Frequently Asked Questions

The Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) program is for people with disabilities who want to save money for a work-related goal that will help them become self-sufficient. With a PASS, you can put some of your income into a separate account that is not counted by Social Security, so your benefits will go up as you work towards your goal.

You must apply for, or already be getting, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits to qualify for the PASS program. Learn more about PASS.

To be eligible to start a PASS, you must:

• Get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits or become eligible for SSI if your PASS is approved
• Have a source of income other than SSI (for example, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits or wages from a job) or resources over $2,000 that you can use to fund your PASS
• Have a specific work goal that will help you earn enough money to lower or end your SSI or SSDI benefits, and
• Be under 65 (with some exceptions).

Learn more about PASS eligibility.

You can use a PASS to set aside income and resources you will need to reach a specific work goal in a separate bank account. The money in your PASS account can be used for expenses related to your work goal, like supplies and equipment for your job, employment services like job coaching, and tuition for school or training.

With a PASS, you can start working without worrying about losing your benefits. Social Security does not count the money in your PASS account when calculating your Supplemental Security Income (SSI), so when you start putting money into a PASS account for your work goal, your monthly benefits stay the same or go up. Learn more about PASS.

To apply for a PASS, fill out the PASS application form. Your PASS application must describe your work goal and how you plan to achieve it. This description should be detailed enough to convince Social Security that:

• You have a clear plan
• The plan is realistic, and
• If you complete the plan, your need for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits will go down or you will not need benefits at all.

The PASS application is long and asks for a lot of information, but a Social Security PASS specialist can help you with every step of the PASS application process. To contact a PASS specialist, call the Atlanta Region PASS Cadre at 1-800-254-9489, 1-205-801-4444, or 1-205-801-3583.

Learn more about the PASS application.

Yes, a Social Security PASS specialist can help you fill out your PASS application. A PASS specialist is an expert in the PASS program whose job is to help people write their PASS plans and apply for the program.

To contact the the Atlanta Region PASS Cadre (serving all of Georgia), call 1-800-254-9489, 1-205-801-4444, or 1-205-801-3583.

Yes, you can keep your benefits if you start a PASS, and your benefits may go up. Using a PASS will lower your monthly countable income, so your Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits will stay the same or go up, even if you start earning more money.

If you get Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits and work, you still need to report your wages to your local Social Security office. All SSDI rules for Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) and Trial Work Period (TWP) still apply.

You can still qualify for Section 8 and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) with a PASS. In fact, setting up a PASS may help you qualify for these programs by lowering your countable income. Like with SSI, any income or resources you put in a PASS account will not be counted when determining your eligibility for Section 8 and SNAP.

Learn more about getting other benefits while using a PASS.

Yes, you can set up a PASS if you get Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). SSDI counts as income for the PASS program, so you can put your SSDI benefits into your PASS account and they won't be counted as part of your monthly countable income. A PASS can be a great way to lower your monthly unearned income total so that you qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits.

Note: If you are getting SSDI and you apply for SSI because of your PASS, Social Security may do a new disability determination to make sure you are still eligible for benefits.

To qualify for PASS, you must get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits or become eligible for SSI benefits as a result of an approved PASS application. If you do not qualify for SSI because your income or resources are too high, you can use a PASS account to set aside your excess resources and income, which would then make you eligible for SSI.

For example, if you get more than $987 a month in Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), you do not qualify for SSI. But if you put some of your SSDI benefits into your PASS account to use for your work goal, your countable income may drop low enough that you qualify for SSI. Read more about setting aside money in a PASS.

Virginia Commonwealth University's Rehabilitation Research and Training Center offers an example of a completed PASS form. This form includes the applicant's work goal, his plan for completing his goal and a timeline for all of his steps, and a list of monthly expenses that he will have. Read more about the PASS application.

If a medical situation or some other issue comes up that makes it hard for you to continue your PASS, you can talk to your PASS specialist about your options. You may be allowed to put your PASS plan on hold for up to 12 months. Social Security may also let you make changes to your PASS plan if you need to.

If your plan is on hold and you don't restart it within 12 months, Social Security will end your PASS. Your PASS may also end if you do not follow your plan, you spend your PASS funds on expenses that are not approved for your PASS, or your eligibility for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits ends.