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Sweetleaf
Metalhead
Joined: Jan 07, 2011
Age: 23
Posts: 14828
Location: Somewhere in Colorado
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 Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 4:57 pm Post subject: Could getting on disability help me with this issue? |
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Its occurred to me just now that I still have college loan crap to deal with once its been 6 months since I dropped out...and I probably didn't even go about it the right way but I guess I am worried about the whole legal/financial responsibility crap that I don't understand at all.
I mean I know as for the college loans I can defer them if I can't afford to start paying it back by the time they want me to, but to me that alone is not very comforting. I mean honestly I would probably commit suicide if I ended up with collections agencies and such like harrasing me for things I don't have and being nasty to me when I end up not understanding...and yelling at me about how I am obligated to understand even if I don't. So yeah I guess I am a little bit paranoid about stuff like that.
So I was wondering if getting on disability would help me with not ending up in some nasty situation having to do with owing money I don't have and the legal stuff that comes with it? I mean I avoid thinking about it most of the time but it does need to be addressed,
I mean I am not wanting to have an excuse to be irresponsible or anything like that, I just don't want to get treated like a criminal due to not understanding financial stuff like that and making the mistake of deciding to go to college when I was 19 only to end up with loans I didn't know i would end up not being able to pay off when I wasn't able to get a degree and move on to a professional career due to various things. I mean I don't want my life to already be over before I've even got the chance to find anything worthwhile to do with it if that makes any sense.
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pezar
Phoenix
Joined: Apr 06, 2008
Age: 38
Posts: 1633
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| Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 5:24 pm Post subject: |
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| I got a student loan for vocational training in 2005. As a result of a business idea that failed several years after, I was stuck with some other debt. I asked Citi, who then held my loan, if I couldn't defer some payments. They asked why. I told them I was disabled. Permanently? Yep. So they sent me an application for loan discharge. I got my psychiatrist to write a letter saying I am disabled, and sent it to them. They're still reviewing it. So yeah, if you can get a doctor to say you're permanently disabled, you may be able to get out of the loan. |
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Sweetleaf
Metalhead
Joined: Jan 07, 2011
Age: 23
Posts: 14828
Location: Somewhere in Colorado
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| Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 5:35 pm Post subject: |
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Good because one of the major reasons I dropped out twice was due to psychological factors, mostly the the PTSD as that destroyed my enjoyment of reading and college is not a very good place for people who hate reading because it triggers symptoms. Not to mention I don't particularly like being in or around schools as that also makes me very uncomfortable. Just to name a few ways that interferes. So yeah I couldn't deal with it even when I tried reducing it to two classes a semeseter.
I mean it wasn't something I expected I certainly did not want to have PTSD so I went to college anyways and thought I'd be able to handle it but that turned out not to be the case. But yeah I could say that all I want, but without some sort of proof they don't have to acknowledge it so getting on disability is probably not a bad idea at all.
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starkid
Phoenix
Joined: Feb 10, 2012
Age: 32
Posts: 729
Location: California Bay Area
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| Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 7:33 pm Post subject: |
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| Probably not, unless you have also been declared permanently and completely disabled. I have people after me for student loans right now, and I was told that if I start getting SSI, they could take up to 100% of the money. This is for defaulted federal student loans, though; not sure about private loans or if you are not in default. |
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glasstoria
Velociraptor
Joined: Jul 03, 2011
Posts: 454
Location: Missouri USA
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| Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 7:52 pm Post subject: |
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if you have federal student loans, you can take advantage of the IBR program, Income Based Repayment, for as long as you need to which is based on income for any reason, meaning you dont have to prove disability just provide evidence of your wages. If your income is low enough, then your repayment is zero.
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Your Aspie score: 165 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 48 of 200
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Sweetleaf
Metalhead
Joined: Jan 07, 2011
Age: 23
Posts: 14828
Location: Somewhere in Colorado
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| Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 8:00 pm Post subject: |
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| glasstoria wrote: | | if you have federal student loans, you can take advantage of the IBR program, Income Based Repayment, for as long as you need to which is based on income for any reason, meaning you dont have to prove disability just provide evidence of your wages. If your income is low enough, then your repayment is zero. |
Well I have no income so that shouldn't be a problem.
