primitive has problem with Social Security

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1183715

Oh my.

And they expect the same people to administer our health care.

ChazInAz (391 posts)    Fri Jul 26, 2013, 10:44 PM

Problem with SS
I've been retired for a year, now. Got out of the workforce a couple of years early, since I could no longer make the sacrifices demanded of me by my employer. It seemed pointless after my wife of 33 years died in 2010.

In preparing for retirement, I inquired at our local Social Security office about survivor's benefits, and was informed that I'd receive them when I retired. At that time, I was not aware that many of the staffers at our office had no idea what they were doing, or had malicious senses of humor. Now I know.

So, I eventually filed for retirement online, and kissed my job goodbye. Payments started arriving, and life was good. Four months later, SS sent me a dunning letter, demanding repayment of survivor's benefits. It seems that one cannot receive BOTH Social Security and survivor's benefits. Nobody told ME.*

So, I hied me off to our office to see what I should do. After waiting about three hours (The place is always SRO), I got to go to a counter and explain things. There I received the helpful advice that I could just keep the money. That struck me as rather a bad idea.

Another clerk told me that the PTB would hound me to the gates of Hell and beyond if I didn't repay it. That sounded more like the typical government procedure, so I decided to repay it. I mailed off the check in October of 2011, clipped tom the necessary paperwork. The department sent me several more threatening letters. By December, they still claimed to have never received the check. Many telephone calls later (With incredible on-hold periods), they still refused to acknowledge receipt of payment, although they sent me a photocopy of the paperwork that I had paperclipped to the check.

More trips to our local office, with multi-hour waits. Nobody knew anything. Finally, a bright spark suggested that I put a stop-pay on the check, write them another one there in the office, and they would see that it got to the responsible parties. This sounded wise, and it was done. All was good, and peace finally descended upon my life.

In April, they sent me a refund check for the amount that I had payed: some $3500. This was a good thing, for the money was desperately needed. Shortly thereafter, they sent me another dunning letter, demanding repayment.

I started doing some research in my bank account. They had cashed the the second check within days of my writing it. The day after that, they tried to cash the first, blocked, check... that they had continuously denied receiving. Months later, they sent me the refund, then demanded repayment. I have given all this info to my lawyer. My Congressman Ron Barber is investigating, and I am mightily pissed.

*the primitive's lying; the primitive really knew this, but was hoping to pull a fast one.

elleng (41,773 posts)    Fri Jul 26, 2013, 11:30 PM

1. I don't understand, don't know the official procedures, but sounds like something's amiss. Maybe to do with Survivor's benefits you were previously entitled to?
 
I retired around 2007, and started receiving SocSec. (Small amount as most of my working years had been as Fed. Govt. employee under CSRS, so didn't pay into SocSec.) Also received Fed Govt. pension.
 
Husband, also a Federal govt employee, passed May 15, 2013, I applied for Soc Sec Survivor's benefit about a month ago, and received it immediately.
 
I suggest you check with your attorney, find out to what extent s/he understands SocSec.

KC (1,754 posts)    Sat Jul 27, 2013, 01:28 AM

3. I can only receive one or the other but not both. It would sure make my life easier if I could get both because its impossible to live on just one.

ChazInAz (391 posts)    Sat Jul 27, 2013, 12:38 PM

6. Forgot to mention.

Somewhere along the line, the amount owed has magically doubled from $3500 to $7000....far more than I ever received and a hell of a lot more than I have available. It's pretty obvious that somewhere in the main Chicago office there are a couple of departments that aren't talking to one another. I hope that's the case. The improbable idea of there being a thief in the office is rather scary.

[vesta111]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1183715

Oh my.

And they expect the same people to administer our health care.

*the primitive's lying; the primitive really knew this, but was hoping to pull a fast one.

Interesting topic, a female I knew decided to retire at age 62. When she went to the SS office and she gave her information she was asked if she wanted to retire on her earnings or her deceased ex husband.

