Eligibility

To set up a Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS), you must:

• Be getting Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or become eligible for SSI as the result of an approved PASS application
• Have a source of income other than SSI (for example, SSDI benefits or wages from a job) or have resources over $2,000 that you can use to fund your PASS plan
• Have a work goal that will eventually enable you to earn enough money to lower your Social Security disability benefits or to get off benefits altogether
• Be able to write down a plan that shows how setting aside a certain amount of money will allow you to reach your work goal. A Social Security PASS specialist can help you write your PASS plan
• Be under age 65. Note: You may be able to set up a PASS if you are 65 or older, if you were getting SSI benefits based on disability or blindness in the month before you turned 65

A PASS is not just for people who are waiting for school or work to begin. You can be employed right now, have a PASS, and use it to help pay for expenses that are directly related to getting more income from work.

Application

To apply for a PASS, you need to fill out Social Security’s PASS application form. The form asks about a range of topics, including your work goal, how you plan to achieve it, your work history, and your future plans.

You can fill out the application yourself or you can ask a specialist at the Social Security PASS Cadre for help. These specialists have a great deal of experience with the program, and working with one will make it more likely that your PASS will be approved.

Tips for Successfully Completing Your PASS Application

The PASS application has lots of questions — but don’t let that scare you. There are ways to break up the PASS application and make it easier to complete. Here are some suggestions:

• Fill out a section at a time. Take breaks. Don’t try to fill out the whole application all at once.
• Ask a Social Security PASS Cadre to help you with the application.
• Ask a friend to check your work as you continue to fill out the application section by section.

You should also keep a list of any monthly expenses that you could include in a PASS. Include descriptions and costs of all items.

Virginia Commonwealth University's Rehabilitation Research and Training Center offers fact sheets about a variety of topics. To see a sample of a PASS Monthly Expense Sheet, click here.

Work Goals

The first question on the PASS application asks about your work goal. Your goal could be a variety of things:

• Getting a new job
• Getting a new, higher paying position at your current job
• Working more hours
• Working with less support, if you are in a supported employment position
• Starting your own business

You can only have 1 work goal per PASS plan, and your work goal must be clear and specific. If it’s not clear and specific, your PASS won’t be approved.

Self-Support

Social Security will review your plan and decide whether or not your work goal will allow you to become self-supporting. Specifically, they look at the following:

• If you currently get SSI benefits, you need to show how reaching your work goal will significantly lower, or end, your SSI benefits. (Remember, if you’re not already on SSI, you will need to apply for SSI benefits when you apply for your PASS.)
• If you currently get SSDI benefits, you need to show how reaching your goal will cause your earnings to stay above the Substantial Gainful Activity level ($1,470 per month in 2023, which will eventually stop your dependence on SSDI benefits.).
• You must also show that your projected earnings after you complete your PASS will enable you to pay on your own for your living expenses, medical expenses, and work-related expenses.
• For a self-employment PASS you must show a detailed business plan.

Your Plan Must Be Feasible and Viable

When Social Security reviews your PASS plan, they will decide whether or not the plan is both feasible and viable.

Your PASS plan is feasible if you can realistically complete the steps outlined in your plan and reach your work goal.

To decide if a PASS is feasible, Social Security will analyze:

• Your disability and any related limitations. For example, if you have trouble sitting for long periods of time, becoming a taxi driver would probably not be a feasible work goal for you
• Your strengths and weaknesses
• Your education and job history
• In some cases, your age

Your PASS plan is viable if you have enough funds in your PASS and from other sources of income to pay for your plan.

To decide if a plan is viable, Social Security will analyze:

• All of the expenses in your plan, including the cost of education, training, and any assistive technology needed to achieve your goal
• If your monthly SSI benefits are enough to pay for your basic living expenses

If Social Security decides that your plan is not feasible and viable, they won't approve it. However, Social Security may allow you to make changes and submit it again.

