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Soc Security Rant


R. Walter

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Not sure where this belongs... And there are probably some who will tell me it doesn't belong, but I can't help myself.

 

I just stopped by (1st time ever) my local Social Security Admin office to schedule an appointment for my wife and I to come in and get some pre-retirement planning done.

 

The waiting room had, maybe, 100 people waiting in it not counting children. By my estimate at least 80% were of pre-retirement age, that is, younger than me. I just turned 62. I guess these folks were all on, or trying to get on, SSI (disability). Maybe another 1/3 of this 80% were all severely overweight. There were many young women in there with 2 or more young (say, under age 6) children. I was flabbergasted! What's going on here? Of course, none of them looked particularly disabled to me. That's just me. (I went to work once with 3 broken ribs and a broken hand rather than claim the short-term disability my work offered.)

 

Then, to top it all off, on my way home I heard on NPR a politician claiming that half of claimants on SSI are on SSI because of either "anxiety or lower back pain."

 

Wow! Who's working in this country to fund my retirement social security when I do begin to draw?

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...I guess these folks were all on, or trying to get on, SSI (disability)...What's going on here?...Wow! Who's working in this country to fund my retirement social security when I do begin to draw?...

What program are you referring to by SSI. The Social Security Offices take applications for two programs. Social Security Disability(SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income(SSI) which are completely different with different eligibility requirements.

 

To qualify for Social Security Disability you have to have worked and earned enough quarters based on your age or have over 40 quarters of payments into the system. Payments are then basically made as if you were at retirement age as of the date of your disability and if the disability lasts long enough you are elligible for Medicare. There are some that few Social Security as the route to early retirement. Since the beginning of the Great Recession Social Security Disability claims have increased. The number of applications in 2010 was ove twice that of 2000. There are numerous advertisements for lawyers to help folks get Social Security Disability, I think it is a pretty lucrative business for the attorneys.

 

Supplemental Security Income is not necessarily just for the disabled, but is available to those that are truely poor. There are earning limits, ability to work (engage in gainful employment) evaluations and asset limits. SSI often pickups the nursing home bills for those on Medicare after all there assets have been depleted. Applicants for Public Assistance like Medicaid and Food Stamps may be required or encouraged to apply for SSI.

The one that dies with the most toys is still dead!

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Howdy!

 

Been there done that. I went this time last year also to apply for my benifits I have worked for all my life since I was a teenager. I arrived about fifteen minutes after the doors open and my number was 99 and the room was full of the same type of people. I did not have to wait long as it turned out I was the only one in the room there that was applying for "paid benifits" turned out everyone else was there with their handout for goverment assistance. Also your Social Security check is now referred to as "Fedeal Benefit Payment"

 

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Also younger people who die often leave behind dependent children who receive payments until they turn 18. To suggest that for those kids whose parent has died, that they don't deserve help is incomprehensible for me.

 

My father ended up on disability because of injuries when he was blown up on one of our tugboats when he was about 30 - - 30 yrs later the old injuries made it impossible for him to close his fingers on some days and his knees were completely gone (this was before knee replacement surgery) but he kept moving as best he could and tried to work. To suggest that after all of those years paying into the system that he or my cousin who has had to go on disability because of of peripheral artery disease that is shredding his arteries, are somehow gaming the system is reprehensible. You can not tell what someone is going through just by looking. Most people don't want to have to apply, but their bodies can no longer function well enough for them to keep working. That could be any one of us.

 

Barb

Barb & Dave O'Keeffe
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As was so eloquently stated in a tag line herein - The choices we make at 25 dictate the choices available at 65.

 

If I choose a profession I cast the dice - some win some loose. If I have 30 years in a profession that is abusing my body, I do it because of the income it generates and I know retirement/ breakdown is coming - I had better prepare!

 

So now, why should I bear the cost because you cast the dice and lost and never prepared?

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Do you think my father wanted to have the boat blow up with him in it? After all, there were so many computer jobs available in 1950. My cousin asked to be born with a genetic disposition that causes the arterial problems he is having, really? The children who are receiving survivors benefits asked to have their parent die, really?

 

Social Security was founded as an insurance program to help in retirement and to provide help to dependent children and disabled individuals. How fortunate that no one in your family has ever had a need for help.

 

Barb

Barb & Dave O'Keeffe
2002 Alpine 36 MDDS (Figment II), 2018 Ford C-Max HYBRID
Blog: http://www.barbanddave.net
SPK# 90761 FMCA #F337834

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I know it is difficult to tell if someone is disabled and to those that are disabled it is a life saver. However our disabled neighbor would wave every morning as I was doing the ranch chores and he was heading out in his sailboat or tuning the atv he raced. I guess he qualified but it seemed like he might be abusing it. I think there are a few that maybe could be working that aren't.

