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vickygleitz
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11 Mar 2014, 11:25 am

I have heard that it takes a long time to qualify for, and then to receive, social security. My understanding is that when finally approved, a person receives back pay from the time first applied. If this is true, then in many instances social security receipients receive a pretty huge chunk of change.

So,I was wondering, for people who received backpay, do you regret what you did with the money? Do you wish you had done something different with it than you actually did? Was anyone able to use the money to make a major life change? Were you even allowed to save any of it? Was anyone able to use the backpay to purchase a condo, mobile home, townhome, etc? If so, were you allowed to continue receiving social security.

Also, if someone else is assigned as a payee, how can that person best help the recipient without in any way disrespecting their need for autonomy? If you have a payee, what do you like/despise most about how the money is administered? What can a payee do to help their loved one to be able to have complete control over his/her finances?

Section 8 type housing, is it difficult to obtain? Does it take long? Are there apartments that are partially government subsidized specificly for autistic people and their cousins? What are these places like? Safe? Accepting? Also,if someone were on social security and had a way of making a couple hundred dollars a month, would that be wrong? If a prson on social security was given a car, a phone, extra food, new furniture, taken on vacation, etc. would that cause any problems?

Last question. If a person on social security were to decide to try working and they couldn't do it, would they have to initiate the entire social security application all over again?

Last,last question. No one on social security for being disabled should be ashamed. I know though, that for many their self esteem is negatively affected. How to keep that from happening, beyond volunteer work?

Thanks

Vicky



wozeree
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11 Mar 2014, 11:38 am

No idea, but good luck!
I don't think you should feel bad if you have to go on disability, you had cancer and you were doing major volunteer work. THere are more ways to contribute to the economy and well being of your country then just going to work every day and collecting a paycheck. Just keep being yourself and the karma will way over balance anything the govt pays you!



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11 Mar 2014, 1:02 pm

No don't regret what we did with our money. I used my SSI check to buy my plane ticket so that allowed us to stay in Europe for three weeks instead of two. If you have all that money and it's above the limit of how much you can have in your bank, spend it on stuff you want or need or what you always wanted until you get down to $2,000. My husband used his SSDI check on stuff when we went out and had family time. It never took any of us that long for some reason to get approved. The longest I have heard is two years and the least for me was five or six months.

You cannot purchase property if you are on Social Security.

Section 8 can take up to five years to get I hear and I was never on it but when I got on it it took me a couple months but I decided I didn't want it. I was already living on my own for $225 a month and they were only going to pay part of my rent if I moved to the town I worked in into a smaller place and I decided forget it and stayed where I was.

You can work on Social Security, you just cannot make above a certain amount or they cut the check. You will still receive it but it won't be a full paycheck. If you earn a little extra money let's say from a neighbor and they hand you a check or cash for helping them, I would keep it for myself. I mean if someone gives you money as a present, should you report that? I hear you have to report any earnings you get and that includes if someone gives you money so you can buy food. But yet then if you report that, they cut your check so it's stupid you know. they don't give you enough to live off of but yet will cut your check if anyone helps you if they give you money so you can buy food or pay a bill. I know someone online who doesn't report his money if he gets it from his friends and it can be from winning a game or bet and he doesn't count that as his income because he spends it on luxuries.

I have no idea about the last one.


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Tuttle
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11 Mar 2014, 1:41 pm

I know quite a few people who bought a house with their backpayment. And when I applied it said you were allowed one car, one house, other property would disqualify you. Not no house.


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Verdandi
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11 Mar 2014, 2:17 pm

Buying a house is downright tempting.

I regret having an outstanding student loan, as that's going to take a huge chunk out of my back pay. Well, not as huge as most people who have a full education, but huge in relation to my back pay.

I don't regret the attorney fee.

I am ambivalent about the state taking money out to pay for my aged, blind, and disabled (formerly disability lifeline) benefits.

I'll have to wait on receiving said back pay before I can regret spending the rest.



cathylynn
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11 Mar 2014, 2:46 pm

if you are on SSDI, you can save the money. there are no asset limits. even on SSI, a first house or car won't count toward your asset limit.

on SSDI, you can work and receive up to $1070 per month and continue to receive benefits. there are five trial work months, during which you can make any amount and continue to receive benefits. any month you make over $770 is considered a trial work month. if you work and get more than $1070 per month and have to stop due to disability within the first five years, your benefits restart immediately. you have to re-apply, but you have benefits while you wait. also, any work increases your future benefits.

on SSI in PA, if you work, you keep all of the first $85 per month you make, after that, you lose $1 of benefits for every $2 you make. if you make over the limit to receive Medicaid, you can purchase Medical Assistance for the Working Disabled (MAWD) for 5% of your total income.

I was on a waiting list for subsidized housing for two years. if you are homeless, they move you up on the list.

if you can manage money, I recommend not having a payee. no one will have the exact same financial goals for you as you do.



League_Girl
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11 Mar 2014, 3:03 pm

Tuttle wrote:
I know quite a few people who bought a house with their backpayment. And when I applied it said you were allowed one car, one house, other property would disqualify you. Not no house.


I was informed by them I was not allowed to own property. However if you owned it and then got on it, that is fine but you cannot buy it after being on it. :?


