PAPER 2026 QUESTIONS WITH
ANSWERS GRADED A+
◍ What are Title II (SSDI) benefits considered for SSI?.
Answer: Unearned income, offsetting SSI.
◍ How is SNAP treated compared to TANF?.
Answer: SNAP is excluded; TANF is countable.
◍ Social Security Disability Insurance SSDI Citation.
Answer: CFR 20 Section 404
◍ Is VA Aid & Attendance counted as income?.
Answer: Excluded from income.
◍ Good Cause for Late Filing (Citations: 404.911, 416.1411).
Answer: If an appeal deadline is missed, and the claimant wants to appeal,
he or she must show "good cause" for late filing.
◍ What is the difference in eligibility pathways for Medicaid and Medicare?.
Answer: Medicaid is for SSI; Medicare is for SSDI.
◍ Examples of good cause are described in 404.911:.
Answer: • You were seriously ill and were prevented from contacting us in
person, by phone, in writing, or through a friend, relative, or other person;•
There was a death or serious illness in your immediate family;• Important
records were destroyed or damaged by fire or other accidental cause;• You
were making serious efforts to find necessary information to support the
claim but had not been able to obtain it within the stated time periods;• You
requested additional information from us explaining this action within the
time limit. Within 60 days of receiving the explanation you requested
, reconsideration or a hearing, or within 30 days of receiving the explanation
you requested Appeals Council review or filed a civil suit;• We gave you
misleading, incorrect or incomplete information about when and how to
request administrative review or to file a civil suit;• You did not receive
notice of the determination or decision;• You sent the request to another
government agency in good faith within the time limit and the request did
not reach us until after the time period had expired; or• Unusual or
unavoidable circumstances exist, which show that you could not have
known of the need to file timely, or which prevented you from filing timely.
◍ SSA will consider the following for deciding whether a claimant had good
cause.
Answer: • What circumstances kept the claimant from making the request on
time;• Whether SSA's action mislead the claimant;• Whether the claimant
did not understand the requirements;• Whether the claimant had any
physical, mental, educational, or linguistic limitations which prevented them
from making a timely request or from understanding or knowing about the
need to file a timely request for review.
◍ Social Security Disability Insurance SSDI.
Answer: Title XVI
◍ SSDI Eligibility.
Answer: 1. Is the applicant under full retirement age (66)?2. Is the applicant
fully insured?3. Is the applicant insured for disability?
◍ Are educational assistance rules for tuition/fees included in income?.
Answer: Excluded if for tuition/fees.
◍ What happens to SSI if a recipient gets $400 SSDI?.
Answer: Reduces SSI by $380.
◍ Auxiliary Benefits.
Answer: Benefits can be paid to the disabled worker's family in some cases.
Benefits can be paid to dependent children under the age of 18 or a spouse
(or divorced spouse if married for 10 years) under the age of 62 who has
, joint care of the children.
◍ Supplemental Security Insurance SSI.
Answer: Title II
◍ How is $200 unemployment treated for SSI?.
Answer: Counted as unearned income, offsets SSI.
◍ Supplemental Security Insurance SSI Citation.
Answer: CFR 20 Section 416
◍ SSI.
Answer: No work requirementChildren can qualify as disabledNo
retroactive benefits earlier than filing dateStrict income and resource
provisions
◍ Definition of Disability.
Answer: Citations: 404.1505, 416.905The inability to do any substantial
gainful activity (SGA) by reason of any medically determinable physical or
mental impairment(s) which can be expected to result in death, or which has
lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12
months.
◍ Insured Status.
Answer: 1. An individual must be fully insured 2. as a general rule they
must meet to 20/40 requirement. (5 of last 10 years)
◍ Is $300 VA Aid & Attendance benefit counted for SSI?.
Answer: Excluded from income.
◍ Insured status.
Answer: Quarters of Coverage at least 6 QuartersOne of Four For every year
beginning with the year after attainment of age 21 up until the age you turn
62 or you die
◍ Rules of Disability Insured Status (SSDI Only).
Answer: Citations: 404.130, 404.131, and 404.140Rule 1 - 20/40:You have
to have 20 quarters of coverage in the 40-quarter period ending with the
, quarter that you became disabled. This is called the 20/40 rule. Or
essentially, you have worked five years out of the last ten years, before you
became disabled.Rule 2 - Special Insured Status:Rule 3: You had a period of
disability before age 31.You are insured in a quarter for purposes of
establishing a period of disability or becoming entitled to disability
insurance benefits if in that quarter-(1) You are disabled again at age 31 or
later after having had a prior period of disability established which began
before age 31 and for which you were only insured under paragraph (c) of
this section; and(2) You are fully insured and have QCs in at least one-half
the calendar quarters in the period beginning with the quarter after the
quarter you became age 21 and through the quarter in which the later period
of disability begins, up to a maximum of 20 QCs out of 40 calendar
quarters; however-(i) If the number of quarters during this period is an odd
number, we reduce the number by one;(ii) If the period has less than 12
quarters, you must have at least 6 QCs in the 12-quarter period ending with
that quarter; and(iii) No monthly benefits may be paid or increased under
Rule Ill before May 1983.Rule 4: You are statutorily blind.(1) You are
disabled by blindness as defined in § 404.1581; and(2) You are fully
insured.
◍ Special Insured Status (SSDI Only).
Answer: Disable before the age of 3120 CFR 404.130: You are insured in a
quarter for purposes of establishing a period of disability or becoming
entitled to disability insurance benefits if in that quarter-(1) You have not
become (or would not become) age 31;(2) You are fully insured (next
chapter); and(3) You have Quarters of Coverage (QCs) in at least one-half
of the quarters during the period ending with that quarter after the quarter
you became age 21; however-(i) If the number of quarters during this period
is an odd number, we reduce the number by one; and(ii) If the period has
less than 12 quarters, you must have at least 6 QCs in the 12- quarter period
ending with that quarter.
◍ What is the countable amount from a $5,000 Pell grant used for living
expenses?.