Por Agustina Troiano
En esta noticia
Receiving the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) means keeping updated with the Social Security Administration (SSA) any information that may change over time, such as a new job, a change in income, a move, a change in the household, or even a change in available resources, among other situations that the agency requires to be reported.
The importance of reporting these changes lies in the fact that they can modify both eligibility for the program and the amount of the benefit. The SSA warns that failing to update the information can cause a person to receive a payment that is smaller than the one they are entitled to or, on the contrary, an overpayment that must later be returned.
But not all changes are reported in the same way or at any time, since the general rule states that they must be communicated as soon as possible and, at the latest, within 10 days after the end of the month in which the change occurred.
What are the 3 changes you must report to Social Security?
The 3 changes that the SSA considers and you must report are:
- Changes in income: changes in wages and income from self-employment must be reported. Likewise, other income such as pensions, unemployment benefits, child support, and money received from family or friends must be reported, and if the beneficiary is married and lives with their spouse, changes in that spouse’s income must also be reported.
- Changes in the household or housing: among the situations that must be reported are a move or changes in who lives in the household. The SSA considers changes related to staying in an institution, such as a hospital, a nursing home, or a correctional institution.
- Changes in resources or personal situation: the SSA includes changes in bank accounts and their balances, new resources, property that is bought or sold, and transfers of resources. As for personal situation, citizens must report changes such as marital status or citizenship and immigration status.
What penalties and problems with your payment can occur?
If a beneficiary does not report a change that may affect their SSI, various consequences may occur, such as:
- Overpayment: the person may receive more money than they were entitled to and the SSA may require them to return the overpaid amount.
- Reduction in the benefit: when a change is not reported or is reported after the established deadline, the rules provide for a penalty of US$25 in the first period, US$50 in the second, and US$100 in the following ones, according to the SSA.
- More severe penalties for intentional noncompliance: if the SSA determines that a person deliberately provided false information or intentionally failed to report a significant change, payments may be suspended for 6 months for the first penalty, 12 months for the second, and 24 months for the following ones.
When should you report these changes to Social Security?
The SSA’s general rule establishes that changes must be reported as soon as possible and, at the latest, by the 10th day of the month following the one in which the change occurred; for example, if the change occurs during October, it must be reported no later than November 10.
In the case of wages, the SSA recommends reporting income no later than the sixth day of the month following the one in which the payment was received. In this regard, the agency notes that reporting wages regularly helps reduce the likelihood of overpayments.
How do you report changes to Social Security?
Beneficiaries can report changes through the channels enabled by the SSA, including my Social Security and the mobile app, depending on the type of report.
You can also contact the agency by phone or go to a local office, although for assistance in Spanish you can call 1-800-772-1213 and press 7.