Overview

A Plan for Achieving Self-Support (PASS) is a way for SSI recipients to set aside income or resources for achieving a work goal. SSI will not count this money when they calculate your financial eligibility and benefit amount. A PASS can help you qualify for an SSI benefit if your income or resources are above the limits. It can also cause your SSI benefit to increase so that you can pay your living expenses as you set aside income or resources towards your work goal. The income you set aside can be:

For more details on how setting aside income helps you, see Using Your PASS.

A PASS involves identifying a specific work goal. This could be the job you would like to have, but it can also be an employment evaluation by the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, or a new, higher paying position at your current job. The goal should be a job that would pay for your living, medical, and work related expenses. It also must be a reasonable and feasible goal given your abilities, limitations, and prior experience. For example, if you have trouble sitting for long periods of time, becoming a taxi driver would probably not be a reasonable work goal. To get some ideas about potential jobs, you can look at the Dictionary of Occupational Titles.

Once you identify your work goal, you have to create a detailed timeline that lists the steps that you need to take to achieve it. You also have to figure out how much each of these steps cost. These expenses will be what you set income aside for in your PASS. For example, your work goal might be to become a professional chef. Your expenses might include cooking classes, knives, transportation, and the costs of interviewing at restaurants. The expenses you identify have to be reasonably priced, bought by you, not offered for free, not reimbursed promptly, and not part of a prior debt. For many expenses like cars or computers, you will have to explain why you need a particular model or why existing resources aren’t good enough. Some examples of expenses are:

  • Transportation to and from work;
  • Tuition, books, fees, and supplies needed for school or training;
  • Child care;
  • Job coaching, resume writing, and other employment services;
  • Supplies to start a business; and
  • Equipment for the job.

Sources

The following links are provided for those who want detailed information on PASS. For those looking for more general information, please go to DB101’s PASS Resources Page.

Social Security Program and Operations Manual System (POMS) gives detailed information on policies and procedures related to PASS. The PASS application is also an excellent resource for learning more about the program.