Buying a van & SSI

[king]

I am planning to buy a camper van or regular van to convert, so I can start traveling and living a better life.  I am looking for other people on SSI who have purchased a car/van, 

1.  Did you have any trouble with the SSA or your monthly benefits?  
2.  Did you report the purchase?

Please remember that SSDI and SSI have completely different rules when it comes to vehicles.  For SSI, only one vehicle is allowed and from my research, apparently it does not matter the value of the car, the only issue if if you have more than one.  For those on SSDI or both, then the number of vehicles does not matter at all.  

Any help is greatly appreciated.  Thank you.

 

[TrainChaser]

I never knew they cared. I've been on SSI for five years, and they've never asked about my vehicle.

I looked up their rules at https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0501130200 and I don't even understand the issue. Are they going to take something away if you have a van and a trailer?

 

[DLTooley]

They took so long to approve my claim that I no longer qualified for ssdi. You will need to report. The biggest issue is accumulating cash above the 2k resource limit. You can do this for a bit with your initial distribution but you will lose food stamps. I had problems with medical and companion animal deductions.

Your best bet will likely be to upgrade a bare vehicle. I believe a cargo trailer would fit in the 2k limit but you want most of that as cash.

 

[Kathleen]

I am planning to buy a camper van or regular van to convert, so I can start traveling and living a better life.  I am looking for other people on SSI who have purchased a car/van, 

1.  Did you have any trouble with the SSA or your monthly benefits?  
2.  Did you report the purchase?

Please remember that SSDI and SSI have completely different rules when it comes to vehicles.  For SSI, only one vehicle is allowed and from my research, apparently it does not matter the value of the car, the only issue if if you have more than one.  For those on SSDI or both, then the number of vehicles does not matter at all.  

Any help is greatly appreciated.  Thank you.

I accompanied a friend on SSI to meet with the long time head of the disability dept at Soc Sec office. She said if you receive SSI you can own a second vehicle, providing one is worth only 1k or less. No RV's allowed for those on SSI, but 5th wheels allowed.

That was 4 years ago. Not sure if there have been any vehicle reg changes since then.

 

[Gideon33w]

Go with a late 90s full size van with some miles on it but a reliable setup like the Ford pushrod motors or a 350 powered Chevy.
Blue Book value is low but you don't lose reliability and they are the best for vandwelling anyways. Just don't register as an RV even after converting it or you might run into an issue.

 

[TrainChaser]

I still don't understand. If you're entitled to SSI when you hit 62/66, why would they care? Rich people collect SSI.

 

[mert6706]

Go with a late 90s full size van with some miles on it but a reliable setup like the Ford pushrod motors or a 350 powered Chevy.

Blue Book value is low but you don't lose reliability and they are the best for vandwelling anyways. Just don't register as an RV even after converting it or you might run into an issue.

Go with a late 90s full size van with some miles on it but a reliable setup like the Ford pushrod motors or a 350 powered Chevy.
Blue Book value is low but you don't lose reliability and they are the best for vandwelling anyways. Just don't register as an RV even after converting it or you might run into an issue.

I recently saw a post stating that vans have low clearance to the ground and not good for boondocking just anywhere. Any comments on this? Thanks

 

[user 423]

For SSI, only one vehicle is allowed and from my research, apparently it does not matter the value of the car, the only issue if if you have more than one.

Do you plan to own a second vehicle? If not, as Trainchaser notes, what would be the problem? The biggest problem may be the hassle of travelling back to your home state if they call you in for a re-evaluation.

 

[user 423]

I recently saw a post stating that vans have low clearance to the ground and not good for boondocking just anywhere. Any comments on this? Thanks

Do you mean minivans? Full-size vans have decent ground clearance but of course can't go where a lifted 4x4 can go.

 

[highdesertranger]

are we talking SS Disability or regular SS benefits? highdesertranger