Timeline

The PASS application asks for a timeline listing the steps you will need to take to achieve your work goal:

• You need to figure out how much each step in your PASS will cost and set aside enough money in your PASS to pay for it. The cost of each of your expenses must be reasonable.
• You have to pay for the expenses in your PASS plan out of your own pocket. If someone else pays for an expense, it cannot be included as a PASS expense.
• For expenses like a car or computer, you will have to explain why you need a particular model and why your current car or computer (if you own one) is not good enough.
• You need to identify all your expenses and do your best to calculate how much you will spend on each item over the duration of your PASS. Remember that Social Security may allow you to make changes to your PASS plan in the future, if you need to.

Once You Complete Your Application

Once you have filled out all of your application, there are several things to do:

• Before you submit your completed application to Social Security, make a copy of it for your records.
• Submit your application by hand or mail it to your local Social Security office or PASS Cadre office. Be sure to include all supporting documentation (for example, your business plan; information about expenses; and letters of support from your vocational rehabilitation counselor, advocate, therapist, or physician).
• If you are not currently on SSI benefits, you must apply for SSI when you apply for the PASS program.

The PASS Cadre will review your application. If your application is complete and you’ve supplied all necessary documentation, you should find out if your plan has been approved within 1 to 3 weeks (self-employment plans may take longer).

If your application is incomplete, or if there are other problems with it, the PASS Cadre will contact you to try and resolve those problems.

If your application is denied and you disagree with the decision, you should request a meeting with your PASS Cadre. Find out why your PASS application was denied and the rules behind the decision.

If you still disagree with the decision after your meeting, you can submit a written request for reconsideration, asking that another PASS Cadre look at your case again.

If you need help writing your request for reconsideration, contact an advocate at Disability Rights California.

Social Security Approved My PASS. What Should I Do Now?

First, you should review all the materials you get from Social Security about your PASS. This will include a letter of approval that gives details on the monthly amount you have to set aside for your PASS, your approved expenses, and the date of your first PASS review with your PASS Cadre. If you have any questions at all, contact your PASS Cadre to discuss them.

You should also do the following:

• Create a separate checking account for the money you will be setting aside for your PASS expenses.
  • Don’t mix your PASS funds with your other money.
  • Don’t use PASS funds to pay for non-PASS expenses.
  • Pay for PASS expenses using your debit card or checks. If you have to use cash, always get a receipt for the expense!
• Know exactly how much you are supposed to deposit into your PASS account each month and when to make the deposit.
• Follow your plan and know your milestones.
• If anything changes, call your PASS Cadre right away. This could include changes in your work goal, PASS expenses, income, or living situation.
• If you need to change your PASS plan, you will need to submit a written revision to your PASS Cadre and Social Security.
  • If Social Security and your PASS Cadre approve your changes, your PASS will be amended (changed). You will get approval of any changes in writing.
• Your PASS Cadre will review your case at least once every 6 months to see how your plan is progressing and to collect receipts for your expenses. This is known as a PASS review.
• Good record keeping is very important. Keep a separate file for all letters to and from Social Security, receipts, bank statements, and any other records related to your PASS plan.

When you start a PASS, you will set aside income in your PASS-designated account to pay for each of the steps needed to achieve your work goal.

You cannot set aside any money you get from SSI in your PASS. You must set aside money from some other source. For example:

• Countable earned income — income from a job, salaries, wages, tips, or self-employment
• Countable unearned income — income you get from Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), a pension, a trust, investments, or veterans benefits
• In-kind support — food or rent that someone else supplies for you
• Deemed income from a spouse or parent
• Excess resources — a lump-sum retirement or severance payment

The SSI Countable Income Calculation

Social Security uses the SSI Countable Income Calculation to figure out what your monthly SSI benefits will be once you have set up your PASS. You can read about the SSI Countable Income Calculation in more detail in the DB101 article on SSI.

Used effectively, a PASS can be an excellent way to lower your monthly unearned income total so that you qualify for SSI benefits.