Randy

2001 Volvo VNL 42 Cummins ISX Autoshift

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Is this not the argument that rages within the legislature on an ongoing basis - Where is the line between societies responsibility to take care of its citizens vs personal responsibility. And that point along the continum continually shifts depending on which party is in power.

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Do you think my father wanted to have the boat blow up with him in it? After all, there were so many computer jobs available in 1950. My cousin asked to be born with a genetic disposition that causes the arterial problems he is having, really? The children who are receiving survivors benefits asked to have their parent die, really?

 

Social Security was founded as an insurance program to help in retirement and to provide help to dependent children and disabled individuals. How fortunate that no one in your family has ever had a need for help.

 

Barb

 

Well said Barb! Many of the other comments are just mean spirited.

Dennis & Nancy
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There is no guaranty that everyone that applies will be approved even with an attorney. Considering the size of the system the numbers you state are not that big a deal and how do you know what they are there for. Some people on disabiliy are required to be recertified annually. You might or might not be right but how do you know. Another thing in regards to getting disability it could have been you. What happens to you in life is sometimes beyond your control and for the majority of us, we paid into an insurance system called SS just for the purpose of having some retirement and some coverage for disability. You must have paid in and I know I did. I an 67 now and wish I was still working but I had an issue come up when I was days short of 47. I had been working since I was about 12 counting my paper route, hauling hay, mowing yards, what ever. Thank god I had I was eligible for SS disability. I was denied at first and did not appeal until 3 years later and was bumped up all the way up to a hearing from an administrative law judge at which I had to represent myself for reason too long to go into before I was approved. I did not think the hearing went well and did not expect to get it. My point is without enough factual information it isn't a good idea to make judgements. Even now if you just looked at me you might get the wrong idea. And these days I am one of the fat guys again for more reasons than I want to waste your time on.

 

Is this really coming out of your pocket? The way it is now I have to do a worksheet to determine how much of my SS I have to pay tax on which is a little aggravating but at the same time it means I have managed to do well on my own to some extent. I hate gas taxes too until I have to drive on a rutted muddy road. Most insurance companies make a profit but they don't get robbed to pay for other things.

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Do you think my father wanted to have the boat blow up with him in it? After all, there were so many computer jobs available in 1950. My cousin asked to be born with a genetic disposition that causes the arterial problems he is having, really? The children who are receiving survivors benefits asked to have their parent die, really?

 

Social Security was founded as an insurance program to help in retirement and to provide help to dependent children and disabled individuals. How fortunate that no one in your family has ever had a need for help.

 

Barb

x3 It's so easy to criticise others when we really don't know their stories. Sure some abuse the system but thanks to a country that at least tries to help those that need the help.

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Yes there are a lot of legitimate claims for Social Security Disability, but even the Social Security Administration's Inspector General and the News Media have reported on the incidence of fraud and its increase. The sustainability of the Disability Trust Fund as reported by the programs Boards of Trustees has been at issue for a number of years:

 

"Social Security’s Disability Insurance (DI) program satisfies neither the Trustees’ long-range test of close actuarial balance nor their short-range test of financial adequacy and faces the most immediate financing shortfall...and the Trustees project trust fund depletion late in 2016...because there is no legal authority to finance one program’s expenditures with the other program’s taxes or reserves."

 

How much fraud contributes to the decline of the trust fund can only be guessed since it seems that many do not even want to try to address the issue. One thing that does seem obvious, at least to me, is that since the Disability Trust Fund is being depleted, any fraudulent payments will likely eventually decrease the ability to pay those that truly deserve it and might affect the entire Social Security System.

The one that dies with the most toys is still dead!

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I don't think anyone would suggest that there isn't fraud going on. And the persons responsible - especially physicians who go along with these fraudalent claims should be held accountable. BUT one can not walk into a SS office and make sweeping statements about the people there as the OP did. One can not just look and tell who is and isn't a claimant, nor what their claim might be, or whether or not they are the next door neighbor who drove someone down who could no longer drive, etc. 'Judge not, less thee be judge' seems appropos.

 

Barb

Barb & Dave O'Keeffe
2002 Alpine 36 MDDS (Figment II), 2018 Ford C-Max HYBRID
Blog: http://www.barbanddave.net
SPK# 90761 FMCA #F337834

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Kind of reminds me of those who can judge the speed of a moving vehicle with their "radar eyes".

 

Besides, why not apply for SS online instead of going into an office?

Jim & Vickie
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I don't think anyone would suggest that there isn't fraud going on. And the persons responsible - especially physicians who go along with these fraudalent claims should be held accountable. BUT one can not walk into a SS office and make sweeping statements about the people there as the OP did. One can not just look and tell who is and isn't a claimant, nor what their claim might be, or whether or not they are the next door neighbor who drove someone down who could no longer drive, etc. 'Judge not, less thee be judge' seems appropos.

 

Barb

 

OP made an observation and listed factual observations. Typically he was jumped on as being judgmental and mean spirited.

