Structurally Disabled: A Qualitative Study of Structural Contributors to Disability
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: May 29, 2024
In 1935, Social Security was born of an intention to provide economic security for the people of the United States. Even then, Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins noted that the first iteration of Social Security would not be complete. Social Security has been amended multiple times over the years to improve the program and extend the economic support Social Security programs provide. Nearly 90 years later, Social Security keeps getting better. In 2022, Social Security set out to understand more about how to support potential applicants and actual recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) programs.
In a qualitative study to explore this issue, Social Security collaborated with 13 lived experience experts who comprised a technical working group (TWG). In 2023, Social Security interviewed 44 people (not on the TWG) from around the United States. In 90-minute interviews, people who experience disability shared their thoughts about structural barriers to participating in social, economic, and political aspects of community. You can read the study report here, watch an American Sign Language summary video with closed captioning, or watch the live action narrated summary video.
Many of the structural barriers people identified were not specific to Social Security or its services. For example, participants shared about the value of seeing people with impairments represented truthfully. Accurate representation of people with impairments in media is limited but growing. Study findings underscored that insufficient and incomplete representation contributes to a false perception that impairment is uncommon and therefore accommodations are not necessary. The CDC estimates that at least 1 in 4 people in the U.S. experience disability. Accommodations are essential.
Study participants also offered lived experience insights on how Social Security affects them and on ways the agency can improve. For example, under current law, Social Security uses a binary, economic model to determine disability. This means that Social Security considers a person “disabled” if their impairment prevents them from working. This framing of disability does not reflect the diverse and nuanced realities of people’s experiences with impairment and disability in the United States.
A common concern voiced among participants was about the limitations on how much disability benefit recipients can earn and save. This, in combination with the modest monthly cash amount dispensed to people who meet Social Security disability qualifications, limits disability benefit recipients’ ability to have the same quality of living as nondisabled people. The data generated in this study can strengthen Social Security’s advocacy efforts to better people’s economic security.
Recently, Social Security announced the final rule, “Omitting Food from In-Kind Support and Maintenance Calculations.” This is exciting and important because it removes a barrier for SSI recipients who receive informal support in the form of food and eliminates one cause of recipients’ monthly payment variation. This new rule resonates with the lived experiences of disability benefit recipients.
Social Security staff will keep working, with lived experience experts, to improve the agency’s ability to serve our nation’s people.
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Tags: Disability, Social Security benefits, social security disability benefits, SSI
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Justine J.
Working doesn’t mean your not disabled. Some of us who are disabled and working don’t matter enough to live on because of your stupid ssi rules. When we don’t work you don’t give us enough to live on.
JERRY M.
YOU DO NOT DESERVE TO BE GIVEN ENOUGH TO LIVE ON; IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AS A U.S. CITIZEN TO EARN YOUR OWN LIVING! IT IS NOT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF TAXPAYERS TO BUY YOUR HOUSING, FOOD, CLOTHES, PAY FOR YOUR KIDS SCHOOL MEALS, PAY FOR SCHOOLING, GIVE YOU FREE STUDENT LOANS AND WELFARE BENEFITS! NOBODY DESERVES TO GET GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE OR SSI, NOT EVEN SSI-DI! EARN YOUR OWN MONEY TO LIVE AND EAT IN USA! DO NOT CONTINUE TO BE A DUMB, UNEDUCATED DEGENERATE MARXIST-COMMUNIST! MARXISTS EQUAL LIARS AND CHEATERS, STEALERS! THE U.S. NEED HONEST, WORKING, INVESTING PERSONS CAPABLE OF MAKING THIER OWN LIVING AND SUPPORTING GROWTH OF SOCIETY INTO THE MIDDLE CLASS, BUT YOU MUST THINK, WORK AND INVEST TO BECOME MIDDLE CLASS, OTHERWISE YOU WILL ALWAYS BE LOW-CLASS DEGENERATES, JUST ASK HILLARY CLINTON, SHE SAYS PEOPLE ARE DEPLORABLES! SEEMS AS IF MARXIST-COMMUNIST DEMOCRATS ARE NOW DEPLORABLES, WITHOUT A DOUBT! WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO CREATE SPECIAL AREAS FOR WELFARE RECIPIENTS, SSI RECIPIENTS, FOREIGNERS, ILLEGAL, MARXISTS, COMMUNIST TO LIVE IN SO THEY ARE FORCED TO SUPPORT THIER OWN WELFARE SYSTEMS THROUGH TAXES THEY PAY THEMSELVES! WE DO NOT WANT TO LIVE WITH WELFARE SUCKING PEOPLE! GO TO WORK AND STOP CHEATING THE REST OF U.S. CITIZENS OUT OF OUR EARNED MONEY AND TAXES!