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Sweetleaf
Metalhead
Joined: Jan 07, 2011
Age: 23
Posts: 14828
Location: Somewhere in Colorado
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| Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 8:08 pm Post subject: |
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| starkid wrote: | | Probably not, unless you have also been declared permanently and completely disabled. I have people after me for student loans right now, and I was told that if I start getting SSI, they could take up to 100% of the money. This is for defaulted federal student loans, though; not sure about private loans or if you are not in default. |
From my understanding, I have to defer the loans once six months are up if I can't afford to pay it which means they don't require me to pay anything until I can. If I do nothing it could default but I will be sure and defer it like last I checked is what you do in that situation. My concern is I don't know I could make enough income to ever pay it.
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questor
Hermit
Joined: Apr 24, 2011
Posts: 1983
Location: Twilight Zone
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| Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 8:13 pm Post subject: Debts |
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If you do get your loan discharged, your credit rating will take a monster hit. Also, not every company has the same policies for how they handle bad debts, and discharging for cause, so you will need to look into that because the holder of your school loan may not allow the discharge of your debt. If you get onto disability, you need to tell the government what your debts are when you fill out the forms, so they can use that when they are calculating how much cash assistance you will qualify for. You may not need to discharge your school loan if your cash assistance will cover that along with your other expenses.
On the down side, first you have to go to the state for assistance, and they pay less than the feds, when they allow cash assistance at all. You will also need to apply for Medicaid if you can't afford private insurance. But it is necessary to go to the state first for these things, as it takes a long time to qualify for federal SSI or SSD. The feds almost always deny your claim when you first make it, so you need to appeal. Because of the huge back log of cases it takes an average of 18 months from the first denial of your claim until you have your appeal hearing. You will need an attorney to help you through the process. If you can't afford one, go to Legal Aid for an attorney. They charge little or nothing, based on your income, but will take a cut from your lump sum back payments if you win the appeal. If you win the appeal the government pays you a lump sum amount for the months that passed from the time of your initial claim, to the time of your winning the appeal. If the amount is large they will break it into several portions that will be paid to you some months apart. While you are waiting for your appeal hearing you need to use your Medicaid to visit doctors for any and all health conditions, including Autism/Asperger's, depression, or any other physical or mental health issues. Your attorney will get copies of the medical records generated by the visits, to present at the appeal hearing. You absolutely need these medical visits. If you can't back up your claim of disability with medical diagnostic proof, you will lose the appeal. You can appeal again a number of times, but you need the proof to win the claim.
I had to go through all of this myself when I applied for disability. I applied based on my other health issues though, and not my Asperger's as I have not had a formal diagnosis. It is enough that most of the symptoms in all the articles I read about it look like me, and the online test I took confirmed it. My older sister had read about Asperger's and brought it up with me on her own later on, saying that she believes I have it. That's when I told her that I had looked into it myself and agreed with what she said. My feeling is if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it's a duck. So I am an Aspy.
So, if you want to go for disability, fine, but be prepared for a long haul. You probably won't get enough cash assistance from the state to make payments on your student loan in addition to basic living expenses, while you wait for your SSI/SSD hearing, but the SSI/SSD payments will most likely be higher. Mine are about twice as much as my state assistance was here in NY.
I had tried to start the process in Pennsylvania when I lived there, but PA wouldn't give me any cash assistance. I was unemployed and unable to find work, and broke. I was also not in good health, so working would have been a problem, but I tried to find work anyway, as I needed money to pay my bills. My parents finally bought this old trailer here in NY for me to live in. It's not far from their summer home. NY has a more sensible policy on cash assistance. They understand that people need money to live on. Granted, if a person is not disabled, they expect you to work, or look for work. If you are in the process of getting a disability diagnosis though, NY takes that into account.
My trailer is old, and not in the greatest shape, but it is home, and now I don't have the stress I had living with relatives. I would rather be living here alone, than go back to living with relatives in the best of the houses we owned over the years.
