Since registering for SSA benefits just before my birthday last July, I have received mostly form letters informing me that I make too much money at the current job to receive checks from them. The maximum one may earn is $14,620.00 gross income. This boils down to about $300.00 weekly (also gross income) and I can't find anyone who could live on that unless they live in their parent's basement and eat Cheetos every day.
About 2 weeks ago, another letter arrived to remind me that I still make too much money (a rich bastard, I am!) to receive benefits. So, can you guess what arrived in today's mail? Yes, letter reminding me that I chose direct deposit for benefit checks and that a check had been deposited in the account (not the full amount) without explanation. But wait, here's the kicker. There was another letter from the SSA similar to the one received 2 weeks ago, again informing me that I make waaaay too much to qualify for benefits.
Just to be safe, I am going to follow the advice given by the Credit Union and just transfer that money into savings, in case the left hand at the SSA suddenly finds out what the right hand is doing, and I have to return the cash. I will take no chances. No, no. Not with my luck in dealings with the gub-mint.
Hopefully, this will be cleared up after my birthday this summer when I reach the required age to receive full benefits. That is, if that required age isn't bumped up another year or 2, which wouldn't surprise me at all. Meanwhile, I will continue to live as I do, in absolute amazement of the incompetence of bureaucrats.
Hell, it's 5 o'clock somewhere! Cheers.
And so it goes. *
Having had my own experience with their foul-ups and the bundles of form letters that say one thing and then do another, I empathize with you.
ReplyDeleteIt's going to be July soon - I'll hold my breath that nothing is changed and you finally will get 100% of what you're owed.
As to the maximum of $14K+, you're right, one would have to bunk in with someone else or 'sell their soul' just to have a roof over their head - food, and some type of a life other than misery.
Cheer to you and hold onto that money in the savings, because I know of others who've been 'billed back', and they usually charge interest as well on the amount.
When my mom got federal supplement, we also kept it away in the bank for a whole year. I've learned through the years not to let the stupity in this world get to me. I don't even want to spend one iota of energy on it. I simply brush it away and move on. I'm without a job right now but I'm blessed for having sense enough not to need nor want what "they" tell us we need to be happy. I'm blessed for having someone to share a living place with, someone I get along very well with.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes!
Hugs
Jon
@sixtyfivealive: Thanks for the input. I am so glad that I talked with the officers at the Credit Union about this. I feel better knowing that I am not the only one to get conflicting messages from the SSA about MY money.
ReplyDelete@Jon: You are a blessing in that you are where I want to be, eventually. After the initial 10 or 12 letters, I got the idea that there was no one there and this was being coughed up by machines, just to harass me, the recipient. Didn't work. Thanks for the visit and input.