Kathy S.
What an interesting diversion away from the mess at SSA/SSDI. I’m losing a dear friend, terribly disabled from Covid and repeated intubations. He’s alone, lying in his house, unable to even walk far. After reading what his cardiologist submitted 2x to SSDI( two denials so far), I finally get it. Y’all are doing your well known ‘cancer dance’. You are just waiting it out, till he dies. You are monsters. I wonder how much blood is on your hands so far. Pres. Biden gave false hope to those who are suffering. “We’ll take care of you people disabled by Covid”. He knew better, and so do most Americans. Three years and counting, you horrific monsters. I wouldn’t want to be any of you, at the Pearly Gates!
JERRY M.
IF YOU ARE GETTING SSI, SSI-DI, WELFARE BENEFITS, FREE FOOD, MEDICAID, SNAP, TANF, WIC, CHIP, OBAMA CARE AND YOU ARE NOT WORKING TO SUPPORT YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY, YOU MAY NOT BE SEEING THE”PEARLY GATES”! IT IS SO UNFORTUANTE THAT WE IN USA HAVE SUCH WELFARE, LOW-CLASS IGNORANTS LIVING IN USA AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! SCHOOLS AND PARENTS HAVE FAILED TO TEACH AND RAISE DECENT PEOPLE WHO WORK AND TAKE CARE OF THIER OWN NEEDS NOW DAYS! WE HAVE NOT MADE MUCH PROGRESS IN EDUCATING THE LOWER CLASS OR THE SPECIAL INTEREST WELFARE GROUPS WHO STILL THINK THE U.S. GOVERNMENT IS THERE TO PROVIDE THIER LIVING FOR THEM!
Anthony H.
I feel the SSA should raise the death benefit to $10,000.00 for everyone who has contributed to Social Security, many people died during the Covid-19 epidemic, that should have made a significant difference on elevating the amount of money SSA has in the pot. A lot of Americans will never see a benefit and they worked many decades to contribute to Social Security, their families deserve to be able to give them a decent burial.
JERRY M.
WE CANNOT SPEND ANYMORE MONEY FOR DEATH BENEFITS OUT OF SOCIALS SECURITY FUNDS! THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE WORKING AND CONTRIBUTING TO SOCIAL SECURITY! THERE ARE LOADS OF PEOPLE LIVING OFF SSI, SSI-DI, SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY WHEN THEY HAVE JUST LIED AND CHEATED TO GET ON ALL THE WELFARE PROGRAMS, SSI, SSI-DI, SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY, ETC. EVERYONE MUST LEARN TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES AND THEIR OWN FAMILIES IN AMERICA! THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO REASON WHY SOCIAL SECURITY OR THE U.S. GOVERNMENT SHOULD PAY FOR BURIAL, UNLESS A DECEASED PERSON IS ACTUALLY A VETERAN! EACH PERSON IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN BURIAL, AS WELL AS ALL OTHER EXPENSES OF LIVING, SO WORK HARD AND DO NOT SPEND OR WASTE MONEY ON JUNK FOODS, BEER, WINE, ALCOHOL, DUMB CLOTHES, BIG TIRES, MAKE-UP, DRUGS, DUMB CHILDREN, SCHOOL TEACHERS, SOCIAL WORKERS, OVEREATING OR SMOKING TOBACCO, THEN YOU WILL HAVE ENOUGH MONEY BY SAVING SOME THROUGHOUT LIFE TO BURY YOURSELF!