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cathylynn
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11 Mar 2014, 3:12 pm

League_Girl wrote:
Tuttle wrote:
I know quite a few people who bought a house with their backpayment. And when I applied it said you were allowed one car, one house, other property would disqualify you. Not no house.


I was informed by them I was not allowed to own property. However if you owned it and then got on it, that is fine but you cannot buy it after being on it. :?


league girl, you have been given bad info.



vickygleitz
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11 Mar 2014, 4:36 pm

thanks to all. I am not the one applying for benefits. It is a loved one. I am beyond confused by the entire process. The person who applied, according to very thing i read online should be eligible for SSDI. He has never worked,BUT as a disabled person[ disabled before age 22] he should qualify for SSDI on the adult child benefits program under his late fathers benefits. Right.or am i reading wrong?

He received a fully favorable assesment from the judge [he received the papers Friday and has a conference call appointment on Thursday.] but, the letter says that he qualifies [or potentially qualifies] for SSI, no mention whatsoever about SSDI.

SSDI would give him a higher monthly benefit, and other advantages. Also, on SSI he is not allowed to own any assets. He and I have a joint savings account [ been sitting there for years] for a bit over 5 grand in a bank. Now, the account was started when he was a little boy and he has not touched it in any shape or form since he has been a legal adult. He never touched it because it was his dreamseed money. I definitely would have closed the account years ago if I had known that he was qualified for SSI rather than SSDI.

We helped him apply nearly 2 years ago. That's a lot of money that he might not receive because of the account [we ate a lot of beans, went without a lot to keep that money in there for him.

Also,if they decide to still give him the SSI, I understand that he is not allowed to save it, but that he has to spend it right away. Since he has no rent, and I feed him, he could save some money. Except it won't be legal?

Back to SSDI. Though the letter only mentions SSI, on the first page, under the heading DECISION, It says IN THE CASE OF. Under that it has a line that says claimant and lists my sons name. Under THAT it has a line labeled wage earner, and it lists his deceased dads name. once again, this sounds like SSDI, But still through the 7 page letter [mostly a recap of the hearing and how the judge came to her decision] SSI is mentioned over and over again. I hope that by opening an account for him when he was a ittle kid that he dosn't wind up beyond destitute.

If he DOES qualify for SSDI,he would like to use the back pay as a down on a condo that h can rent out until he is in a place where he can take care of himself [he is recovering slowly from his illness]

So, yeah, this is kind of a big thing. I guess we'll find out more on Thursday. That seems like a long wait.



cathylynn
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11 Mar 2014, 4:56 pm

I'd take his name off the account immediately. you can always buy what he needs from the money. there is also something called a family trust. money in there doesn't count as assets. the only downside is that if the trust beneficiary dies, the money goes to the trust, not to heirs. more at www.thefamilytrust.org (Achieva) OR 1-888-272-7229.



vickygleitz
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13 Mar 2014, 10:34 pm

ty. There was a phone conference all today. I was open about the savings account. I have a payee appointment on monday. The recipient does not have to be there as long as I bring in a note from him saying that he wishes me to be payee. I was also told that they will direct me into opening a seperate account, I am assuming that means he's getting some help, right?

Also, from my understanding, he will receive SSI for the 5 month waiting period before he could receive SSDI. But, that can't be right either, beause as an adult who became disabled before age 22, who ALSO has a deceased parent who was covered by social security, according to everything I have read, the waiting period should be waived.



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13 Mar 2014, 10:43 pm

From my understanding I can have up to 2,000 dollars at once or I can get kicked off SSI...so that means I certainly have to spend some as to not have too much at once....it varies what I spend it on so far I got new shoes, a couple clothing items and some somewhat expensive tolitries such as hemp soap, hemp shampoo, hemp lotion some face cleaning stuff, toothpaste without flouride and mouthwash ect....I am sick of using typical chemcal crap when I can get natural shampoo and what not.

Obviously its best to spend much of the back pay on nessesities and nice ones if you want then look at unnessisary nice things and look for low prices on those.


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16 Mar 2014, 9:25 am

I have nothing to give in the way of advice to Vicky's question.

I did want to respond to touch on a point that (I think) Vicky has discussed in the past, is that there should be Aspie-aligned individuals/businesses who can assist with these types of issues.


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16 Mar 2014, 7:09 pm

Sweetleaf wrote:
From my understanding I can have up to 2,000 dollars at once or I can get kicked off SSI...


That is ridiculous and forces people on ssi to remain in mandatory poverty. When we moved to where I live now between rent, security, and a moving company it was probably over $2k, plus some landlords want first month's rent, last month's rent, and security making it cost even more.

I think in my state they let you have $4k, at least for Medicaid. My grandmother had to cash in one of her life insurance policies in order to keep her Medicaid because she went over the $4k



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16 Mar 2014, 7:20 pm

Im British but between first applying and winning a health court judgment, it was 6 months of back pay between two benefits totalling over £4,500.

No regrets and I haven't spent much of it beyond housing repairs and adaptions for safer living.

Over here, as long you don't have £16,000 or more in savings, or start working then nothing should be affected.


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16 Mar 2014, 9:51 pm

It was enough to pay off the credit card debts I'd accumulated while trying to survive during the six months it took me to get approved.


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