This woman who had been divorced 25 years and had to raise their 7 kids alone as he skipped out on child support had no idea the children's father had died.

Problem for 20 years her ex husband had been re married to a woman, no children and she was claiming his SS benefits as the surviving wife.

You may see the interesting dilemma this caused for the second wife.  She had no idea her husband had ever been married or had any children much less 7 of them never supported.

The 7 kids now adults came in and there was no will demanded 3/4 of the estate under their fathers name.  A ship wreck ensued for the second wife.    Her husbands retirement went to the kids, she had to sell her home and turn half the profit over to his kids and face the fact that she could loose his SS as there was a first family.

The old --What a tangled web we weave when first we promise to deceive ---

[Bad Dog]

And yet they fervently believe more government will solve all of their problems.  I agree with the assessment that the dummie was trying to get over on the system.  Fortunately, in doing so, he has placed himself in bureaucratic hell for perhaps the rest of his shitty life.

[obumazombie]

The quote, as I recall it goes more like this...

"Oh What a tangled web we weave,
when we first practice to deceive".

[marv]

ChazInAz (391 posts)    Sat Jul 27, 2013, 12:38 PM

6. Forgot to mention.

Somewhere along the line, the amount owed has magically doubled from $3500 to $7000....far more than I ever received and a hell of a lot more than I have available. It's pretty obvious that somewhere in the main Chicago office there are a couple of departments that aren't talking to one another. (They probably don't even speak the same language.) I hope that's the case. The improbable idea of there being a thief in the office is rather scary.

...and there's the problem right there!

[GOBUCKS]

After waiting about three hours (The place is always SRO), I got to go to a counter and explain things.

There's his problem.

He went to the DMV or an urban democrat emergency room to ask a Social Security question.

This tale is as phony as an rsmithnumbers job interview.

[DLR Pyro]

The DUmmy got out of the workforce a few years early because he could no longer make the sacrifices demanded by his employer.

What sacrifices were those? Show up on time and be productive for the full shift?

[JohnnyReb]

I had a similar round with the IRS over "Highway Use" Taxes for my semi. Like to never have gotten that straighten out.....damn affirmative action employees.

[98ZJUSMC]

And yet they fervently believe more government will solve all of their problems.  I agree with the assessment that the dummie was trying to get over on the system.  Fortunately, in doing so, he has placed himself in bureaucratic hell for perhaps the rest of his shitty life.

Yep!  Just one more layer of affirmative action mouthbreathers, will fix everything.  Just one more law, will make everything right.  

You idiots think dealing with SSA is mind-numbing?

You ain't seen nothing.

damn affirmative action employees.

 

[GCBill]

The answer is obvious...give every unemployed person in New Orleans, Chicago, and Detroit a job with the SSA paying $30+ an hour with a "Cadillac" benefits package. Being that they were poor themselves, they will have sympathy and understanding for SS recipients, and will hand out as much money as people need to lead a comfortable, well fed life of contemplation and reflection to everyone who asks for it. 

[Carl]

KC (1,754 posts)    Sat Jul 27, 2013, 01:28 AM

3. I can only receive one or the other but not both. It would sure make my life easier if I could get both because its impossible to live on just one.

****ing leech.

[franksolich]

****ing leech.

My thoughts too, but I wasn't sure how to express them.

[Celtic Rose]

The DUmmie's first issue is his belief that Social Security income is meant to fully support a person. It is not, it is meant to supplement your own retirement savings.  His second mistake was not bothering to read the Social Security guidelines himself.  A basic Google search would have helped to answer the question of how much Social Security he was entitled to collect.  

[67 Rover]

And yet they fervently believe more government will solve all of their problems.  I agree with the assessment that the dummie was trying to get over on the system.  Fortunately, in doing so, he has placed himself in bureaucratic hell for perhaps the rest of his shitty short life.

FIFY

[thundley4]

At that time, I was not aware that many of the staffers at our office had no idea what they were doing, or had malicious senses of humor.

They're unionized paper pushers, what did you expect?