Allison
The problem isn’t so much about the recipients as it is the way the government dips into the funds and not replacing it. The attitude that recipients cheat really hurts the ones who don’t and really need the help.
Kathy S.
Thank you, Allison. A life of compassion, unmarked by greed is really all that is asked of us.
God Bless you.
JERRY M.
THE RECIPIENTS DO LIE AND CHEAT TO GET ON SSI, WELFARE PROGRAMS, AND THEY CONTINUE TO LIE AND CHEAT TO STEAL BENEFITS FOR A LIFETIME! EVERYONE ON SSI, WELFARE PROGRAMS HAVE LIED, CHEATED AND STOLEN FROM THE TAX PAYING PEOPLE OF THE USA! WELFARE IS A CLASS OF PEOPLE WHO DO NOT WANT TO WORK! THEY DEFINITELY HAVE REFUSED TO WORK HARD ENOUGH TO GROW INTO BETTER MORE CAPABLE CITIZENS! THAT IS MARXISM WHERE MARXISTS AND COMMUNIST WANT SOMEBODY IN GOVERNMENT TO GIVE THEM GOVERNMENT MONEY TO LIVE ON! BUT, GOVERNMENTS DO NOT EARN MONEY AND THEY DO NOT PRODUCE RESOURCES AND GROWTH FOR ECONOMIES TO DEVELOP AND GROW INTO PRODUCTIVE SYSTEMS THAT KEEP BUILDING JOBS, MORE BUSINESSES THAT GENERATE DOLLARS TO PAY FOR NEW JOBS, SALARIES, NEW SMALL BUSINESSES! SOCIALISM, MARXISM, COMMUNISM DESTROYS COUNTRIES AND ELIMINATES PRODUCTION OF FOOD, SUPPLIES, CONSUMER GOODS TO THE POINT WHERE THERE IS NO INCENTIVE FOR WORK AND EFFICIENT USE OF RESOURCES! JUST LOOK AT GAZA AND HOW POOR HAMAS PALESTINIANS ARE NOW! THEY ARE IGNORANT, INBRED PEOPLE WITHOUT SUFFICENT DESIRES TO DO BETTER FOR THEMSELVES!
Sandra D.
You are so right. Come on, $200 for a foot stone! Wow, I’m sure the government could do a whole lot better than that. My Mom died during the Covid pandemic, albeit not from Covid…..but what you go thru to get the foot stone just isn’t even worth it. My siblings and I just said forget it and bought one ourselves.
JERRY M.
GOOD!! IT WAS YOUR AND THE FAMILIY’S RESPONSIBILITY TO BUY A NICE HEADSTONE OR FOOTSTONE! IT WAS NOT THE GOVERNMENT’S, OR SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION’S RESPONSIBILITY TO BUY THE STONE! IT CERTAINLY WAS NOT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF U.S. TAX PAYING CITIZENS TO BUY YOUR HEADSTONE OR FOOTSTONE! THE WELFARE STATE HAS RUINED PEOPLE OVER THE LAST 50 YEARS! WE ARE NOT A COMMUNIST COUNTRY YET, AND WE MUST PREVENT COMMUNISM FROM BECOMING REALITY IN USA! WE WANT TO LIVE FREE WITHOUT CONTROL OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES!
JERRY M.
