Facts
A., born in 1942, applied for supplementary benefits in October 2016. The Old Age and Survivors' Insurance Institution of the Canton of St. Gallen (SVA) initially denied the claim, but then granted her a supplementary benefit of CHF 523.- per month from April 2017. With a further decision dated July 12, 2017, it revoked the supplementary benefit as of the end of July 2017.
A. filed a complaint against these decisions. The Insurance Court of the Canton of St. Gallen dismissed the complaint, but corrected the objection decision insofar as it reduced the supplementary benefit granted for the period from April 1 to July 31, 2017 to CHF 489.- per month.
A. filed a public law appeal, requesting a supplementary benefit of CHF 5,105.95 per month from April 1, 2017 and CHF 5,577.95 per month from August 1, 2017. She also requested legal aid for the proceedings before the Federal Court.
Considerations
The Federal Court examined whether the countable income from April 2017 was correctly treated. It confirmed that gifts to the children are considered as forfeited assets in accordance with Art. 11 para. 1 lit. g ELG.
However, with regard to the further non-essential expenses of CHF 325,830.-, the…