If a medical situation or some other issue comes up that impacts your ability to continue your PASS, talk to your PASS Cadre about your options.

In many cases, you will be allowed to put your PASS plan on hold for up to 12 months. You will need to contact your PASS Cadre to get it restarted. If you don’t restart your PASS after 12 months, Social Security will end it.

Here are some reasons why Social Security could put your PASS plan on hold or end it:

• You become seriously ill.
• You have a family emergency.
• You don’t follow your plan and you fail to amend (change) it with your PASS Cadre.
• You don’t follow your plan at all.
• You don’t supply the PASS Cadre with timely information when it’s requested.
• You don’t cooperate with your PASS Cadre.

A PASS plan is not just for wage earners and employees. It can be a great planning tool if you are self-employed or want to start your own business. Here are some things to keep in mind:

• A PASS plan is limited to paying for start-up costs that occur within the first 18 months of your business.
• You must submit a complete business plan with your PASS application form.

For help with a business plan, you can talk to someone from:

• SCORE, a nonprofit association that offers education and mentorship to help small businesses get off the ground
• The Small Business Administration (SBA)
• A Small Business Development Center (SBDC)
• The Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO)

These agencies often offer free classes on creating business plans. They might also be able to review your plan.

You might also get help from a vocational rehabilitation counselor, business planner, your local chamber of commerce or bank, and local departments of employment and training.

Note: It is important to complete your business plan and financial planning before you begin your PASS application. This will make things a lot simpler when it’s time to answer PASS application questions.

If you are using a PASS, you may be eligible for other disability benefits programs and work incentives. It’s important to understand how these programs interact with one another, as benefits from one program may impact eligibility for another.

If you have questions, contact a a benefits planner for help.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

SSI and PASS are closely linked. In fact, PASS is part of the SSI program. If you’re not already on SSI, you will need to apply for it when you apply for your PASS.

To learn more about SSI, read DB101’s section on SSI or you can go to the Social Security Administration’s website.

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)

Setting up a PASS does not affect your eligibility for SSDI. If you get SSDI cash benefits, you can set aside the majority of those funds in your PASS (unlike SSI benefits).

Note: If you work, you still need to report your wages to your local Social Security office. All SSDI rules for Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) and Trial Work Period (TWP) still apply.

CalFresh

Setting aside money in a PASS should not have a negative impact on your eligibility for CalFresh (formerly Food Stamps). In fact, setting up a PASS may help you qualify for the program by lowering your countable income. As with SSI, any income or resources you set aside in a PASS will not be counted when determining your eligibility for CalFresh (formerly Food Stamps).

If you have questions about this, contact your county social services agency.

Section 8

The money you save in a PASS will not be counted when figuring out if you are eligible for Section 8. However, you may need to give your housing worker a letter from your PASS Cadre that explains this exclusion.

Your rent should never go up because you open a PASS. It might go up for other reasons (if your landlord raises the rent, for example), but it should not go up because you set up a PASS.

Individual Development Accounts (IDA)

IDAs are savings accounts that can be used to pay for your first home, higher education, and a small business development.

Each time you make a deposit in your IDA, the IDA program contributes a match to your account. The match may be anywhere from 1 to 4 times the size of the deposit you make. So, if you’re enrolled in an IDA program with a 2:1 match, and you deposit $50 into your account, you will get an additional $100 deposit towards your savings goal.

An IDA and a PASS are both great ways to build savings to pay for a specific goal. An IDA can be part of a PASS plan as long as the goals of both plans are the same. One of the benefits of using an IDA and a PASS together is that it can allow you to set up a non-federally funded IDA as part of the PASS plan without the risk of losing eligibility for the SSI program.

To find an IDA program in your area, see the IDA program directories at the Prosperity Now and the Assets for Independence Resource Center. Note: There aren't as many IDA programs as there used to be. Some are still active, but it can take a bit of effort to find one that is accepting applications.

To learn more, read the DB101 section on IDAs.