WE DO NOT NEED TO SPEND ANYMORE TAXPAYER OR GOVERNMENT MONEY ON SSI, SSI-DI, SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY! MANY PEOPLE HAVE GOTTEN ON SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY, SSI, SSI-DI, SNAP, WIC, TANF, SUBSIDIZED HOUSING, CHIP, FREE MEDICAID, AND MANY OTHER WELFARE PROGRAMS OVER THE YEARS BY LYING, CHEATING, MISREPRESENTING THEMSELVES! WE DO NOT NEED ANYBODY ELSE ON GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE TO LIVE OFF THE GOVERNMENT FEED TROUGHS! THOSE OF US WHO PAY INTO SOCIAL SECURITY FULLY DESERVE THE SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS, AND WE MUST KEEP SOCIAL SECURITY SOLVENT SO WE GET OUR BENEFITS! BUT, WE SHOULD ELIMINATE SSI, SSI-DI, AND ALL TYPES OF WELFARE PROGRAMS BECAUSE THEY REALLY ARE NOT HONEST AND PEOPLE LIE TO GET ON THE PROGRAMS AND TO STAY ON THE PROGAMS! WE DO NOT NEED SOCIAL SECURITY EMPLOYEES PROMOTING EXPANSION OF WELFARE TYPE SPENDING, WHICH IS WHAT SSI AND SSI-DI ARE NOW! THE US IS LOADED WITH FOREIGNERS WHO COME INTO AMERICA TO GET ON ALL OUR FREE GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE! THEY ARE ALL ON FREE MEDICAID, GOVERNMENT WELFARE, FREE MEDICAL CARE, FREE CHILDREN’S CARE, FREE FOOD, FREE SCHOOLING, FREE STUDENT LOANS, ETC. ELIMINATE ALL THIS SPENDING AND RE-DISTRIBUTION OF OUR MONEY FROM THE 50% OF US WHO ACTUALLY DO PAY FEDERAL INCOME TAXES! ELIMINATE ALL EARMARKS, ALL GRANTS, AND ALL FINANCIAL FAVORS BY POLITICIANS!
Terry L.
Concur
Mark M.
An unbridled rant: ALL CAPS is first clue. The words make it undeniable: you are a robot zombie boondoggled into buying th GOP shit! I challenge you to reference ONE SINGLE caim you make. Your comment reads like you just Cut & Pasted from some extreme right BS media outlet. FACTS! Proof! Not, unbalanced, false information!!
JERRY M.
GLAD YOU CAN SEE THE LETTERS WELL SO YOU GET MY MESSAGE, LOUD AND CLEAR! YOU ARE CLEARLY A DEGENERATE MARXIST COMMUNIST WHO WOULD LIE, CHEAT AND STEAL TO LIVE OFF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT AND THOSE WHO ACTUALLY PAY TAXES! YOU ARE ONE OF BIDEN’S LYING, CHEATING IDIOTS WHO DID NOT LEARN ANYTHING WHILE IN SCHOOL! SO, NOW YOU ARE PART OF THE GENERATIONS WHO GREW UP WITH SINGLE MOTHERS LIVING OFF WELFARE WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO STEAL EVERYTHING POSSIBLE FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND THE TAX PAYING CITIZENS. YOU NEED A LOT OF EDUATION IN RESPECT, U.S. CONSTITUTION, BILL OF RIGHTS, U.S. CIVICS, ECONOMICS, FAMILY STRUCTURE, HOW TO BE AN HONEST, WORKING U.S. TAX PAYING CITIZEN! LISTEN TO HILLARY, YOU ARE NOW ONE OF THE DEPLORABLES! WE DO NOT NEED YOUR KIND OF DIVERSITY IN USA! WE NEED YOU TO WORK, PAY REAL TAXES AND INVEST IN YOUR OWN FUTURE WHILE SUPPORTING U.S. CAPITALISM, NOT MARXISM-COMMUNISM!
Allison T.
Jerk!
Sandra D.
Allison, you sure got that right!
Yup
You are so wrong in so many ways!
JERRY M.
