Joseph Shapiro

Well, not the Social Security Administration. Commissioner O'Malley told us that he, too, thinks the asset limit is long out of date, that it needs to be increased. But that's up to Congress. And there has been legislation supported by Democrats and Republicans, but it hasn't gotten very far.

Well, not the Social Security Administration. Commissioner O'Malley told us that he, too, thinks the asset limit is long out of date, that it needs to be increased. But that's up to Congress. And there has been legislation supported by Democrats and Republicans, but it hasn't gotten very far.

Right. Well, cost is a big hurdle. Social Security's actuaries estimate that raising the asset limit to $10,000 would add almost $10 billion to the program over 10 years. But policy experts like Kathleen Romig, who we just heard,

Right. Well, cost is a big hurdle. Social Security's actuaries estimate that raising the asset limit to $10,000 would add almost $10 billion to the program over 10 years. But policy experts like Kathleen Romig, who we just heard,

Right. Well, cost is a big hurdle. Social Security's actuaries estimate that raising the asset limit to $10,000 would add almost $10 billion to the program over 10 years. But policy experts like Kathleen Romig, who we just heard,

argue that that's a pretty modest cost because it would make the system work a lot better, fewer recipients would get kicked off, and Social Security staff would spend less time trying to figure out who qualifies and who doesn't. SSI is just a small program. It's tiny compared to what we think of when we hear Social Security, right? The much larger retirement program.

argue that that's a pretty modest cost because it would make the system work a lot better, fewer recipients would get kicked off, and Social Security staff would spend less time trying to figure out who qualifies and who doesn't. SSI is just a small program. It's tiny compared to what we think of when we hear Social Security, right? The much larger retirement program.

argue that that's a pretty modest cost because it would make the system work a lot better, fewer recipients would get kicked off, and Social Security staff would spend less time trying to figure out who qualifies and who doesn't. SSI is just a small program. It's tiny compared to what we think of when we hear Social Security, right? The much larger retirement program.

Of all the monthly checks the Social Security Administration sends to Americans, SSI accounts for just 4%. But to run SSI takes up 38% of the agency's entire administrative budget.

Of all the monthly checks the Social Security Administration sends to Americans, SSI accounts for just 4%. But to run SSI takes up 38% of the agency's entire administrative budget.

Of all the monthly checks the Social Security Administration sends to Americans, SSI accounts for just 4%. But to run SSI takes up 38% of the agency's entire administrative budget.

Ayesha, last year I went to a protest against what disabled people called SSI's marriage penalty.

Ayesha, last year I went to a protest against what disabled people called SSI's marriage penalty.

Ayesha, last year I went to a protest against what disabled people called SSI's marriage penalty.

This is Patrice Jetter.

This is Patrice Jetter.

This is Patrice Jetter.

Jetter is a disabled woman from New Jersey. She was wearing a multicolored dress and a rainbow wig, and she was leading a marriage commitment ceremony on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Only it wasn't to get people legally married, really. It was a protest to bring attention to SSI's marriage penalty.

Jetter is a disabled woman from New Jersey. She was wearing a multicolored dress and a rainbow wig, and she was leading a marriage commitment ceremony on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Only it wasn't to get people legally married, really. It was a protest to bring attention to SSI's marriage penalty.

Jetter is a disabled woman from New Jersey. She was wearing a multicolored dress and a rainbow wig, and she was leading a marriage commitment ceremony on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Only it wasn't to get people legally married, really. It was a protest to bring attention to SSI's marriage penalty.