 

Taking the moral high ground and proclaiming holier-than-thou is always the easy way out. Tackle the hard one - who is to pick up the tab for your moral high ground.

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Well said Barbara. I try not to judge with out walking in another's path. You wouldn't have initially guessed that my nephew was totally disabled due to kidney failure, that my best friend has had 2 bouts of cancer and cannot work.

Ones initial observation are often wrong.

Ron & Linda

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OP made an observation and listed factual observations. Typically he was jumped on as being judgmental and mean spirited.

 

Taking the moral high ground and proclaiming holier-than-thou is always the easy way out. Tackle the hard one - who is to pick up the tab for your moral high ground.

 

We who can pick up the tab. see Luke 12:48 For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required...

Dennis & Nancy
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(Replaced '05 smart first loaded in '06

and '11 smart that gave it's life to save me!)
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Interesting subject and I agree with many points here including the fact that sometimes a disability cannot be recognized. We also, went to our SS local office and witnessed the same thing, many obese young people and many young families.

 

Totally agree with this statement: And the persons responsible - especially physicians who go along with these fraudulent claims should be held accountable.

 

These are people that our government should be investigating; the physicians and attorneys.

 

And finally, with the criminals and lazy people are proving there are fewer and fewer morals and values in this country.

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I just stopped by (1st time ever) my local Social Security Admin office to schedule an appointment for my wife and I to come in and get some pre-retirement planning done.

 

 

Did they talk to you?? You actually got an appointment??

 

Here is my story.......or adventure with the Social Security office.

 

I called to make an appointment since I had so many questions. The answer was......"No, YOU have to file on-line. We will not talk to you in person."

 

So I filed on-line and two days later received a letter from Social Security. 'YOU HAVE TO COME INTO THE OFFICE. WE NEED TO TALK TO YOU."

 

Ok....so I show up at the office. The office was open from 8:30 to 4:'30 and I showed up after THREE....... " No, you must show up before THREE to talk to us. Come back tomorrow.

 

Ok....next day I show up at 8:30. "Wait, we don't talk to people until 9:00 am.

 

Ok.....9:00 comes and I FINALLY get to talk to a real person!!!

 

First question from THEM...."Do you have your birth certificate??" My answer....No, I was born in Venezuela, they really didn't bother much with birth certificates and it wouldn't do you any good since it doesn't prove anything.:

 

THEM......Well, without a birth certificate you are ineligible for Social Security....GOOD-BYE.

 

ME..........WAIT, I have a US Passport, my naturalization papers, AND the topper from the United States Government Office of Personnel Management my FEDERAL PENSION information.

 

THEM.....Sorry, you need a birth certificate. GOOD_BYE.

 

ME.........GET YOUR SUPERVISOR.

 

He/She never showed. It was just relaying messages back and forth using the clerk. Finally they accepted my Federal Pension as proof that I was PROBABLY entitled to Social Security!!!

 

Just for giggles I asked the clerk as she type into her computer. So what does the Social Security computer show as my citizenship status. She didn't even miss a beat "Foreign National".

 

You would think that they only had since 1969 to update their information that it might be out-of-date.

 

The great news is that my check showed up right on time. $140/month!! It is fun to go to the credit union and ask the clerk if my Social Security check has been deposited. The answer is always "All we show is a $140 from Social Security". AND I always tell them...."That's it. That's the amount of my check. Save your money for retirement it is hard to live on a $140/month". I wonder how many of those clerks started funding their 401-K's after that conversation?

 

This September after I had the Medicare Part B withdraw my check will be $40/month. That will impress the credit union clerks even more!!

Vladimr Steblina

Retired Forester...exploring the public lands.

usbackroads.blogspot.com

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Vladimir,

 

Didn't you leave a little out about how your retirement was funded? Lots of years when you didn't pay SS tax but rather paid into the Federal Pension program maybe? My daughter's work record shows hardly anything earned towards SS because she teaches (K-12) in Texas and instead of the SS program theirs goes into the Tx Teacher Retirement program. So the small monthly payments you receive are equivalent to 40 quarters (10 yrs) of earnings (probably min wage?) made outside of the Federal System?

 

Barb

Barb & Dave O'Keeffe
2002 Alpine 36 MDDS (Figment II), 2018 Ford C-Max HYBRID
Blog: http://www.barbanddave.net
SPK# 90761 FMCA #F337834

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Vladimir... you might want to explain that, since you were a Federal Civil Service employee before 1984 you were covered by the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and would not have contributed to Social Security. Your $140 a month comes from some other employment where you would have contributed to SS.

 

CSRS retirement does qualify for Medicare, however.

 

And I suspect you get more from the CSRS than you'd get if you had originally been in SS (or employed after 1984).

 

http://www.ssa.gov/retire2/fedgovees.htm

 

WDR :)

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