10 replies to this topic

[aedmon8793]

We live in the US (Texas)
My fiance was injured at 18 and had only worked a few part time jobs through high school, obviously not making much.
SSI gives him $400 a month, and they said it was because at that time he lived with his parents, and his parents made too much.

Now that he lives with me, he is applying for an increase in SSI, but they just told him his claim would probably be denied because his bills are too high?!?!?

Does that make sense to anybody? I know they like to jerk you around with disability stuff, but I dont even know where to start. Who can do ANYTHING with $400 a month? They also told him the max he would be able to get is $700, so both figures are unable to be lived on.

Just looking for some advice

[Muskie]

I went to the Social Security office, and got a meeting my son never got a cent because he was getting about a 1000 a month at that time from disability (has been readjusted to 560) so since he is living with us and he was receiving over 1000 a month he was ineligible. He also only had only a few real jobs so he did not have enough credits for standard SS. They did tell me however when my wife and I retire and start to collect he could collect at that rate. My advice is to make an appointment and go see them in person

[Anna16]

The Social Security Administration is very tough. When I turned 18, I found out I owed A LOT of money from like 10 years prior. I was completely unaware. I wasn't able to get much at all. After I paid, I was able to get the full amount, which here is only $698. I don't know if it is set up the same everywhere, but where I live, no one can pay for utilities or food for you, or give you free housing. If they do, you get much less. I have to pay rent in a house that was built solely for me. I never thought that would happen, haha. Even though my mom and her husband live here too and pay rent separately, I have to buy my own food.

SSI is very strict and hard to get around, but there are a few loopholes.

Edited by Beautiful, 28 March 2012 - 10:13 PM.

[wheeliebear75]

1 word for you.....APPEAL!

Each state has a different monthly amount based on "cost of living" in that state. Other factors that will be used against him is that he isn't the ONLY person in a home....he is sharing (even though you are boyfriend/girlfriend) making his living situation a "room-mate" living arrangement. And as a heads up......if you get married......SSI will count YOUR income 1.5x; so let's just say your GROSS income is $3,000 a month, now although you'll never actually see $3,000 in your bank because they take taxes out making it more like $2,???, SSI will count YOU as making & being able to spend $3,000, then they'll figure that means that $1,500 of that is now "His income"....and you can see how QUICKLY they can dwindle payments down.

Since you are NOT married at the moment you don't need to worry about THAT yet.....but you DO need to appeal; if he is having to have family help with expenses because his SSI is too low then show that & KEEP showing it, & KEEP APPEALING it, keep bitching til you get infront of a JUDGE! Most people know that SSI is infamouse for turning down claims & finding loop-holes to lower monthly payments....what most people do NOT know is that SSI/Social Security does NOT have such a great track record with fighting claims in court.....theoretically our judges are SUPPOSED TO be "unbiased" & weigh the case by the arguments presented.....how stupid does "We want to pay him less per month BECAUSE he has a lot of bills." sound? I can see a judge siding with SSI IF he had extra $ per month or was doing "stupid things" with it like just blowing it on gambeling.....but he's using it for his expenses which just happen to = MORE THAN $400 dollars.

To put this all into perspective for you:I'm in the same boat as your boyfriend in that as a teen I didn't earn any Social Security (I was 14 so baby sitting didn't count), I'm not only physically disabled by way of being paraplegic....but I've also got a brain injury(same accident), AND I'm legally blind WITH my glasses.....and those pricks actually refused to believe MY Dr.s who have seen me for YEARS, so SSI sent me to THEIR Dr.s who were in 100% agreement with my doctors....."She's not only disabled she's SEVERELY disabled.....get over it". And THAT was in 2003, I had them just last year try it again to which I then laughed at them & told um "BRING IT!", and my insistance that they should look into their own files & see what THEIR Dr.s had to say back in 2003 & then ask those Dr.s if I can spontaniously grown eyeball parts, reverse brain damage AND nerve damage. I was told they'll "be in touch in another 3-5yrs".

Keep ANY & ALL RECORDS; keep ANYTHING they send you guys, keep ALL Dr.s records, & financial records so that you'll have them to back your claim up. And PS....KEEP FIGHTING!