I hope my info on the disability process helps. I know it is a lot to go through, but the state and federal government get the assistance money they pay out from the tax payers, so they have to make sure people qualify for assistance. It isn't fair to the tax payers to just give their tax dollars to any Tom, Dick or Harry who asks for it, without the asker proving a need for it. |
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starkid
Phoenix
Joined: Feb 10, 2012
Age: 32
Posts: 729
Location: California Bay Area
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| Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 8:27 pm Post subject: |
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[quote="Sweetleaf"] | starkid wrote: | | My concern is I don't know I could make enough income to ever pay it. |
Same here. I think Obama recently started some new law or program, though...you pay what you can for 25 years on IBR, and if it's still not paid off, they have to leave you alone. Here's the article:
http://money.cnn.com/2011/10/25/news/economy/Obama_student_loan/ |
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Sweetleaf
Metalhead
Joined: Jan 07, 2011
Age: 23
Posts: 14828
Location: Somewhere in Colorado
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| Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 8:40 pm Post subject: Re: Debts |
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| questor wrote: | If you do get your loan discharged, your credit rating will take a monster hit. Also, not every company has the same policies for how they handle bad debts, and discharging for cause, so you will need to look into that because the holder of your school loan may not allow the discharge of your debt. If you get onto disability, you need to tell the government what your debts are when you fill out the forms, so they can use that when they are calculating how much cash assistance you will qualify for. You may not need to discharge your school loan if your cash assistance will cover that along with your other expenses.
What credit?......I have a credit card through my bank that I am canceling my account with so I can go to a credit union instead. and I've only used it a few times and made sure to get everything on that paid but its not like I've really done anything to build credit. Also the loans were through the whole fafsa thing I just have to call the number on documents I have...and I can go to the college and talk to someone to make sure whats needed to be done there is.
On the down side, first you have to go to the state for assistance, and they pay less than the feds, when they allow cash assistance at all. You will also need to apply for Medicaid if you can't afford private insurance. But it is necessary to go to the state first for these things, as it takes a long time to qualify for federal SSI or SSD. The feds almost always deny your claim when you first make it, so you need to appeal. Because of the huge back log of cases it takes an average of 18 months from the first denial of your claim until you have your appeal hearing. You will need an attorney to help you through the process. If you can't afford one, go to Legal Aid for an attorney. They charge little or nothing, based on your income, but will take a cut from your lump sum back payments if you win the appeal. If you win the appeal the government pays you a lump sum amount for the months that passed from the time of your initial claim, to the time of your winning the appeal. If the amount is large they will break it into several portions that will be paid to you some months apart. While you are waiting for your appeal hearing you need to use your Medicaid to visit doctors for any and all health conditions, including Autism/Asperger's, depression, or any other physical or mental health issues. Your attorney will get copies of the medical records generated by the visits, to present at the appeal hearing. You absolutely need these medical visits. If you can't back up your claim of disability with medical diagnostic proof, you will lose the appeal. You can appeal again a number of times, but you need the proof to win the claim.
Getting on disability is the only way to get on medicaid in my state, which would be nice to have. I have already been denied once so I know that. And yes I will have to go for the being charged little or nothing for an attorney because I don't think I can really afford one so I will do that I guess....and yes I am aware having proof is quite nessisary. Also I think I might just focus on the PTSD, Depression and Anxiety unless the AS needs to come up for any reason...I mean last time the psychiatrist they sent me to, to determine if I was in need of disibility did not even know what Aspergers Syndrome was so I am not sure what to do when I run into that sort of thing.
I had to go through all of this myself when I applied for disability. I applied based on my other health issues though, and not my Asperger's as I have not had a formal diagnosis. It is enough that most of the symptoms in all the articles I read about it look like me, and the online test I took confirmed it. My older sister had read about Asperger's and brought it up with me on her own later on, saying that she believes I have it. That's when I told her that I had looked into it myself and agreed with what she said. My feeling is if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it's a duck. So I am an Aspy.
So, if you want to go for disability, fine, but be prepared for a long haul. You probably won't get enough cash assistance from the state to make payments on your student loan in addition to basic living expenses, while you wait for your SSI/SSD hearing, but the SSI/SSD payments will most likely be higher. Mine are about twice as much as my state assistance was here in NY.
I had tried to start the process in Pennsylvania when I lived there, but PA wouldn't give me any cash assistance. I was unemployed and unable to find work, and broke. I was also not in good health, so working would have been a problem, but I tried to find work anyway, as I needed money to pay my bills. My parents finally bought this old trailer here in NY for me to live in. It's not far from their summer home. NY has a more sensible policy on cash assistance. They understand that people need money to live on. Granted, if a person is not disabled, they expect you to work, or look for work. If you are in the process of getting a disability diagnosis though, NY takes that into account.
My trailer is old, and not in the greatest shape, but it is home, and now I don't have the stress I had living with relatives. I would rather be living here alone, than go back to living with relatives in the best of the houses we owned over the years.
