Inflation is a term that is used in relation to economics to describe the gradual increase in the cost of goods and services over time. It doesn’t require a course in economics for those in St. Louis that rely on Social Security disability benefits to understand this concept. They feel it when budgeting for each day, week or month.
Beneficiaries were likely happy when the Social Security Administration made an announcement in October that disability benefits would be increased by 1.5 percent to account for cost-of-living adjustments — also known as inflation. With this change, 57 million disability benefit recipients would actually see the increase at the start of the New Year.
Although this cost-of-living adjustment was likely good news for those 57 million, it was quickly wiped out for some. On the back of the SSD announcement was a notice that food stamps would be cut for millions of recipients across the nation. This cut wasn’t due to a recent overt act by federal officials but as a result of the expiration of the 13.6 percent increase included in the 2009 stimulus legislation.
Social Security Disability Insurance and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program may be two separate programs, but they overlap for nearly 8 million people that receive both.
Fibromyalgia is a disorder that causes widespread pain in the musculoskeletal system. This disorder, combine with her husband’s work injury, led one woman to apply for benefits in 2009 and seek SNAP assistance.
For this woman, the changes meant that while her disability payment increased by $15 she lost $20 under the SNAP program cuts. “Twenty bucks a month might not seem like much, but that makes a big difference when you go to the store,” she explained.
Twenty dollars can make a difference, and so maximizing the potential benefits that one may receive isn’t something that is taken lightly by a Missouri SSD attorney.
Source: The Huffington Post, “Food Stamp Cut Wipes Out Some Americans’ Social Security Increases,” Arthur Delaney, Nov. 11, 2013
