Hi Larry,

My sister is developmentally disabled and receives SSDI. She currently is in
a boarding care situation where her SSI and SSDI go toward paying for her
board, care and other such expenses. We are considering moving her to a
Supported Living Situation. To do that, we would likely have to pay a higher
rent payment than her SSI/SSDI can afford. If we supplement my sister's
SSI/SSDI payments with money from our own pockets to pay her rent, would that
disqualify her from keeping her SSDI? Or would it mean she could lose some
of her SSDI?

Put another way, would my mother and me paying rent for my sister count as
income for her that could disqualify her from SSI or SSDI?

Thanks for your insight!

Darryl

Hi Darryl,

You or your mother paying for your sister's rent would have no effect on her Social Security disability benefits (SSDI). SSDI is an earned benefit, and the rate is calculated based on the person's earnings history.

Paying your sister's rent could, however, affect her SSI (Supplemental Security Income). SSI is a needs based payment, and as the name implies it just supplements any other income that a person has. If an SSI recipient receives financial support from a friend or relative, that can be considered as income when determining the person's SSI eligibility or payment rate.

You may want to check with the Social Security representative handling your sister's SSI before deciding what to do.

Best, Jerry