• Benefits Planning, Assistance and Outreach/WIPA
• Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security
• Utah State Office of Rehabilitation
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Benefits Planning, Assistance and Outreach
Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) Program

Do you want to work? Work more hours? Increase your earnings?
Do you receive Social Security - SSI or SSDI?
Do you want to know how earning more money affects your Social Security?

The Utah Benefits Planning Assistance and Outreach Program (BPAO)/Work Incentive Planning and Assistance Program (WIPA) help people on Social Security disability understand how working impacts their Social Security and other benefits (including Medicaid, Medicare, food stamps, housing, and many others).

The UBPAO (Utah Benefits Planning, Assistance and Outreach) services are free for persons who receive Social Security. This program provides information to help make an informed choice about work. UBPAO provides you information about how employment may change your benefits from Social Security, but also Medicaid, housing, food stamps and other programs.

The Social Security disability and other public benefit programs can often be complex, hard to understand, and confusing to navigate. The Benefits Specialist or CWIC (Community Work Incentive Coordinator) can help people who are on Social Security to:

• Understand Social Security and other benefit systems, what to expect, and what you need to do when there are changes in your employment status.
• Learn about various work incentives available, and which ones you may use.

A Benefits Specialist will:

• Provide information about other programs and community resources that may help you.
• Correct misinformation and provide accurate benefits information about your unique situation.

Benefits Planning, Assistance and Outreach includes the following:

• Information and referral
• Problems solving and advocacy
• Benefits analysis and advisement
• Benefits support planning
• Benefits management

To learn more, see the UBPAO Brochure (pdf), the brochure in Spanish (pdf), the fact sheet (pdf) and frequently asked questions and answers.

Anyone can make a referral to the UBPAO Program. Make the referral when you are thinking about working, increasing your work hours, or entering a training program. The UBPAO Referral Form begins the process to work with a Benefits Specialist. Download this Referral form (pdf) or complete online.

Contact a UBPAO specialist at 801-887-9530 (voice and TTY) in Salt Lake City or toll free at 1-866-454-8397.

These services are provided at no cost to the beneficiaries through a partnership between the SSA (Social Security Administration, USOR (Utah State Office of Rehabilitation, DWS (Department of Workforce Services) and Work Ability Utah.