PACER Center
952-838-9000
Champions for Children with Disabilities
Knowledge Center
TATRA Navigation Menu
Social Security/Work Incentives/Ticket to Work
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a program of the Social Security Administration. It provides monthly benefits to individuals with disabilities who have limited income and resources. SSI provides eligible individuals with a monthly check, and access to services such as food stamps and Medicaid. SSI can be a valuable resource to transition-aged students.
Work Incentives
Students who qualify to receive SSI benefits may also use the SSI program's work incentives. Work incentives allow students to have paid work experience during and after their secondary education experience. SSI work incentives available to transition-aged students include Earned and Unearned Income Disregards, Student Earned Income Exclusion (SEIE), Impairment-Related Work Expense (IRWE), Plan for Achieving Self Support (PASS), Blind Work Expense (BWE), and Property Essential to Self Support (PESS).
These incentives can be helpful in designing community-based, paid employment transition programs for students without decreasing the cash assistance benefits provided by the SSI program.
Information concerning the potential use of SSI work incentives can be incorporated within the transition IEP plan to help young people achieve meaningful employment outcomes. In doing so, special education personnel will need to assume responsibility for ensuring that SSI work incentives are discussed and potentially incorporated within students' IEPs.
The Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act
The Social Security Administration has found that many young people with disabilities entering the Supplementary Security Income (SSI)/Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) rolls are likely to remain on the program rolls for their entire lives. The Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act, signed into law in 1999, was designed to help SSI beneficiaries who want to work to join the workforce without losing their Medicaid benefits.
The Ticket to Work program provides a "Ticket" to SSI and SSDI beneficiaries that they may use to obtain rehabilitation and employment services. Most adult beneficiaries between the ages of 18-65 will get a Ticket, including transition-aged youth 18 or older.
Service providers, called Employment Networks, work with Social Security and SSI beneficiaries to provide assistance designed to help with the transition to work. The Ticket Program is voluntary. People with disabilities who receive a Ticket are not required to work, but may choose to use their Ticket to attempt to work. Likewise, Employment Networks are not required to accept Tickets.
Social Security/Work Incentives/Ticket to Work Links
Articles
- Benefits Planning for Youths with Disabilities
- Medicaid Buy-In, information from the Healthy and Ready to Work Project explaining the federal program
- Medical Assistance for Employed Persons with Disabilities, A summary of Minnesota's MA-EPD program. It explains how the program works and who is eligible.
- Minnesota Work Incentives Connection
- Online Social Security Handbook
- PassPlan
- “The Red Book,” A Summary Guide To Employment Support For Individuals With Disabilities - (also in Español)
- Social Security Administration
- Social Security Handbook (includes complete guidelines for SSI, SSDI, overpayments, evaluation of disability, etc.)
- Social Security Offices in Minnesota
- Ticket to Work. Information on the Ticket to Work Program.
- Ticket to Work National Employment Network Directory
- Using Social Security or Vocational Rehabilitation for International Exchange Opportunities
- Work Incentives, general information on all SSA Work Incentive programs
- Work Incentives Transition Network publications
- The Work Site, An excellent site created by the Social Security Administration. It contains a wealth of information on work and work incentives with specific sections for youth with disabilities, adults with disabilities, employers, service providers, and advocates.
- Youth In Transition and the Ticket to Work Program
Find help in your state:
- Find your Social Security Field Office
- State by state information on work incentive and Medicaid Buy-in programs
- Work Incentive Provider Directory (listed by state) -
If you want to locate the WIPA organization nearest you, you can also call 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY/TDD) for the hearing impaired. - Ticket to Work National Employment Network Directory
Minnesota resources:
- Medical Assistance for Employed Minnesotans with Disabilities, A summary of Minnesota's MA-EPD program. It explains how the program works and who is eligible
- Minnesota Work Incentives Connection
- Social Security Offices in Minnesota
PACER's site offers many PDF files for download, which require 