ALL THREE OF YOU ARE JUST WELFARE SUCKING MARXIST-COMMUNIST DEMOCRATS THAT DO NOT WANT TO SUPPORT YOURSELVES AND YOUR FAMILIES! YOU CLEARLY ARE IN THE IGNORANT CLASS OF PEOPLE SUPPORTING SSI, SSI-DI, WELFARE PROGAMS, GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE AT THE MANY FEED TROUGHS AVAILABLE IN USA NOW! NOT MUCH CAN BE DONE TO HELP GENERATIONS OF YOU MARXISTS-COMMUNISTS WHO HAVE BEEN TAUGHT TO LIVE OFF WELFARE PROGAMS AND TAX PAYING CITIZENS OF USA! YOU ALL THREE ARE DISGRACES TO U.S. AND TO ALL THOSE MANY PERSONS WHO FOUGHT TO KEEP AMERICA FREE AND SAFE! YOU ALL NEED TO TAKE LESSONS IN U.S. HISTORY, CIVICS, U.S. CONSTITUTION, BILL OF RIGHTS, ECONOMICS, AND IN MATHMATICS SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHY THE NUMBERS INVOLVING TAXES, U.S. DEBT, WELFARE COSTS, ETC. ARE TELLING US WE MUST HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET WITH LITTLE GOVERNMENT SPENDING TO KEEP BEING A PROSPEROUS USA! WELFARE RECIPIENTS OF ANY TYPE HAVE NEVER BEEN KNOWN TO BE SMART OR HONEST PEOPLE!
JERRY M.
INTENTIONAL DECEPTION IS THE “NAME OF THE GAME” FOR WELFARE PROGRAM AND SSI APPLICANTS! UNTRUTHS CAN BE FOUND IN ALMOST EVERY APPLICATION FOR SSI, WELFARE BENEFITS AND MEDICAID APPLICATIONS! FORMER ILLEGAL ALIENS WHO REMAINED IN USA ALMOST ALL WORK FOR CASH INCOMES, HIDE CASH STASHES, WHILE SOMEONE IN THE GROUP OR FAMILY APPLIES FOR EVERY WELFARE PROGRAM AVAILABLE IN THE USA, INCLUDING SSI, SSI-DI, SNAP, TANF, WIC, CHIP, MEDICAID, FREE FOOD, FREE SCHOOLING, FREE SCHOOL MEALS, FREE HEALTHCARE, FREE HOUSING, ETC. TO FURTHER THE DISHONESTY, THE SOCIAL WORKERS AND ELGIBILITY WORKERS ENCOURAGE APPLICATIONS AND AWARDING OF BENEFITS, IGNORING THE LIES, CHEATING AND MISREPRESENTATIONS THEY KNOW ARE INVOLVED IN THE ORIGINAL APPLICATIONS AND IN THE BENEFITS RENEWAL INFORMATION! NOBODY ACTUALLY CHECKS FORM CASH INCOMES, CASH STASHES AND FRAUD IN MOST CASES!
Michael P.
Please help Erica t. !!
kil
Is this a blog?
Lynette L.
SystemizedMyMindLastBodied and I will share my lived ability to dissolve the debt in the soul of ourHumanity until we can all agree to live together in a peace senses so collective it refuses to exist without our consent and respect for our rights written in our hearts entirety’s pastoral reflections.
Randy B.
Social Security is already heading towards insolvency now. Seems like a bad time to be greatly expanding it to millions more when it’s already being described as bankrupt or worse. There are 42 million US citizens on food stamps now, so will they all eventually qualify for benefits? I hope the administration manage disbursements and qualifications with integrity, and also reduce the tremendous amount of fraud that is already doing significant damage.
JERRY M.
I, VERY STONGLY, AGREE WITH YOU! WE CANNOT TRUST ANYONE ON WELFARE ASSISTANCE, SSI, SSI-DI OR SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY! EVERYONE GETTING WELFARE BENEFITS HAVE LIED AND CHEATED TO GET ON THE FREE BENEFITS, AND THEY DO NOT EVEN CARE THAT THEY LIE AND CHEAT! SO, CUT THEM OFF FROM ALL BENEFITS! WE NEED TO MAKE EVERYONE PAY SOME FEDERAL INCOME TAXES BUT WE ALSO MUST BRING THE SIZE OF GOVERNMENT DOWN TO A VERY SMALL HONEST GOVERNMENT WITH FEW GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES! WE MUST GET ALL OUR FACTORIES, PLANTS, BUSINESSES, INVESTORS, GOOD NON-UNION JOBS, MONEY BACK INTO USA SO WE GROW THE MIDDLE CLASS GREATLY! EVERYONE MUST EARN THEIR OWN LIVING AND EVERYONE MUST SUPPORT A SMALL GOVERNMENT WITH A GOOD MILITARY FORCE! WE MUST NOT SUPPORT WELFARE PROGRAMS! IF WE RETURN ALL OUR BUSINESSES AND COMPANIES TO USA EVERYONE WILL BE ABLE TO WORK AND EARN A GOOD LIVING, THUS ELIMINATING ALL FORMS OF WELFARE ASSISTANCE LIVING, LYING AND CHEATING BY EXISTING WELFARE RECIPIENTS AND BY FOREINGERS COMING INTO USA!
