Benefits Highlights

Emergency Payments

There are circumstances when the wheels of the normal Social Security or SSI payment process may move too slowly for individuals who are in a financial emergency. In some situations the SSA can force a payment to help the person through a crisis. Two types of emergency payments are Emergency Advance Payments, and Immediate Payments.

Emergency Advance Payments

Someone who is just applying for SSI, and who meets the requirements for a presumptive disability—or someone applying for SSI or SSDI who has already been determined to be eligible for disability payments, can request an expedited payment, called an Emergency Advance Payment. According to Social Security Administration’s Program Operations Manual (POMS) An Emergency Advance Payment is a direct, expedited payment to an individual who is:

• initially applying for benefits and
• presumptively or proven eligible for the month and
• suffering a financial emergency requiring expedited payment.

It is important to remember that this isn’t extra money for the individual. The Emergency Advance Payment will need to be repaid, either from retroactive benefits, or from the regularly occurring presumptive payments generated by SSA’s computer system.

Immediate Payments

Instead of Emergency Advance Payments for individuals who have applied for benefits, Immediate Payments are for individuals who are already receiving benefits, but who have not received a particular payment for some reason. Again, if paid, these benefits must be returned if the individual also receives regular payment for the given month. The local Social Security office makes a decision whether or not these payments can be made. Although this will cause payments to come sooner, remember that the SSA will not have the money on hand to give the person—instead, they will expedite processing of a payment that the individual may receive in a few days. Benefits Specialists should build a reference of shelters, food pantries, or other local programs that can provide additional help if other emergency assistance is needed.