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Plan for Achieving Self-Support (PASS)
Social Security Administration
Overview:
A Plan for Achieving Self-Support (PASS) lets you spend or save income (other than SSI income) and/or resources for
employability investments and work expenses that SSA agrees will help you move toward a goal that will make you financially
more self-supporting. (SSA calls such a goal an "occupational goal.")
Any income included in a PASS must come from earned or unearned income sources (including in-kind support and/or deemed
income) other than SSI. The amount of income you may include in a PASS can not exceed your non-SSI income.
SSA must agree that your occupational goal is "feasible" for you, and that your plan to achieve that goal is
viable. In other words, you must have both a realistic goal and a good plan to achieve that goal.
Eligibility Requirements:
- Persons must be blind or disabled,
- Persons must meet all the eligibility requirements for SSI with the exception of income and/or resources,
- The individual must have either: earnings, unearned income, or resources to set aside in a PASS,
- If SSI is not received because of excess income or resources, developing a PASS may help an individual to qualify
for SSI.
AT Services Provided/Covered:
- No AT Services are provided or covered
AT Devices Provided/Covered:
- Daily Living
- Vision/Hearing Equipment
- Speech Communication
- Computer and related
- Learning, Cognition and Developmental
- Environmental Adaptations
- Mobility, Seating and Positioning
- Vehicle Modifications
- Other: Home/Worksite Modifications
Application Process:
- Contact the SSA office at (800) 772-1213 to discuss and develop your work plans and a PASS. Ask to speak with an
employee who is knowledgeable about PASS and other SSA work incentives;
- A PASS must contain the following to be approved by SSA:
- The plan must have a designated and feasible work goal.
- The plan must be in writing.
- The plan must be designed for the individual's needs, goals, abilities, and circumstances.
- The plan must include a specific financial plan.
- The plan must include a specific and limited time frame for achieving work goals (no longer than 48
months).
- The plan must describe how the funds to be set aside must be clearly identifiable and used specifically
just for the PASS. (A separate savings account for the PASS is required.)
- Persons with disabilities have a fundamental role in developing their own plan. They can write their own plan or
select persons to assist them such as parents, educators, vocational counselors, job coaches, social workers, or
employers.
- The Social Security Administration MUST approve the PASS before it can go into effect.
- The PASS is a contract with SSA. The steps and goals outlined in the plan must be strictly observed and can only
be changed with written approval of an SSA representative.
- As with any SSA program, any changes in income, living arrangement or disability must be immediately reported to
your SSA representative.
Contact Information:
Social Security Administration (SSA)
(800) 772-1213
www.ssa.gov
or
You can access the most recent edition of the Social Security Red Book at: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/redbook
Additional Information:
You may not be able to include in your PASS disability-related work expenses that are already included in an IRWE. Check
with your SSA Claims Representative. If you do include those expenses in your PASS, you must first remove them from your
IRWE. Work Expenses can not be included in both a PASS and an IRWE.
You can get help in setting up your plan from a vocational rehabilitation (VR) counselor, an organization that helps people
with disabilities, Benefits Specialists or Protection and Advocacy (P&A) organizations who have contracts with SSA,
Employment Networks involved in the Ticket to Work program, your local Social Security office, or anyone else willing to help
you.
Many people can benefit from a PASS, but do not have the luxury of waiting to make that big purchase while they save up
money over a period of months or even years. An Alternative Finance Program (AFP) sponsored loan may be available in a case
like this to allow the individual to immediately obtain the needed item. The PASS can be used to pay off the loan over a
period of years. For more information on AFP, see Section IV of this manual
All AT Devices provided and covered must be needed to achieve work-related goals.
Bridges & Potholes:
Bridges
- Because recipients are essentially paying for the assistive technology with their own money, they will own the
device or devices.
- SSA is merely excluding the money used to pay for the device or devices from earned or unearned income, allowing
the person to receive a higher SSI check than would otherwise be provided.
Potholes
- The assistive technology must, in some way, enable the person to perform a job or to get to a job. Nothing can be
deducted that does not meet this requirement.
- The PASS plan must have a time limit for reaching the occupational objective. The time limit can be extended, but
not indefinitely.
- Using a PASS plan involves a lengthy and somewhat complicated application process and requires tracking all
expenses claimed in the plan by submitting receipts.