WanderBenefits

About

61.4% of initial SSI/SSDI claims are denied — the average initial decision takes 227 days (7.5 months), with state variation from 108 to 452 days. The benefits cliff isn't one problem — it's an interaction effect between 4-6 programs simultaneously: a modest raise can trigger SNAP loss, ACA subsidy change, housing voucher rent increase, and SSI reduction all at once, often leaving the worker worse off than before the raise. Enhanced ACA premium tax credits expired December 31, 2025 — 80% of re-enrollees in 2026 are reporting higher costs. Trans people face a documented SNAP documentation burden: name/gender marker mismatches on ID can extend processing, require disclosure, and trigger caseworker bias. FindHelp, BenefitsCheckUp, and Benefits.gov are all discovery tools — none models the interaction effects between simultaneous programs. WanderBenefits shows the net income impact of every $1,000 income increment across all active programs, LGBTQ+-specific barriers included.

Features

• Benefits cliff modeler: net income across all programs at each income level — interaction effects visible
• SSI/SSDI navigator: 61.4% denied initially — documentation support for approval
• ACA: post-2025 enhanced subsidy expiration context, actual 2026 costs
• SNAP trans name mismatch: how to navigate caseworker discretion with document issues
• Section 8 reality: 27-month average wait — what to do while waiting
• VASH veteran housing: 60K gap between housing slots and homeless veteran need
• Benefits restoration after incarceration: Medicaid suspension (not termination) effective Jan 2025
• Gender dysphoria as ADA disability: Williams v. Kincaid (4th Cir. 2022) — legal path most people don't know
• Ryan White HIV/AIDS program: no immigration status restriction, dental gaps by geography
• Immigrant benefits navigator: who's eligible for what, 5-year bar exceptions, DACA ACA access