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FAQs

Deeming

What is Deeming?
“Deeming” is the term the SSA uses to describe the process of considering another person’s income and/or resources to be available for meeting an SSI claimant’s (or recipient’s) basic need for food, clothing, and shelter. The concept of deeming is based on the notion that, in some situations, those who have a responsibility for others share their income and resources for the benefit of these persons. These situations would include the parental relationship to a minor child, a spouse-to-spouse relationship, and the relationship between a sponsor and a legal alien. In these situations, SSA determines that a certain amount of the responsible party’s income and/or resources are “deemed” available for the welfare of the SSI claimant or recipient. This “deemed” income and/or resources is considered when someone first applies for SSI, and in figuring the SSI payment amount for individuals already found eligible.

Why is it Important?

  • Deemed income and/or resources can cause an SSI claimant who meets all other SSI eligibility criteria to be found ineligible. This may occur at the time of initial application, or at any other point at which a recipient becomes subject to deeming rules (i.e. when a recipient marries). In such situations an SSI recipient may clearly be eligible for SSI based on her/his own personal income and resources, yet could be determined ineligible for SSI due to the deemed income or resources from individuals responsible for her/his welfare.
  • Deemed income that causes ineligibility for SSI cash payments may also cause loss of Medicaid.
  • The onset of deeming or changes in the amount of deemed income will affect an SSI recipient’s payment amount. Deemed income is considered to be a form of unearned income for SSI purposes and is applied to all SSI calculations as such. This topic is discussed in greater detail in the VCU-BARC Briefing Papers series on Deeming:

Introduction and Overview of Deeming - Deeming-PDF | Deeming-Word | Deeming-Text

and

  • Deemed income must be considered by Benefits Specialists when performing benefits analysis and advisement because it is part of the overall benefit status of the consumer. As a form of income, deemed income must be considered when calculating the effect of employment on benefits status.

POMS Resources:


FAQ Disclaimer: The VCU-BARC FAQ Pages are general information provided as a public service. The contents do not necessarily represent the policy, interpretations or opinion of the Social Security Administration (SSA). The information contained here is intended to inform readers of issues that may affect Social Security and/or other public assistance benefits. Because individual circumstances differ, the reader should not rely on any information here as being specifically applicable to an individual's situation.