Understand benefits and work
Parents often worry that their child's work might affect their benefits. But in Minnesota, work and benefits go together to help our child pursue their dreams, live independently, and achieve their education and employment goals.
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All public disability benefit programs are designed so that people who work end up better off. They do this through special rules, called work incentives. Work incentives let people with disabilities keep their health coverage, have more money, and keep their benefits (if needed) while working. This means your child can work and continue to get benefits like SSI and MA.
At 18, your child may stop receiving certain benefits and start receiving others.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
If your youth gets SSI and will be turning 18 soon, the Social Security Administration will verify that your youth still qualifies for SSI as an adult. This is known as a redetermination process. Ask if work programs might help your youth keep getting SSI, such as an Individualized Education Program (IEP), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VRS) or Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS).
Medical Assistance (MA)
Eligibility rules for MA change between ages 18 and 21 based on how your youth qualified for MA.
With a job, your child can:
Keep MA health coverage no matter how much the job pays
Have more total income and keep getting SSI
Save up some money and keep getting benefits
Get back on SSI if it stops and is needed later
An ABLE account might be a great option for your child. ABLE accounts are tax-free savings accounts that can be built up by their own funds and funds from their family. The funds in an ABLE account do not impact SSI benefits and do not impact Medical Assistance eligibility.
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