re-opened on Wednesday when its president signed a bill allowing funding until January 30 next year. While this would certainly appear to be only a temporary easing of the situation it...

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...