Yup
Who are you to Judge? You do not know if EVERY PERSON receiving benefits lied or cheated. Usually the ACCUSER (in this case, YOU) is the one who lies or cheats. There is a much higher power who will take care of those who lie and cheat. If everyone took care of their own business and didn’t worry about other people’s this world would be a much better place. So smile and worry about yourself.
JERRY M.
YOU WILL NEVER KNOW THE HIGHER POWER! I HAVE NEVER CHEATED OUR GOVERNMENT, OUR TAXPAYERS OR MY FELLOW CITIZENS! IT DOES MAKE YOU CHEATERS AND LIARS MAD WHEN SOMEBODY POINTS OUT THAT YOU ARE LYING AND CHEATING TO RECEIVE WELFARE BENEFITS, SSI, SSI-DI, SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY, SNAP, WIC, TANF, MEDICAID, ETC. I HAVE BEEN IN POSITION TO KNOW THE CHEATERS AND LIARS FOR YEARS, SO I DO KNOW THAT LIARS, CHEATERS, THIEVES, WELFARE RECIPIENTS ARE THE DRAGS OF SOCIETY, AND THAT HAS BEEN OBVIOUS NOW WITH THE CONTINUED GROSS LYING AND CHEATING THE BIDEN ADMINISTARTIN HAS DEMONSTRATED! IT IS ALSO OBVIOUS FROM OBSERVING MANY PEOPLE OVER THE YEARS THAT PEOPLE WHO SAY THEY ARE DISABLED ARE NOT DISABLED DUE TO THIER BEING ABLE TO DO ALL THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL THINGS THEY WANT TO DO, EXCEPT WHEN IT COMES TO WORK THEY PRETEND THEY CANNOT DO WORK! THAT IS FULL B.S. THERE ARE CLASSES OF “LAZY, IGNORANT” PEOPLE! ALL THE AFFIRMATIVE ACTION, WELFARE PROGRAMS, SSI, ETC. OVER THE LAST 50 YEARS HAS CREATED A SEPARATE CLASS OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE FOR THIER WELFARE PROGRAMS, AND THEY ACCEPT LYING AND CHEATING AS A MEANS OF EXISTENCE FOR THIER WELFARE LIFE! AND, THERE MANY RIGHT NOW, IN USA WHO ARE WORKING FOR CASH MONEY, NOT PAYING TAXES ON THE MONEY, WHILE RECEIVING EVERY WELFARE BENEFIT AVAILABLE IN THE USA! THE USA WELFARE SECTION OF SOCIETY IS VERY CORRUPT NOW, AND THAT SEGMENT OF SOCIETY IF BEING FULLY SUPPORTED WITH LIES FROM THE MARXIST-COMMUNIST DEMOCRAT BIDEN PARTY! THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS! TERRORISTS CAN EASILY TAKEOVER THE US ECONOMY NOW! JUST WATCH AND SEE USA BECOME A COMMUNIST COUNTRY IF BIDEN AND HIS HENCHMEN ARE RE-ELECTED!
Carolyn R.
If government officials really want to promote financial security and remove barriers for SSI Recipients, then:
Allow SSI recipients to earn more money without decreasing/eliminating SSI benefits
Increase resources/ asset limit from $2000 to 10,000 before overpayments are triggered requiring repayment of SSI benefits Carolyn R.
Do NOT count Cash Value of Whole Life Insurance Policy as a resource/asset unless the SSI policyholder takes out a loan against the insurance policy
Wanda H.
I agree.
