The following section of this report will detail the four types of accounts that a person or couple may have money in and not have that money counted as a resource for the purposes of determining their SSI eligibility. Burial Accounts

Money set aside by an SSI recipient to pay for his or her burial expenses can be excluded from the SSI resource limits. Plans for Achieving Self-Support

A Plan for Achieving Self-Support (PASS) is an individual plan for employment designed by an SSI beneficiary. However, there are limits to the amounts states and other entities can contribute to IDAs. Any money placed in the account and any interest earned on the account is the property of the child. Money in a dedicated account for children is not counted as a resource for the purposes of determining the child's SSI eligibility or the SSI eligibility of the representative payee.
As a means tested program, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) places a limit on the assets or resources of its beneficiaries. However, there are four types of accounts that can be used by SSI beneficiaries for specific purposes without affecting their SSI eligibility. Money placed into burial accounts, money used as part of a Plan for Achieving Self-Support (PASS), money placed in Individual Development Accounts (IDAs), and money placed in dedicated accounts for children are not counted as resources for the purposes of determining SSI eligibility. These accounts can be used by SSI beneficiaries to build assets or plan for the future and represent an important part of the overall SSI program.
This report provides an overview of these four types of accounts and outlines the cases when money placed into these accounts is exempt from the SSI resource limitations.
This report will be updated to reflect any changes in this legislation or other relevant legislative activity.