Benefit Access Program

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Formerly known as the Circuit Breaker program, the Illinois Department on Aging offers a Benefit Access Program for income-eligible older adults and individuals with a disability.

Individuals who are approved for Benefit Access are eligible for the following:

Discount on license plate registration fee from the Illinois Secretary of State; and/or
Ride Free transit card from the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) to ride CTA buses and trains, as well as Metra, for no charge.

Individuals aged 65+ or those who are under 65 with a disability may apply for the Reduced Fare card regardless of income. Applications are available at the front desk of the Levy Senior Center.

Once approved, applicants are enrolled for benefits for two years. Participants are encouraged to apply to renew their benefits approximately 90 days before their eligibility period ends in order to avoid a gap in coverage.

Am I Eligible?

Age or Disability

Applicants must be at least 65 years of age before December 31 of the application year; however, applications submitted for individuals who are under the age of 65 and who do not have a disability are not processed until the applicant turns 65. Please call the Illinois Department on Aging at (800) 252-8966, option 3 (Benefit Access) to prompt staff to process the application on or after the applicant's 65th birthday.
Persons between the ages of 16 and 64 who have a disability that existed on or before December 31st of the year prior to the application are eligible for Benefit Access.
- Applicants are eligible for the program even if they are not currently receiving disability benefits, as long as they met the Social Security Administration's definition of "totally disabled" on or before December 31st of the year prior to the application. Those who do not yet receive disability benefits may be asked to have their physician complete additional documentation confirming their disability.

Residency

All applicants must reside in Illinois at the time of their application.

Income

Starting January 2020, the income limits were established as follows:

$33,562 or less for a 1-person household; or
$44,533 or less for a 2-person household; or
$55,500 or less for a 3-person household.

More details about eligibility criteria are available on the Illinois Department on Aging website.

How do I apply?

All applicants must first complete an online Benefit Access Application. Paper applications are not available.
- When completing the income portion of the application, do NOT use your income information from the current year. The State wants to know what your income was in the last tax year, not what you are currently making. Use your tax return or tax-related documents (such as W2s and/or 1099s) and not your bank statements to determine what your income was last year.
  - Applications submitted on or after May 18, 2021 must use 2020 income to file. However, applications submitted between January 1, 2022 and Tax Day 2022 must use 2020 income and not 2021 income, as 2021 income will not be allowed until the day after Tax Day 2022.
Once the online application is submitted, applicants must check on the status of their application at least 48 hours later by returning to the same website and searching under their name, Social Security number, and date of birth. The Illinois Department on Aging will not contact you with an update.
After 48 hours, the application will either be approved, denied, or the State will require additional proof of some aspect of the application, such as name, address, date of birth, Social Security number, or income. Do not upload any documents until or unless you are prompted to do so.
Once you are approved, you will see a certificate showing that you were approved for two years, and providing the start and end dates of your eligibility period. It is recommended that you retain a copy of the certificate for your records.

Once approved online, how do I claim my benefits?

License plate discount

For new applicants and those who renewed their benefits after their previous eligibility window expired, the discount should be reflected in the Secretary of State's database within 48 hours of your approval.
Individuals who renewed their benefits within the recommended 90-day renewal period will receive their discount 48 hours after their new eligibility period begins.
- For example, if your old eligibility period ends June 1 and you renew your benefits ahead of time on May 1, your new discount will be available on or after June 3.
If you pay online or in-person at a Secretary of State's office, you or the State representative should be able to search for your discount on the Secretary of State's website. If you pay at a Currency Exchange, you may need a printout from the Secretary of State's website . Please call Senior Services at (847) 866-2919 if you need help accessing this information.
Benefit Access recipients may only receive two license plate discounts in their two-year eligibility period.

Ride Free Card

Complete the RTA's paper application and mail it to the address on the front of the application. Please include the following:
- Copy of both sides of your government-issued ID;
- Copy of your certificate from the Department on Aging's website showing you were approved for Benefit Access;
- A 2" x 2" color photo, if you are a brand-new applicant. Applicants renewing their benefits do not need to provide a photo.
The Levy Senior Center can help you with this process, including making copies, taking a photo, and mailing the application for you! They even have spare applications at the front desk, simply bring your certificate with you!
New applicants can expect their cards in about 12 weeks; renewals typically take about 4-6 weeks.

Need help?

Lost/Stolen Card?

Additional Contact Information

Illinois Department on Aging

Contact for: Questions about Benefit Access program and application status.

800-252-8966, select a language option, then select option 3 for Benefit Access

RTA

Contact for: Questions about the Ride Free and Reduced Fare permit application process, update on application status for new, renewal, and replacement cards.

312-913-3110

Secretary of State

Contact for: Questions about the license plate discount.

800-252-8980