CARES Act Changes for SSA Recipients

***Please pay close attention. This is a significant change in favor of our clients.***

In 2020, the CARES Act and the Economic Relief Bill were signed into law, both providing economic relief in the form of economic impact payments (EIPs), unemployment compensation, and other types of monetary relief to many of the populations we serve.

The Commissioner of Social Security has determined the Social Security Act (Act) specifies that the agency shall exclude “assistance received under the Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act or other assistance provided pursuant to a Federal statute on account of a catastrophe, which is declared to be a major disaster by the President” from the income and resources that are counted for SSI purposes. At this time, the agency is actively working to identify potentially affected SSI recipients as well as revise both retrospective and ongoing guidance for technicians when handling UE for SSI purposes.

Effective 02/01/2021, SSA will be reassessing and issuing new policies involving UE by mid-February.

Effective 02/01/2021, for initial claims, technicians are to hold UE and process cases with current eligibility and exclude UE. So, please if you have clients or customers that previously applied and otherwise were denied based on UE under the Cares Act, please resubmit new applications. I am not sure as to how retroactively this guidance is going to be but the NH will not be disqualify based on UE alone.

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This new announcement means that, individuals who received additional payments through unemployment, EIPs, or other compensation through the CARES Act may be eligible for reimbursement of benefits. This is a change from the prior guidance. Additional guidance is forthcoming in February. Please reach out to Georgi with questions.