Applying for AMA
There are 3 types of help from Aged Ministers Assistance:
- Monthly Assistance
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Emergency Medical Assistance
How to Apply for Aged Ministers Assistance
- A letter of inquiry should accompany the application submission to the AMA Department. This letter may come from the minister himself, from concerned friends, or from his or her presbyter or district superintendent.
- The Aged Ministers Assistance Committee reviews the application.
- If all eligibility requirements are met, supplementary assistance is granted.
Download the AMA Application Form (PDF)
Emergency Assistance
Emergency: In the event a minister is confronted with insurmountable medical bills or other unusual expenses not covered by Medicare and/or supplement medical insurance, he or she may apply for an emergency grant. If funds are available, the aged minister may be eligible for a limited grant restricted for payment toward these expenses.
Download the AMA Emergency Assistance Form (PDF)
Guidelines for AMA Payments to Ministers on Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
There are restrictive rules that regulate what can be done for our ministers who are receiving SSI (Supplemental Security Income) and benefits from the Aged Ministers Assistance Department. Since SSI policy restricts how much income a recipient can have, it has proven to be detrimental to send funds of more than $25 per person directly to the recipient, since it would discontinue the SSI program to the minister. Generally, this has been restricted to a very meager monthly income.
Because of the financial benefits the recipients derive from the SSI program, it is important that they retain that program, where possible, in order to receive the SSI fringe benefits. There is no way the AMA Department can match the SSI fringe benefits, particularly the health benefits.
Thus, the procedure of support to these friends must be as follows:
- SSI will allow a third party, specifically a local church or district, to handle the payments for a minister on certain things that would not jeopardize SSI payments to the minister.
- Based on AMA policy, the AMA Department can make cash payments to the third party, (church or district) that would agree to act as an agent on the minister’s behalf to provide certain help. This third party would then make direct payments for such services. No cash funds can be given directly to the minister, since it would jeopardize the funds being received from SSI.
- Funds provided from AMA as emergency assistance can be made available to care for certain unpaid medical bills, including doctors, clinics, prescriptions, utilities, insurance, etc., but must be paid by the third party directly to the agency providing the service.
- Such items as groceries, clothing, or personal needs can be purchased and delivered to the recipient as deemed necessary. It would have to be determined ahead of time as a legitimate need.
Download SSI Resolution Form (PDF)