[hooplady]

I did not know that SSI worked this way, but other aid programs do. Their theory is that if his bills are too high then he therefore must be lying about his income, so he must not really need the aid. And if you are in his household, then yes your income counts, unfortunately. The max for SSI is fixed at the Federal level - there are a couple of states that supplement (I know Massachusetts does) but, yep, it's a bit less than $700 currently.

Just for clarification, SSI is not "disabiltiy" per se - it's basically the last safety net for those who don't otherwise qualify. And the net has a lot of holes.

You need to read the rules carefully, and look for a Legal Aid attorney who can at least advise you - that helped us a lot. The good news is, if you are in the household then you have some flexibility because some of the bills can perhaps be solely in your name - you and he can agree how much he contributes. Legal Aid can help sort this out, sometimes just with a telephone consultation.

In my case, it will never make financial sense for me to be in my b/f's household...he loses too much, and I can still legally help by purchasing things that aren't "needs." It works out better for us. Oh, and if we lived together I would kill him.

Good luck!

[Scrappy]

I live in Nevada in a gov funded apartment low income and I pay very little for rent and billed and I get a lil over $700 r something like that.. and I get food stamps or ebt card but only $80

[Zack]

I'm confused why your collecting SSI. I collect $817 a month from SS, Being that my injury was just before my 21st Birthday ive been able to collect under my Fathers Social Security number while he was still working. I had a choice of whos to collect from. I Live in low income federally funded apt, that cost $197 a month, nothing included. Receive &132 a month in FoodStamps.

Edited by Zack, 29 March 2012 - 07:29 PM.

[richo]

sounds like us aussies get it a bit easeyer over here,and i still wingeLOL

Edited by richo, 01 April 2012 - 12:35 AM.

[Xeres21]

Getting to much can be a downfall though, I don't understand how it works as far as tabulating how much you get.. but I get 1522$ per month from SSI and 1650$ a month from my long term disability. Understandibly mass health dropped me from making to much, I have blue cross blue shield but they dont pay for PCA services.. So now I pay for commonwealth healthcare insurance to once again get a pca service and catheders. I'm 26 and was making 68,000 a year at the time of my accident so maybe thats why my SSI is so much higher then others.. but seriously.. WTF do you do with 400$ a month??

[hooplady]

Getting to much can be a downfall though, I don't understand how it works as far as tabulating how much you get.. but I get 1522$ per month from SSI and 1650$ a month from my long term disability. Understandibly mass health dropped me from making to much, I have blue cross blue shield but they dont pay for PCA services.. So now I pay for commonwealth healthcare insurance to once again get a pca service and catheders. I'm 26 and was making 68,000 a year at the time of my accident so maybe thats why my SSI is so much higher then others.. but seriously.. WTF do you do with 400$ a month??

I think you mean you are getting SSD (Social Security Disabilty), not SSI (Supplemental Security Income). The max for SSI is only about $700/month. SSI is essentially the last "safety net" for people who don't qualify for SSD or other similar payments. Some people haven't qualified in enough quarters immediately preceeding their injury to get SSD, so if it weren't for SSI they'd get zip.

[Xeres21]

Getting to much can be a downfall though, I don't understand how it works as far as tabulating how much you get.. but I get 1522$ per month from SSI and 1650$ a month from my long term disability. Understandibly mass health dropped me from making to much, I have blue cross blue shield but they dont pay for PCA services.. So now I pay for commonwealth healthcare insurance to once again get a pca service and catheders. I'm 26 and was making 68,000 a year at the time of my accident so maybe thats why my SSI is so much higher then others.. but seriously.. WTF do you do with 400$ a month??

I think you mean you are getting SSD (Social Security Disabilty), not SSI (Supplemental Security Income). The max for SSI is only about $700/month. SSI is essentially the last "safety net" for people who don't qualify for SSD or other similar payments. Some people haven't qualified in enough quarters immediately preceeding their injury to get SSD, so if it weren't for SSI they'd get zip.

I didn't actually google'd it and you absolutely correct, I never even realized the difference

-Social Security Disability Insurance pays benefits to you and certain members of your family if you are "insured," meaning that you worked long enough and paid Social Security taxes.
-Supplemental Security Income pays benefits based on financial need.

However I don't understand how 400$ covers monthly financial needs!