I hope my info on the disability process helps. I know it is a lot to go through, but the state and federal government get the assistance money they pay out from the tax payers, so they have to make sure people qualify for assistance. It isn't fair to the tax payers to just give their tax dollars to any Tom, Dick or Harry who asks for it, without the asker proving a need for it. |
I agree and certianly never implied it was, I just wish people did not always have to word it in such a you damn well better remember you're a burden to the tax payers. But maybe that was not what you were trying to imply so sorry if I took that wrong. But yeah when it comes to expenses I am mostly worried about food and of course it would be nice to be able to have a bit of money so when I am out with family or friends I have something to contribute and can get out of the house more. But no rent, insurance, vehicle, electric or any other bills and I would not mind working if disability allows for it but I've heard in my state they will kick you off of it if you get a job so I am not sure which way to go about it. So I guess when I apply for disability I will just ask about those things.
But yeah part of it is I need medicaid because i cannot hope to afford health insurance...and I have to be on disability to qualify for medicaid unless I'm over the age of 65 which I am not.
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Sweetleaf
Metalhead
Joined: Jan 07, 2011
Age: 23
Posts: 14828
Location: Somewhere in Colorado
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| Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 8:41 pm Post subject: |
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[quote="starkid"] | Sweetleaf wrote: | | starkid wrote: | | My concern is I don't know I could make enough income to ever pay it. |
Same here. I think Obama recently started some new law or program, though...you pay what you can for 25 years on IBR, and if it's still not paid off, they have to leave you alone. Here's the article:
http://money.cnn.com/2011/10/25/news/economy/Obama_student_loan/ |
It only mentions college graduates, I didn't make it that far.
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marshall
Under the whirlwind
Joined: Apr 15, 2007
Posts: 9212
Location: Western Michigan
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| Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 9:38 pm Post subject: |
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| From my experience they won't kick you off SSI for working but you have to report your income and they deduct $1 of SSI for every $2 you make once you make beyond a certain limit. They will kick you off if your income is too large or you accumulate too high a level of asset wealth, but that won't likely happen if you're only working part time. They'll also kick you off if they discover you made money that you didn't report and you could get in trouble for that. |
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Sweetleaf
Metalhead
Joined: Jan 07, 2011
Age: 23
Posts: 14828
Location: Somewhere in Colorado
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| Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 9:40 pm Post subject: |
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| marshall wrote: | | From my experience they won't kick you off SSI for working but you have to report your income and they deduct $1 of SSI for every $2 you make once you make beyond a certain limit. They will kick you off if your income is too large or you accumulate too high a level of asset wealth, but that won't likely happen if you're only working part time. They'll also kick you off if they discover you made money that you didn't report and you could get in trouble for that. |
Does that include money given to me as a gift by family members and under the table stuff like if my mom gives me 20 dollars to babysit my brother? Or just actual income aqquried through working?
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nick007
old-skewl fan-boy
Joined: May 05, 2010
Age: 30
Posts: 9737
Location: was Louisiana but moved in with my girlfreind in Vermont
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| Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 9:44 pm Post subject: |
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I know someone online who who's disabled & had lots of student loans. He went through some kind of bankruptcy type program & they don't garnish SSI because the income amount is too low. They would garnish some of his wages if he would get a job. They would take away any property he would get in his name except for one home & one vehicle & they would take the cash on any life insurance or burial policy & they could take any stocks, bonds or money he may have in the bank if it's over a few thousand. He's not allowed to have any of that stuff sense he's on SSI thou so that's not an issue Only concern he has would be going back to work because they would garnish his wages 1ce he would make enough not to get any SSI so he would not come out ahead financial by getting a job until the time frame for his bankruptcy passes(I forget how many years that is)
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marshall
Under the whirlwind
Joined: Apr 15, 2007
Posts: 9212
Location: Western Michigan
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| Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 9:55 pm Post subject: |
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| Sweetleaf wrote: | | marshall wrote: | | From my experience they won't kick you off SSI for working but you have to report your income and they deduct $1 of SSI for every $2 you make once you make beyond a certain limit. They will kick you off if your income is too large or you accumulate too high a level of asset wealth, but that won't likely happen if you're only working part time. They'll also kick you off if they discover you made money that you didn't report and you could get in trouble for that. |
Does that include money given to me as a gift by family members and under the table stuff like if my mom gives me 20 dollars to babysit my brother? Or just actual income aqquried through working? |
I think it's only official income that they deduct from. If it's just cash they have no way of knowing anyways. They do occasionally ask to see your bank account statements and if someone deposits a bunch of money into your account they might get suspicious about that. |
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