SI 00870.007 When To Start A PASS
A. POLICY -- SELECTING THE MONTH TO START A PASS
A PASS can be made effective with any month of eligibility for SSI or any
month of potential eligibility assuming approval of the PASS, subject to
the rules of administrative finality in SI 04070.001 ff.
B. PROCEDURE
1. Starting Month
Use the month that SSA receives the plan as the starting month for the
PASS unless another month applies per SI 00870.007B.2. or SI00870.007B.3.
2. Retroactivity
Subject to the rules of administrative finality, start a PASS with the
actual month the individual, who is already eligible for SSI, began
pursuing the work goal (i.e., saving, incurring expenses, or working) or
any subsequent month.
3. Future Month
Start a PASS in a future month provided that:
o it is more advantageous to the individual (e.g., using the month SSA
receives the plan as the starting month would provide the person with
a lower SSI payment than expected due to proration); or
o the individual requests it; and
o the system is able to accept the future month.
NOTE: When no expenditures will be made until some future date 6 months
or more in the future, it is more likely that the individual's situation
may change. A progress review must be conducted every 6 months until
spending begins.
4. RMA Adjustment
Use up to 2 months prior to the starting month to accommodate the
retrospective monthly accounting (RMA) cycle for individuals already
eligible for SSI, regardless of whether the individual has already saved
money or incurred expenses, when:
o the exclusion of income under the PASS would not increase the SSI
payment amount for 1 or 2 months due to RMA; and
o it appears that the individual may need this early exclusion to
increase the SSI payment in order to provide a source of funds to set
aside for the PASS.
EXAMPLE: Martha Franklin, an SSI recipient, submits a PASS in July 2000.
She has been working in a sheltered workshop but has an opportunity to
begin working in a supported employment setting beginning in August 2000
if she has the additional funds to begin paying her job coach. She
proposes to set aside funds from her title II income to do this.
Recognizing that she needs the increased SSI before she can afford to pay
the job coach, input the PASS exclusion as of June 2000, so that the
August 2000 SSI payment will reflect the increase.
[Last Change: 09/00]