For Their Financial Benefit

More than 17 million disabled Americans receive financial benefits from the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) through the Supplemental Security Income or the Social Security Disability Insurance programs, or both. Taken together, 3.5 million disabled adults are appointed a representative payee who receives and manages their SSA benefits because they have been determined not to be financially capable (that is, able to manage or direct the management of his or her social security funds) (SSA, 2015). Instead, an approved payee receives and disburses the SSA payments to ensure that the beneficiary's basic needs of shelter, food, and clothing are met. Continuing a long history of providing services on behalf of people with disabilities (Oliver, Sapay, & Thomas, 2012), social workers assist many adult disabled beneficiaries of social security, who face a range of challenges to independent living. They assist or arrange for assistance with self-care such as bathing, dressing, and preparing meals, and shopping, accessing medical care, and managing money. Social workers also serve as payees when natural support systems and other supervision resources are minimal. Even when they are not payees, social workers encourage clients to see value in having a payee when needed and support payee–client relationships through enhancing client self-determination and supported decision making and engaging in anticipatory planning and conflict mediation when needed

Beneficiary · Business · Disability insurance · Economic growth · Economics · Payment · Social security · Elder Abuse and Neglect · Finance · Retirement, Disability, and Employment · Social Work

• Disability Type, Financial Capability, and Risky Asset Holding

  Open Access•Jing Jian Xiao, Barbara O’neill•Journal of Disability Policy…•2020

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