The Social Security Administration now has Benefits Statements (SSA-1099 or SSA 10425) available online for the past six years using the client’s my Social Security account.  A Benefits Statements shows the total amount of benefits a person received from Social Security in a calendar year.  (Social Security Dear Colleague Letter, November 29, 2023.)

The Social Security Administration now allows online completing and submitting the SSA 3288 form to release records to third parties.  Clients can still submit the SSA 3288 form to their local office in paper (Social Security Dear Colleague Letter, August 17, 2023.)

The Social Security Administration has expanded its Compassionate Allowance Program to 12 additional medical conditions.  The Compassionate Allowance Program identifies particularly severe claims and allows a disability finding for Supplemental Security Income or Social Security Disability Insurance for them on the basis of medical confirmation of the diagnosis alone.  The new compassionate allowance conditions are: Deletion Syndrome, Anaplastic Ependymoma, Calciphylaxis, Cholangiocarcinoma, FOXG1 Syndrome, Leber Congenital Amaurosis, Metastatic Endometrial Adenocarcinoma, Paraneoplastic Cerebellar Degeneration, Pineoblastoma – Childhood, Primary Omental Cancer, Sarcomatoid Carcinoma of the Lung – Stages II-IV, and Trisomy 9.  (Social Security Dear Colleague Letter, August 14, 2023.)

The Social Security Appeals Council previously waited 25 days to act on a request for review.  Social Security has changed its policy and will no longer hold requests for review for 25 days.  Claimants who want additional time to submit evidence or argument must now elect for that on the Form HA 520 Request for Review of Hearing Decision.

Claimants and representatives can still request extensions to submit additional evidence to the Appeals Council.  (Social Security Dear Colleague Letter, April 13, 2023.)

Social Security periodically reviews the medical condition of all people receiving disability benefits.  The Continuing Disability Review report form and Authorization to Disclose Information to Social Security that recipients complete as part of the continuing disability review process can now be completed online using the recipient’s my Social Security account.  The report form will continue to be mailed to recipients.  The form can be returned by mail or completed online.  (Social Security Dear Colleague Letter, February 28, 2023.)

The Social Security Administration has published a final rule changing the In Kind Support and Maintenance (ISM) rule.  The ISM rule counted shelter that SSI recipient receives for less than fair market value as unearned income that could reduce Supplemental Security Income.  Effective September 30, 2024, only rent that is less than Social Security’s defined Presumed Market Value counts as ISM.  For 2024, the Presumed Market Value amount is $334.33.  (Social Security Dear Colleague Letter, April 17, 2024.)