JERRY M.
KEEP ALL BARRIERS POSSIBLE. WE DO NOT NEED ANYMORE ILLICIT DISHONEST LAZY PERSONS GETTING ON SSI, SSI-DI, SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY OR WELFARE PROGRAMS! PEOPLE WHO ARE ON WELFARE PROGRAMS SUCH AS THESE ARE JUST STEALING MONEY DIRECTLY FROM THOSE OF US WHO ACTUALLY DO PAY FEDERAL INCOME TAXES! STOP TRYING TO BUY VOTES THROUGH THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES!
davey
I’ll be taking SS early, but that does not mean I’m retiring. I just don’t trust the system or politicians. I’m not quite sure why the government will punish me if I make over $22k a year by withholding part of my monthly SSI. I’ve already paid into it plus I’m taking a 30% hit to my monthly check by filing early. Strange how they’ll lift that cap and allow me to work full time once I hit full retirement age at 67. At least raise the limit to account for inflation. 22k a year is a joke!
JERRY M.
YOU SHOULD NOT BE RECEIVING ANY SSI OR SSI-DI AT ALL! SSI IS NOT PART OF SOCIAL SECURITY SUPPORTED BY CONTRIBUTIONS FROM WORKERS EARNING MONEY! LEARN HOW TO LIVE ON YOUR OWN MEANS, NOT OFF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE WHO PAY THE FEDERAL INCOME TAXES!
Davey
Yeah, well…STILL TAKIN’ IT JERRY! Plus I know for a fact that I’ve paid more taxes in my lifetime than you, MR KEYBOARD WARRIOR.
JERRY M.
DAVEY: YOU REALLY DO NOT KNOW ANYTHING EXCEPT THAT YOU CHOOSE TO BE A DISHONEST PERSON AND STEAL WELFARE BENEFITS, SSI BENEFITS, ETC. BE AWARE WE KNOW YOU ARE BEING ALLOWED TO STEAL OUR TAX MONEY, SO WE WILL GET OUR MONEY BACK FROM YOU! DO NOT BE A GOVERNMENT LEECH, GET A JOB AND PAY FOR YOUR LIVING AND THAT OF YOUR FAMILY! DAYS OF LIVING FREE OFF SSI, WELFARE PROGRAMS AND GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE ARE COMING TO AN END SOON! IF YOU DO NOT HAVE JOBS OR BUSINESSES THAT PROVIDE YOU A LIVING INCOME BY THEN, YOU WILL LEARN THE HARD WAY THAT YOU SHOULD BE HONEST AND WORK FOR YOUR EXISTENCE!
Jim
The article was written to demonstrate the writer’s expertise with words that most people probably wouldn’t understand. It was somewhat condescending. There was basically no worthwhile content.
G. R.
Agreed.
JERRY M.
I AGREE! THE ARTICLES ARE JUST WRITTEN TO ENCOURAGE STEALING MORE TAXPAYER MONEY AND GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE BENEFITS THROUGH CROOKED PROMOTION OF WELFARE LIVING AS AN ACCEPTABLE WAY OF LIFE! EVERYONE MUST WORK TO EAT AND LIVE IN USA! GOVERNMENT AGENCIES HAVE NO BUSINESS PROMOTING WELFARE PROGRAMS OR MARXISM!
MajJohn
Could not have said it better. Most of the blogs are designed to pat themselves on the back.
Elizabeth M.
Totally agree Jim, a White House fellow …
What about taking care of the people that have put 50 years into paying Social Security tax ? that have become disabled from the physical nature of working to earn a living ? Not just a hand out …
JERRY M.
SUPPORT A VERY GOOD, WELL-FUNDED SOCIAL SECURITY PROGRAM BUT WE DO NOT NEED PEOPLE ON SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY! THAT IS NOT AN HONEST PROGRAM. SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS ARE ACCEPTABLE BUT NOT DISABILITY OF SSI! FUND THE SOCIAL SECURITY FROM CONTRIBUTIONS FROM WORKERS AND FROM GROWING OUR MIDDLE CLASS WITH BRINGING ALL OUR FACTORIES ETC BACK INTO USA RATHER THAN GIVING OUR MONEY TO MEXICO, CHINA, FOREIGNERS!
