The Social Security Administration has announced plans to simplify the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) application process in a significant way, according to kiplinger. Starting in December, they will introduce a more streamlined online application, reducing the complexity of the current system.
SSI provides monthly payments to individuals with little to no income or resources, including those who are disabled or adults aged 65 and older. Currently, applying for SSI requires gathering various documents, such as medical records, proof of living arrangements, income verification, and more. Applicants also need to complete interviews with SSI representatives, either over the phone or in person, as the SSA needs substantial information to determine eligibility and payment amounts accurately.
Although the application process requires a significant amount of information, the Social Security Administration aims to make it less “burdensome and challenging for the public.”
SSI Application Changes
The first step in simplifying the process, known as the iClaim expansion or SSI Simplification Phase I initiative, aims to create a fully online SSI application for Title XVI disability applicants within the iClaim system. iClaim is an online portal that allows users to apply for various Social Security benefits. According to the SSA, the new application will feature “user-tested, plain-language questions, prepopulated answers where possible, seamless step-by-step transitions, and more,” with implementation planned for late 2024.
The initial rollout will be available to first-time applicants aged 18 to 65 who have never married and are applying for both Social Security benefits and SSI. The second phase, scheduled for late 2025, will expand the application to all applicants. These steps are part of a larger, multi-year effort to streamline the SSI application process.
“Over the past year, we have consulted with applicants, advocates, and our workforce to understand how to make the SSI application process easier and simpler,” said Martin O’Malley, Commissioner of Social Security. “Now, we are taking an important first step in that direction.”
In 2022, 1.23 million people applied for SSI benefits due to blindness or disability, while 172,000 applied based on age. On average, 7.5 million people received Federal SSI benefits each month in 2022.