Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS)

A PASS allows you to set aside other income besides your SSI and/or resources for a specified period of time so that you may pursue a work goal. For example, if you receive SSDI, wages, or other income, you could set aside some of that money to pay expenses for education, vocational training, or starting a business as long as the expenses are related to achieving your work goal.

SSA does not count the income that you set aside under your PASS when figuring your SSI payment amount. SSA does not count the resources that you set aside under your PASS when determining your initial and continuing eligibility for SSI.

A PASS can help you establish or maintain SSI eligibility and may increase your SSI payment amount.

If you receive SSI or could qualify for SSI, you could benefit from a PASS. You may not need a plan now, but you may need one sometime in the future to remain eligible or to increase your SSI payment amount while fulfilling your work goal.

Your PASS must:

• Be designed especially for you;
• Be in writing. SSA prefers that you use the form, the SSA-545-BK. You can get copies of the PASS form, SSA-545-BK, at your local SSA office, from any PASS Expert, or from the SSA web site at: www.ssa.gov/online/ssa-545.aspx;
• Have a specific work goal that you are capable of performing;
• Have a specific timeframe for reaching your goal;
• How money (other than your SSI payments) and other resources you have or receive that you will use to reach your goal;
• Show how your money and resources will be used to reach your work goal;
• Show how the money you set aside will be kept separate from other funds;
• Be approved by SSA; and
• Be reviewed periodically by SSA to assure your plan is actually helping you achieve progress.

When SSA figures your SSI payment amount, they do not count income set aside under a PASS. They apply this exclusion to your countable income after using all other appropriate exclusions.

You can buy Hospital Insurance separately without Supplemental Medical Insurance. You can buy Supplemental Medical Insurance only if you also buy Hospital Insurance. Premium Prescription Drug coverage (Part D) is also available.

Resources set aside under a PASS are not counted towards the resource limit.

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