PASS and Other Work Incentives

Student Earned Income Exclusion (SEIE)

Students under age 22 have a few choices about how to set up a PASS plan. They can put some of their income into a PASS and use their SSI benefits payments to pay for basic living expenses. Or they can also use the Student Earned Income Exclusion (SEIE), which allows them to exclude up to $8,950 in earned income per year, and then add any additional income to their PASS.

Deciding whether or not to use a PASS, the SEIE, or both can be complicated. If you’re under age 22 and thinking about your options, contact a a benefits planner.

Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWEs) and Blind Work Expenses (BWEs)

When you are working, you may pay out of pocket for items or services related to your disability. These expenses may be Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWEs) or Blind Work Expenses (BWEs). Social Security deducts about half of the value of your IRWEs or BWEs from your earned income when calculating your SSI benefits amount.

Many expenses that could be included in your PASS plan may also qualify as an IRWE or BWE. But you cannot use an expense as an IRWE or BWE and also list it as an expense in your PASS. In most cases, you’ll be better off listing an expense as a PASS expense rather than using is as an IRWE or BWE. But we recommend you contact your PASS Cadre before making that decision.

Section 301

Under Section 301 rules, you can continue to get SSI or SSDI benefits, even if Social Security decides that you are no longer disabled, as long as you are participating in a vocational rehabilitation program that is approved by Social Security and expected to help you become self-supporting.

A PASS is a program that is approved under Section 301. So if you open and maintain a PASS plan, you can continue to get SSI or SSDI benefits, even if your condition improves and you no longer meet the Social Security’s criteria for a disability determination.

Jan’s Story

Jan has gotten Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medi-Cal benefits for many years due to depression and an anxiety disorder. She has been working as a part-time cashier at a restaurant, but her goal is to become a professional chef.

Her vocational rehabilitation counselor told her about SSI’s Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) program. They both agreed it would be a great way for Jan to save money to pay for vocational school and the other steps she needed to take to start a career as a chef.

Keeping Her SSI Benefits

Jan was relieved to hear that saving money in a PASS would not lower her monthly SSI benefits. In fact, setting up a PASS would help her to get the most out of her benefits. She also learned that by setting up a PASS, she’d be able to set aside the countable income from her wages to pay for expenses related to becoming a chef. Social Security would not count that money when they calculated her SSI benefits, nor would they count it against SSI’s $2,000 resource limit for a single person.

“Think of it this way,” said her counselor. “By setting up a PASS, your SSI benefits will go up to help pay for your living expenses, and you’ll be able to invest your wages in achieving your work goal.”

Developing Her Plan

As Jan and her counselor looked over the PASS application form, Jan realized that it was going to take a while to complete the application.

Rather than try to complete the application all at once, Jan worked on it over a 3-day period. She checked in with a friend and her vocational counselor regularly as she filled out the application, asking them for feedback on what she’d written. She also contacted a PASS specialist and asked for guidance.

The application asked Jan about her professional goal and information on her medical history, work history, and educational background. It also asked about expenses related to achieving her goal. Jan made a list of all the expenses she would need to pay for using her PASS, including tuition for culinary classes, books, knives, transportation to and from school and interviews, uniforms, and other clothes for work.

PASS Approved

Jan completed the application and submitted it to her PASS Cadre, along with a copy of her Individual Plan for Employment (IPE). Three weeks later, she got a letter in the mail saying that her PASS had been approved.

Jan was ecstatic! She reviewed the letter, which included information about the monthly amount she had to set aside for her PASS, her approved expenses, and the date of her first PASS review. She went out and bought a binder to store all her receipts, letters, and bank statements related to her PASS. She also opened a separate checking account for the money she would be setting aside to pay for expenses approved by her PASS.

PASS turned out to be a great tool for Jan. It allowed her to use her SSI benefits to pay for her basic living expenses while she pursued her career goal. And in the long run, it would enable her to work at a job she loves, earn a good living, and get off SSI.