[I_B_Perky]

The DUmmie's first issue is his belief that Social Security income is meant to fully support a person. It is not, it is meant to supplement your own retirement savings.  His second mistake was not bothering to read the Social Security guidelines himself.  A basic Google search would have helped to answer the question of how much Social Security he was entitled to collect.  

And CR hits it out of the ballpark!!!  H5!

Me? I count on zero SS being there. Won't hurt me at all. If I get anything out of it that's dessert. I intend to have enough income to replace my current salary at the time, whatever it may be, fully. No 70 or 80 percent here. 100 percent.
 

[JLO]

****ing leech.

Ya, double dipping isn't allowed.  That's just common sense, isn't it?   

[obumazombie]

And CR hits it out of the ballpark!!!  H5!

Me? I count on zero SS being there. Won't hurt me at all. If I get anything out of it that's dessert. I intend to have enough income to replace my current salary at the time, whatever it may be, fully. No 70 or 80 percent here. 100 percent.
 

I hope you have as close to a bulletproof plan as possible. I have seen so many retirees have their retirements reduced, eliminated or turned over to the PB&G. Eastern, Enron, countless railroads. To an extent I do have some sympathy for people who worked hard at a job for 4 decades or so. They were many times promised that if they were loyal to their company they would be compensated well in retirement. Then at some point along the way the rug got pulled out from underneath them.

[JohnnyReb]

I hope you have as close to a bulletproof plan as possible. I have seen so many retirees have their retirements reduced, eliminated or turned over to the PB&G. Eastern, Enron, countless railroads. To an extent I do have some sympathy for people who worked hard at a job for 4 decades or so. They were many times promised that if they were loyal to their company they would be compensated well in retirement. Then at some point along the way the rug got pulled out from underneath them.

That's why everyone should be paying into a 401k or IRA that they own out right.....even their SS money should be going into something like that.....but then the democrats would want to get their dirty hands on it some how so they could buy votes with it.

[67 Rover]

I hope you have as close to a bulletproof plan as possible. I have seen so many retirees have their retirements reduced, eliminated or turned over to the PB&G. Eastern, Enron, countless railroads. To an extent I do have some sympathy for people who worked hard at a job for 4 decades or so. They were many times promised that if they were loyal to their company they would be compensated well in retirement. Then at some point along the way the rug got pulled out from underneath them.

Poloroid

[obumazombie]

Poloroid

I hear you...

http://www.barlettandsteele.com/journalism/time_retirement_2.php

[Bad Dog]

That's why everyone should be paying into a 401k or IRA that they own out right.....even their SS money should be going into something like that.....but then the democrats would want to get their dirty hands on it some how so they could buy votes with it.

Worry not....  San Fran Nan is already floating a plan to snatch all those retirement funds and distribute them more fairly.

[jukin]

Wow, are the DUchebags gonna be pissed when they get this same level of service for their medical problems.

As I've been saying the only silver lining in King Barky the Incompetent's cACA bill is that the pain will fall disproportionately on the stupid MFers that voted for him. that will keep me smiling as I wait a few years to get routine procedures that used to happen in days.

[NHSparky]

Ya, double dipping isn't allowed.  That's just common sense, isn't it?   

For regular citizens like you and I it isn't allowed.  If you're a government employee, by all means, go for it!  I've seen I don't know how many cases of cops/firefighters/etc. who retire between 45-50 with a $60K/year pension, turn right around and jump on another government job for another $60-100K/year.

Not a bad deal if you can get it.

[Bad Dog]

For regular citizens like you and I it isn't allowed.  If you're a government employee, by all means, go for it!  I've seen I don't know how many cases of cops/firefighters/etc. who retire between 45-50 with a $60K/year pension, turn right around and jump on another government job for another $60-100K/year.

Not a bad deal if you can get it.

You kind of picked bad examples.  Cops, firefighters and let's add the military earned their "entitlements" through hazardous service.  You want to talk about IRS, congress, DMV etc. I'm with you.