Tell Congress: Support the SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act NOW!

TAKE ACTION: Urge your U.S. Senators to support people with disabilities by co-sponsoring the bipartisan SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act (S.4102) and work to include this in an end of the year package
It’s wintertime” And the Living Ain’t Easy” but then again it’s not easy in the summertime especially if you’re trying to live off an SSI payment of $841 per month–(For couples the SSI payment is $1261).there’s a tiny light at the end of the tunnel and that is the SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act (S .4102)..
The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program provides critical support for millions of people with disabilities to help afford the basics of everyday life, like food and rent. But SSI has many rules that make it hard for people to save money and get out of poverty. SSI has an asset limit that has not been updated since 1989! Assets include money in bank accounts, retirement accounts, and savings. Right now, people who get SSI can only have $2,000 in assets. Married couples can only have $3,000.*
These limits mean that people cannot save money and force people with disabilities into poverty.* SSI
The proposed S 4102 will raise one’s monthly SSI to $914 and $1371 for a couple. The old rate is $841 for an individual and $1261 for a couple.

These new rates will make it a little easier to pay the rent and put food on the table. Of course there are many other bills to pay – more bills that I can write on this piece of paper. But S. 4102 at least gives you a little headway.

Call your Sen. and has been to vote in favor of this bill.

Joseph Tringali
Editor and Informational Advocate
Stavros Center for Independent Living
http://www.stavros.org