An overview: some months ago gnomish Dave, one of Omaha Steve's pals on the jackpine message board and in charge of the poverty and despair forum there, applied for the social security disability where one doesn't need to have paid into the fund beforehand, based upon five different mental "issues."
Gnomish Dave is in his thirties, has a former wife (or girlfriend) and a child, both of them subsisting on welfare because he wouldn't take care of them. The guy went out and had a kid before he considered going out and getting a job.
It's not as if he hasn't worked before--his "handicaps" are strictly mental, not physical--for the longest time he was night desk clerk at a hotel in the wilds of northernmost Maine, and he actually wrote some pretty good, print-worthy tales about his night-time customers when he was still on Skins's island. Apparently the woods of northern Maine harbor some pretty interesting, Stephen-King-like phenomenons.
Anyway, so he applied for a ticket aboard the disability gravy train a couple of times, and was turned down. This time around he was approved. This continues after he speaks his piece.https://jackpineradicals.com/boards/topic/more-ssi-issues/David the Gnome December 31, 2018 at 9:17 AM
So, a few weeks ago the social security administration completed my final interview. This was in order to determine the amount of backpay I would receive – and monthly payment amounts.
I was told that – as my dad is going to be charging me rent now – my payments would be 750. Checked online – site shows 514. Got a letter from them that said 490.
I called on Friday to figure out what was going on. ” Do you pay rent?”( I definitely wasnt imagining the lady’s condescending tone, her irritation at my questions.
“I havent been, mam, but as I explained to your colleague, my dad will be charging me 255 now that I have an income. I was told my payment would be 750… just confused.”
“A representative will have to call you back.” I thanked her and asked if she could tell me anything about when backpay would arrive.
Worlds most exasperated sigh, followed by “it’s still pending.” Well, mam, what does that mean? “That’s its STILL PENDING. Thank you, goodbye.”
Naturally no one called me back Friday, so preparing for today’s phone scuffle. I’m thrilled to get any money at all – but on 514 I’m not going to be able to pay much rent, or move, or much of anything else.
If he thinks the Social Security Administration moves fast, gnomish Dave has a different think coming.
Not everybody gets the speedy service franksolich got, but of course franksolich had paid for his in advance, since he was fourteen years old.
David the Gnome December 31, 2018 at 9:37 AM
Round one…
Called and discussed my situation with a lady who was actually very nice. She transferred me through to someone who would have the paperwork my father sent. Got voice mail.
Gave my name, number, brief description of my issue. Will give them a few hours* to call before calling them again. I am doing my absolute best to be polite and respectful, maybe that will help, maybe not.
The lady’s voice on the answering service had a certain overtone of “Abandon all faith, ye who enter here”
Was nice to talk to someone who’s attitude didnt scream “GO FRACK YOURSELF GNOME!” But I’m afraid the lady who may or may not call me back will be the other sort.
Guess we’ll see. Getting a nice person there or at the DMV is like winning the lottery.
*Again, if gnomish Dave thinks the Social Security Administration works fast, he's got another think coming.
Not just anybody gets the prompt service franksolich got, but then on the other hand, not everybody is a nice guy, one of the nicest guys one can ever hope to meet, like franksolich.
David the Gnome December 31, 2018 at 11:30 AM
The full 771 payments start in April. Will get first backpay installment some time in January, they said. Finally got to talk to someone who could help – won the lottery and got another nice person.
Wrote a much longer post that didn’t go through, but that’s the gist of it. After two years, this thing is finally done. I think the first book I write (probably a few years from now) will detail the whole experience.
Okay, there was something I'd wondered about, leading me to believe this was all made up, because I'd never heard of social security payments being reduced because of other assistance.Paul H Mentzer January 3, 2019 at 6:47 PM
SSI is reduced by any "in kind" assistance you get,
I advise my client, when they live with relatives, to make sure the relative charges them rent, even for months they lived with that relative while waiting to be on SSI. Thus your father should tell SSA that he has been charging you rent for the months and years you have been waiting to be on SSI. I recommend $200 a month going back two to three years. SSA is only concerned about what you have BEEN CHARGED not what you have paid.l Thus get your father to send you a bill for $200 a month for at least the last three years.
Remember Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is reduced by any other source of income. This is NOT true of Social Security Disability only SSI. That income can include “in kind” assistance as in NOT being charged Rent, This does not mean you have to pay your father, it is important that he tells SSA that he has been and will continue to charge you rent. Thus tell him to go back years, for if he does not the SSI you are entitled to for the months you were waiting to be ruled to be disabled will be reduced by what he does NOT charge you. Thus the comments of $450 a month instead of $750 a month. The difference is the amount of “In kind” care your received in the form on not being charged rent. Get your father to state he wants his rent money and make him demand it from YOU. You can then take that letter to SSA to show you were charged for that rent even if you did not pay it.
Well, I was wrong; my apologies to gnomish Dave for disbelieving his story.