enTRUST Services

02/03/2026

📅 Save the date!

On Wednesday, March 4 from 6:30 - 8 PM, our CEO, Jodie Esper, and Manager & Benefits Counselor, Ruth Opferman, will present at The Branch's March Family Forum. The event takes place at the Sally and Howard Levin Clubhouse.

Jodie and Ruth will share important information about Special Needs Trusts, Benefits Counseling, and Representative Payee Services.

We hope you’ll join the conversation! For more info or to register, contact Alison Karabin at 📞 412-325-0039 or 📧 akarabin@thebranchpgh.org.

01/30/2026

🌟 Friday Fact: Students Can Work and Keep Their Benefits 🌟

Did you know… being a student can actually help protect your SSI while you work? 🎓💼

If you receive SSI and are under age 22, the Student Earned Income Exclusion (SEIE) allows eligible students to earn money while much of it is not counted against SSI.

Here’s the key info:
🔹 You can work part-time while in school
🔹 Gain real-world experience and job skills
🔹 Keep more (or even all) of your SSI

📌 2026 SEIE limits:
✔ Up to $2,410 per month excluded
✔ Up to $9,730 per year excluded

These limits apply to eligible SSI recipients who are under 22 and regularly attending school, meaning this amount of income won’t count toward SSI benefit reductions.

Why it matters:
✔ Supports financial independence
✔ Encourages employment and education together
✔ Helps protect critical benefits
✔ Builds confidence and future opportunities

🎯 Big takeaway: School doesn’t just build your future — it can help protect your benefits today. Understanding work incentives helps make work pay.

01/27/2026

⚠️ SSA Overpayments Are Hurting Credit Scores — Even When They Shouldn’t Be
Across the country, Social Security beneficiaries are reporting credit score drops of 100–200 points after alleged overpayments are reported to credit bureaus — even when those overpayments are under appeal or a waiver is pending.

The impact can be serious:
• Cancelled credit
• Higher interest rates
• Housing and employment barriers
• Increased financial instability

These reports are coming from multiple states, pointing to a systemic issue — not isolated mistakes.

💡 There are steps people can take:
✔ File a reconsideration or waiver
✔ Dispute the debt with credit bureaus
✔ Document harm and credit changes
✔ Request corrections and escalate when needed

🤝 Benefits Counseling can help with navigating these steps, identifying improper reporting, and protecting income and financial stability.

If you or someone you support has experienced credit damage related to an SSA overpayment, contact enTRUST for Benefits Counseling services:
📱 Phone: 888-368-7880
📧 Email: Contact@enTRUSTDisabilitySvcs.org

Early support can help prevent long-term financial harm.

01/23/2026

🧠 Friday FACT from enTRUST!

Social Security is Speeding Things Up! 🚀

The Social Security Administration is making real progress to serve Americans faster and better—and the results are impressive:

✅ 3.1 million payments under the Social Security Fairness Act—completed 5 months early!
📞 800 number wait times cut by over 50%—now averaging just 13 minutes
🤖 90% of calls now handled through self-service or callbacks
🏢 Field office visits are faster—wait times down 10%
♿ Disability claims backlog reduced by 25%
🕒 Hearing wait times dropped by 60 days
🌐 And the my Social Security portal is getting a 24/7 upgrade this month!

The agency is aiming to become a national model of excellent service—and it’s well on its way. 💼✨

💡 Better service = less stress for you and your loved ones.

Stay informed with enTRUST: https://ow.ly/yQCp50Y1ggS

01/19/2026

Today, we honor the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., who led the American Civil Rights Movement through nonviolent activism and peaceful protest. In 1964, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize at age 35 and gave the prize of $54,123 to further the civil rights movement. He is also the only non-president with a national holiday in his name. He was assassinated on April 4, 1968.

Many of his speeches and quotes are well-known. Here is one that you may not have heard before: a recording of his acceptance speech of the Nobel Peace Prize: https://ow.ly/rktp50XY4xz

01/17/2026

01/16/2026

🌟 Friday Fact: Special Needs Pooled Trusts 🌟

Did you know… Special Needs Pooled Trust Funds are sheltered savings? 💡💰�They’re designed to protect SSI and Medicaid while allowing money to be used for extras, not basic needs.

