A PASS is a narrowly targeted work incentive for people who need help with a work goal that they hope will get them to the point of earning to significantly reducing their dependence on cash benefits. Not everyone will benefit from a PASS, but for some people, it can be very valuable.
What a PASS does is reduce the amount of income (or in some cases, assets) that a person has that is counted against their SSI. This can keep their SSI up when they have other income that would otherwise make their SSI lower. It can even help someone qualify for SSI when they would otherwise not be able to get SSI at all.
This extra income can be used to pay for nearly anything that will help that person achieve a specific work goal. A PASS can help pay for an education to start a career, start-up costs for a business, tools, clothing for work, licenses for work, a car or a computer. Almost anything that can be tied to getting a long-term career that will generate enough reliable income to make you less dependent on benefits can be paid for with a PASS.
MD-WIN can help you understand how PASS works and to see if you would benefit from a PASS. Our CWIC’s can also help you with the application and with tracking your expenses as you progress with the PASS.