A service of Amicus Law Firm

Protect your benefits when your settlement arrives.

Learn what impact receiving a personal injury settlement may have on your government benefits.

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What you'll find here

How a settlement may affect each benefit, and what to do next.

Welcome

The purpose of PlanForSettlement.com is to provide you with information regarding how receiving a legal settlement may impact your eligibility for the government benefits you may be receiving.

This site is provided as a service of Amicus Law Firm LLP (“Amicus Law Firm”). This site provides general information. No attorney-client relationship exists or will be formed between you and Amicus Law Firm.

Government benefits overview

Many people receive government benefits. Receiving money from a settlement can jeopardize or eliminate certain government benefits. There are two main types:

Category 1 · May be affected

Needs-based benefits

Benefits are called “needs-based” when assets or income are considered when determining initial and ongoing eligibility for these benefits.

Funds received from a legal settlement are generally considered a countable asset when determining eligibility for needs-based benefits. Accordingly, the funds from a legal settlement may jeopardize your continued eligibility for needs-based benefits.

Some of the most common include:

Medicaid
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Section 8 Housing
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP — often called Food Stamps)
Veterans Pension (often called Aid & Attendance)
Medicare Savings Programs

Category 2 · Usually not affected

Benefits not based on financial need

These types of benefits are not considered “needs-based” because your assets or income are not used to determine your initial and ongoing eligibility for these benefits. Instead, they are often called entitlement benefits because the eligibility requirements are based on “paying into the system” either financially or through service in the military.

Typically, funds received from a legal settlement should not impact continued eligibility for these benefits. However, it is your responsibility to verify the type of benefits you are receiving and whether a settlement will impact them.

Some of the most common include:

Medicare
Social Security Retirement and Social Security Survivor
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI, sometimes also abbreviated as SSD)
Most Veterans Benefits (except for Veterans Pension and Survivors Pension)

Before you receive your settlement

It is your responsibility to speak with your caseworker, local government agency, or professional counsel. You should speak with representatives of every government agency from whom you receive benefits.

1
Tell your caseworker
When you speak with your caseworker or local government agency, indicate that you are receiving a personal injury settlement.
2
Ask about the requirements
Ask what the requirements are for those who receive a legal settlement, including income limits, asset limits, and notification rules.
3
Verify the impact
Verify the impact that receiving settlement funds will have on your benefits and the benefits of members of your household.

The information on this website is based upon published, readily available Federal guidelines. Some jurisdictions may have laws and regulations that differ substantially from one another, and your jurisdiction may have unique, specific requirements. Local government benefits rules and regulations are constantly changing.

See how your benefits are affected

View information about the government benefits you receive, learn more, and figure out next steps.

Learn more