Here’s the key info:�
🔹 Trusts protect SSI and Medicaid eligibility�
🔹 Funds are for supplemental expenses, not everyday basics�
🔹 They help people maintain benefits while improving quality of life

Trust funds can help pay for:�
✔ Education and training�
✔ Transportation (when not covered by Medicaid Waiver)�
✔ Personal care supports not covered by Waiver funding�
✔ Recreation, technology, and household items

Why it matters:�
✔ Protects SSI and Medicaid�
✔ Supports financial stability�
✔ Enhances quality of life�
✔ Provides peace of mind for families and beneficiaries

🎯 Big takeaway: Special Needs Pooled Trusts are compliance tools, not loopholes. When used correctly, they help trust planning and federal benefits work together — and that’s where professional guidance and benefits counseling make all the difference.

Learn more about enTRUST's Benefits Counseling and Special Needs Pooled Trust at https://entrustdisabilitysvcs.org/.

01/09/2026

🌟 Friday Fact: Income Averaging & Social Security! 🌟

Did you know… Social Security doesn’t always look at just one paycheck at a time? 📅💬

Here’s the key info:
🔹 Social Security can sometimes average your income over multiple months
🔹 This can help if your hours or pay change month-to-month (seasonal work, overtime, short-term jobs)
🔹 Income averaging can prevent one high month from making it look like you earned “too much”

Why it matters:
✔ Helps protect benefits
✔ Supports steady, sustainable work
✔ Reduces risk of overpayments

🎯 Big takeaway: Work incentives are tools, not traps.
Understanding income averaging can make working while on benefits more predictable — and more rewarding. That’s why benefits counseling matters!

Learn more about enTRUST's Benefits Counseling at https://entrustdisabilitysvcs.org/.

01/07/2026

🌟 Staff Spotlight: Tamika Fields ~ Certified Benefits Counselor & Financial Specialist

Tamika helps people understand how employment and income impact their federal benefits, with a strong focus on Social Security programs such as SSI and SSDI. She guides clients through work incentives and related benefit programs so they can make informed decisions about employment and financial stability.

Tamika works closely with people with disabilities, including those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, ensuring complex systems are explained clearly, respectfully, and in an accessible way. Her approach centers on empowerment—breaking down overwhelming information into manageable steps while honoring each person’s goals and circumstances, whether maintaining benefits while working, reinstating benefits, or navigating an overpayment.

What Tamika finds most rewarding about benefits counseling is helping people feel confident instead of afraid or uncertain when it comes to their benefits. Her goal is simple yet powerful: to help people understand their options so that fear doesn’t stand in the way of moving forward.

01/03/2026

enTRUST Services provides financial services that enrich the lives of people with disabilities and is a subsidiary of Mainstay.

Mainstay Life Services' mission is to enrich lives through person-centered support and inclusive community programs, unlocking the full potential of people with diverse abilities.

Learn more about Mainstay by visiting the website (https://ow.ly/s9NV50XR52h) and following them on social media!

Facebook: https://ow.ly/M8WL50XR52c

Instagram: https://ow.ly/yffF50XR52i

LinkedIn: https://ow.ly/NCkN50XR52b

X (formerly Twitter): https://ow.ly/ou1O50XR528

YouTube: https://ow.ly/jRGP50XR529

01/02/2026

🌟 Friday Fact: Overpayments & SSA Debt! 🌟

Did you know… if Social Security or SSI accidentally pays you too much, it’s called an overpayment? 💸

Here’s the key info:

🔹 SSA can require repayment of any overpaid amount — even if it wasn’t your fault.
🔹 Overpayments happen for lots of reasons: reporting errors, benefit recalculations, or changes in income or living situation.
🔹 You can ask SSA to waive the debt if repaying it would cause financial hardship and the overpayment wasn’t your fault.
🔹 SSA can recover overpayments through:

Reducing future benefits
Direct repayment plans
Withholding tax refunds
🎯 Fun fact: You’re not powerless — you can request a waiver or repayment plan to make it manageable!