I get SSI and Medicare and Medicaid but feel income limits hold me back in life

I see people on this website talking about how they want to be on SSI. While a good thing for people who can't work, it holds people back in life from achieving more due to income limits while on disabulity. I was told I was disabled one day and handed SSI, a government income for life that almost guarantees I'll be poor because if you make more than a certain amount your benefits will be discontinued and who would want that? So who wouldn't want free money and lower their hours at work or whatever to keep continuing to get free money. To make sure you meet the income requirements and are guaranteed SSI you are going to either have to not work or work few hours. The free money will be a small amount though and if you're on disability you'll be required to report every job you have to the government and if you make more than a certain amount have your disability money taken away. Say goodbye to working very much for life. This encourages people to be poor and to live on $500 a month checks. This stops people from working full time jobs due to fear of loss of disability. This leads to people accepting Medicare and Medicaid which hardly pay for anything, crappy government insurance instead of work sponsored insurance which is far more inclusive. Accept disability and agree to be poor for life. This method also turns your neighbors into government informants. One of my neighbors reported to the disability administration (she was on disability herself) that I was WORKING, GOD FORBID! A serious investigation ensued.Thoughts?

The system is broken. I wish that it would reward people for doing what they can rather than punish them for trying. I haven't ever been able to keep a job for more than two years at a time, and if it keeps up, disability might be an option to consider. I would rather work, though.

What happens if you go on disability and have student loans?

I understand. My parent's are poor, and have health issues. They receive Medicaid (or Medicare, not sure which), and it is crappy!!! I recently saw the hospital they have to go to, and I didn't even want to sit down in those waiting room chairs. The place was so cold patients have to keep their coats on (it's winter here), and dirty. Filled with poor people, with health problems, waiting hours to receive medical attention. I wanted to cry. It's a very, very sad situation for everyone involved.

Marshalette,

If a person can handle working full-time regularly, than they really should not be on SSI. When I was awarded SSI, I also received a "Ticket to Work" which is a voucher for education in whatever field so if I am physically and emotionally able to work significantly, I will be able to use that voucher to get into a decent line of work. {Hopefully making more than minimum wage}

However, I am unable to work more than 15 hours a week (tops!). I send photocopies of my checks to the local Social Security office every month. They do their math ~ the first $87 (or something like that) is not considered. From there, they divide the remainder by 2 and subtract that amount from the top SSI amount (which is $713). The difference is the amount that SSI will be giving for the month.

If a person on SSI shows that they can work on a full-time basis for 6 months or so, they will no longer receive benefits. Nor should they, really! However, if that person moves back into the ill state that they were in before, and is no longer able to work, BOOM! and they're back onto SSI. No need to go through the long process again. YAY!!! Of course, I haven't experienced this myself, as I cannot work enough, but it is what I've been told by a couple of professionals.

It does stink that our SSI goes down when we work, and rent payments go up, and we usually lose food assistance as well. But, the benefits still do outweigh the negatives IMO. The big positive for me is being able to contribute somewhat to my community. Caring for the elders in my area. That makes me feel better. Just sitting around day after day at home, not giving a hoot about the day or time of day depresses me even more...I'd rather take my mind off my problems as much as I can!

I am sorry that you had this hard awakening from your neighbor (who's also on SSI), but please don't take advantage of Social Security. Working under the table holds all of us on SSI and SSDI back & is one of the reasons Social Security can be such a bear to get onto!

Well yes
Thought #1. who forced you to stop working and accept SSI etc?
Why would anyone who can work and is motivated to achieve financial success choose to take SSI instead?
Obviously I disagree with the premise of your question. I'm not sure I see the logic behind it. If someone is able to work a full time job then they not only don't need SSI, they don't even qualify for it.

Well, it depends upon whether or not one's disability is considered to be permanent or if the disability significantly impairs one's ability to work a decent amount.

I have student loans, and first I put payment off for a year. I did that twice, which is the maximum allowed. On disability, paying $110/month for my education (which I can't use) really sucks! So, I finally applied to have my student loan to be forgiven. I filled out some paperwork & agreed to my inability to work an economically significant amount for 3 years. If I am able to make decent money in the 3 year time period, I will be immediately put back into required monthly payments.

Hope that I answered your Q! Of course, you can always contact the federal government number on your case, or your bank, to be sent to the proper offices. Best wishes!

I am trying to get on SSI because my impairments prevent me from working, at least any significant amount of time. I realise it wont be a lot of money, but it will be a pretty significant improvement...it might even give me the option to move out of my moms place. It is true unless I am somehow able to get to a functioning level where I can work then I'll likely be poor for the rest of my life...hell even if I did become employable I might remain that way because I seriously doubt I could get a high paying job.

I guess my question is if one can work a full time job and wants a better income, why would they try to stay on SSI? They can live more comfortably getting off the SSI. I mean the idea of SSI is so people who can't work at least any substantial amount have an income...so people who can probably shouldn't be on it. Anyways though I think they could adjust their policy to something more realistic...since some conditions can improve I think there should be more encouragement for people who improve to come off SSI...but gradually not the way they do it now which is even if you're only working minimal part time hours they'll try and cut the benefits.

I see what you're saying. However, I personally did not wake up one day and say, "Gee, I feel like being on SSI today." I don't "want" to be on SSI. I'd rather work. But, because of my disability, I've never been able to find work or hold on to a job for very long. The few times I did work, the jobs were part-time and minimum wage.

Because of not being able to work:
I have had to live with men who abused--just to have a roof over my head
I've lived on the streets.
I'm pretty close to that right now because my family's only source of income,which is my daughter's survivors benefits is going end soon; I'm already behind on my mortgage because I had to spend thousands of dollars to get the plumbing fixed.
I've had to prostitute myself out.
I became pregnant three times so I can get some type of benefits.
When my daughter's benefits end, I don't what I'll do. I would love to just get a job, but no one will hire me because of my poor work record. Plus, I live in a small town, where everyone knows everybody, and I'm pretty much known around here as the town's "crazy lady" so that doesn't help me find work either.

I have been trying to disability for over two years now. I kept getting denied. Finally, I got a lawyer, and after about 14 months, we finally got a hearing. The judge did not make a decision right away because she still needed some documents; we were able to get the docs in to her within a few days. It took her 2 1/2 months to send us her decision. It was unfavorable. I read through it several times to make sure I understood it. She twisted a lot of my words, some places she even lied, while calling ME a liar! She even called a couple of the doctors liars! And some of the reasons she gave me were so bizzare I almost laughed. It was like, "She goes to AA and church every week (which I dont), therefore she is not disabled." Anyway, we did put an appeal in and it could take another 2 years. Of course at that time, I might be out in the streets or living in a shelter somewhere.

Plus, I get all this crap from people who just assume I'm being lazy. No, I have been through hell with this. This is too much strain and hassle over just not wanting to work. I've even come close to killing myself over this. I've been prescribed more meds because my depression and SI got worse. Believe me, if I could work and hold down a job, I'd much rather do that than to keep going thru this hell.

If you've been declared disabled, you can fill out paperwork to have your loans forgiven, provided there are federal student loans such as the stafford loan, etc. There is a monitoring period for a few years afterwards where you have to fill out a form and sign it saying you did not attend any classes or school and you did not work. After that, they are completely wiped off your record. During that time, they are still considered forgiven and you don't have to pay anything on them. They show up on a credit report as paid in full. The private student loans are not included in this. If you have a private loan, you'll have to pay it. Those can't be forgiven under the program.