Using the BenefitU Tools and Calculators and Disclaimer
Disclaimer: The tools and calculators provided are designed to help you understand how income may affect your cash and medical benefits. Please note that the data available in the Income Management tool is unverified and the estimates generated by the calculators are for informational purposes only. For the most accurate information regarding your benefits, please contact Social Security directly.
Additionally, no information you enter or import from BenefitU is shared with Social Security or other government agencies. It is your responsibility to report your income to these entities.
Here are tips on using the BenefitU tools and calculators. When using these tools, we recommend you use them in the following order:
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Income Management tool -
SEIE Calculator, if you are eligible for this work incentive -
SSI Calculator for Single Adults -
1619b Calculator -
Dashboards
Income Management Tool
When using the BenefitU tools and calculators, we recommend you begin with Income Management.
The Income Management tool is where you can add, import, and store information about your income. This information can later be pulled into calculators.
Income Management is located at the top of the page.
Click on Income Management, and you will see two yellow buttons: “Import from BenefitU” and “Add New Income Item.”
Import from BenefitU
If you have received benefits planning from BenefitU, you can click on the Import from BenefitU button to have your benefit and income information pulled into the Income Management tab.
The information imported will be the information you last shared with BenefitU. If that information has changed, you can click on the Edit button beside any entry and change the details.
Add New Income Item
Anyone can add new income by clicking the Add New Income Item button. When clicked, a pop-up screen appears where you can add a dollar amount, label, start date, end date, and check date.
Labels are important. They help you identify which income entries you want to pull into the calculators.
Here are two examples. We will use these entries throughout the instructions. Be sure to hit Submit on each entry to save.
SEIE Calculator
If you are a student receiving SSI who is under the age of 22, regularly attending school or a vocational training program, and working, you may qualify for the Student Earned Income Exclusion (SEIE).
With SEIE, you can exclude a certain amount of your gross income each month, up to an annual limit, for SSI calculation purposes.
The SEIE Calculator tracks where your monthly and annual earned income is in relation to these exclusion limits. This information is saved so you can pull the results directly into an SSI Calculator.
If you are eligible for the SEIE, we recommend you first add your monthly gross earnings to the SEIE calculator before moving forward with the SSI Calculator.
Click on the Dashboard at the top of the page, and scroll down until you see three calculators.
Click on the SEIE Calculator, and you will begin on the first section.
Section 1: Year
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Follow each line item of the calculator and add your information. -
Give it a name which you will recognize later. -
When finished, click on Next Section
Section 2: Monthly Earned Income
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Enter your gross earned income for each month you are eligible for the Exclusion. For example: If your exclusion began in September, then start with September. -
Tip: Do not include unearned income. SEIE only looks at earned income.
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If you have earnings stored in Income Management, you can select the plus sign and select the earned income for each month.
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After clicking on the plus sign, we can see the entries we made in Income Management. We will select the gross wages from Acorn Inc., because that is earned income.
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When finished, click on Next Section.
Section 3: Results
The Results section shows your total gross earnings for the year.
This calculator is now saved. The amount of your earnings that are excluded can now be pulled into the SSI Calculator.
SSI Calculator for Single Adults
The SSI Calculator for Single Adults calculates how income, work incentives, and living arrangement affects your SSI cash benefit.
Click on the Dashboard at the top of the page, and scroll down until you see three calculators.
Click on the SSI calculator, and you will begin on the first section, Date.
Section 1: Date
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If you want to bring information over from your last calculator, select Import from Last Calculation at the top of the page. -
Follow the prompts to enter a year, month, and calculator name. -
You can click on More Info for a brief explanation and links to relevant webpages. -
When done, click on Next Section.
Section 2: Countable Unearned Income
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Follow each line item of the calculator and add your information. -
If you are not sure about any line item, click on More Info. -
You can enter any info directly into the fields. -
If you entered information under Income Management, you can access that info by clicking on the plus sign. -
Include all the unearned income you received in the calculator month. -
Here is an example:
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After clicking on the plus sign, we can see the entries we made in Income Management. We will select Jen's Cash Gift, because it is unearned income.
The amount is automatically entered into the calculator. Below you can see the calculator in action. When finished, click on Next Section.
Section 3: Countable Earned Income
Here, you will enter information about your gross earnings, exclusions, and any work incentives.
If you are eligible for the SEIE
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Toggle "Eligible for the Student Earned Income Exclusion" to Yes. -
Pull in the SEIE exclusion amount by clicking on the plus sign and selecting the SEIE calculator you previously saved. -
The Gross Earned Income will automatically be updated with any amount of earnings that are countable, after the exclusion. -
Continue with the next question about earned income exclusions.
If you are not eligible for the SEIE
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This section works similarly to the countable Unearned Income section. -
Follow each line item of the calculator and add your information. -
If you entered information under Income Management, you can access that info by clicking on the plus sign. Below are two examples: one with SEIE, and one without the SEIE.
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After clicking on the plus sign, we can see the entries we made in Income Management. We will select the gross wages from Acorn Inc., because it is earned income.
The amount is automatically entered into the calculator. Below you can see the calculator result. When finished, click on Next Section.
Section 4: Other Considerations
This section works the same as the other sections. At the bottom, you will see your adjusted SSI payment. Please note, Social Security is at least two months behind, so you may not see your SSI adjusted for a couple of months.
Section 5: Results
The Results section shows your total income. For this example, it shows the $200 cash gift from Jen, the gross wages from Acorn, Inc. and the adjusted SSI. If we had used work incentives like IRWE, BWE, or PASS, that information would appear here, as well.
1619b Calculator
1619b is a Medicaid Work Incentive for people eligible for SSI.
Through 1619b, Washington residents can earn up to $57,954 in 2024 without losing SSI and Medicaid eligibility.
If you have high Medicaid costs, you may be eligible for a higher limit, called an Individualized or “Personal” Threshold.
The 1619b calculator tracks where your annual income is in relation to your Medicaid limit.
Click on the Dashboard at the top of the page, and scroll down until you see three calculators.
Click on the 1619b Calculator, and you will begin on the first section, Info.
Section 1: Info
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Follow each line item of the calculator and add your information. -
Give the calculator a name. -
Personal Threshold question: "No" defaults to the WA State Medicaid Threshold. This applies to most people. If you have a personal threshold, select "Yes" and enter the threshold amount. -
When finished, click on Next Section
Section 2: Monthly Earned Income
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Enter your gross earned income for each month. -
If you have earnings stored in Income Management, you can select the plus sign and select the earned income for each month. -
When finished, click on Next Section
Section 3: Results
The Results section shows your total gross earnings and where you are in relation to the 1619b Threshold.
The 1619b Threshold starts over each year. If during the year, your income is getting close to the threshold amount, you may want to talk with a Benefits Planner to understand your options.