Tony
Jerry is back tracking now. Put your money where your mouth is and give back the Social Security Retirement check you are receiving. Everyone knows it is a ponzi scheme that is going broke. It redistribute money from the working class to the seniors. People pay into the Social Security Trust Fund, but cannot collect until they are at least 62. The Social Security Trust Fund is obviously a distribution of wealth to senior above 62. Jerry is a hypocrite and discriminates against everyone else.
JERRY M.
YOU ARE LYING, AND YOU ARE VERY UNEDUCATED! YOU NEED TO WORK, CONTRIBUTE TO SOCIAL SECURITY, THEN TAKE YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY AT 70 YEARS OF AGE! YOU SHOULD HAVE WORKED HARDER, DEVELOPED YOUR OWN BUSINESS, OR PERHAPS JUST LIVED WITH WASTING MONEY DURING YOUR LIFETIME! TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF. I DO NOT NEED YOU TO TELL ME ANYTHING ABOUT HOW TO TAKE CARE OF MYSELF AND LIVE IN U.S. WITHOUT BEING ON WELFARE PROGRAMS! DO NOT RETIRE UNTIL YOU ARE 80 YEARS OF AGE, THEN YOU WILL DO BETTER. HOPE YOU HAVE TO WORK YOU BUTT OFF UNTIL YOU ARE 99 YEARS OF AGE. YOU ARE ONE OF THE WELFARE DEGENERATES WHO WANT EVERYONE ELSE TO SUPPORT YOU! CLEARLY, YOU ARE A LOSER MARXIST-COMMUNIST WHO WILL NEVER TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUSELF AND YOUR FAMILY!
S.D.D.
Couldn’t have said that better myself Tony. People like Jerry obviously need to worry about themselves! Some people are just condescending, controlling and are bullies trying to control everything and everyone else! Probably have a ‘chip’ on their shoulder because they haven’t always gotten their way. We need to pray for them!
JERRY M.
S.D.D.: US TAX PAYING CITIZENS ARE NOT CONTROLLING HONEST PEOPLE BUT WE ARE STANDING-UP FOR HONEST TAXPAYERS WHO ARE BEING CHEATED OUT OF OUR MONEY BY WELFARE AND SSI THIEVES! NONE OF US HONEST TAXPAYERS ARE BULLYING YOU; YOU ARE BULLYING TAX PAYING HONEST CITIZENS WHEN YOU LIE AND CHEAT TO GET ON WELFARE PROGRAMS, SSI, MEDICAID, ETC. OBVIOUSLY, AFTER SO MANY YEARS OF THE WELFARE STATE OPERATING SYSTEMS IGNORING CHEATERS, IT IS MAKING LIARS AND CHEATERS MAD TO BE FOUND OUT, BUT YOUR DAY HAS COME! WE KNOW ABOUT YOU ALL NOW! INFLATION HAS MADE EVERYONE AWARE OF HOW MUCH EVERYTHING IS COSTING, INCLUDING THE VERY EXCESSIVE COSTS OF U.S. GOVERNMENT, STATE GOVERNMENT, CITY GOVERNMENT AND WELFARE PROGRAM COSTS! SO, WE WILL BE GETTING OUR FACTORIES BACK INTO THE USA SO PEOPLE WORKING IN SERVICE JOBS NOW CAN MOVE UP TO BETTER PAYING JOBS; THAT WILL LEAVE WELFARE RECIPIENTS AND WELFARE CHEATERS WITHOUT A CROOKED WAY TO LIVE OFF U.S. GOVERNMENT AND TAX PAYING CITIZENS! THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED WHEN WE HAD THE LAST PERIOD OF GROSS INFLATION AND WAGES!
Erica t.
I am disabled and about to be homeless for the second time and I have been on the waiting list for a voucher for 4 years now. I have worked 27 years in the same industry and I am receiving 600 a month. It’s inhumane. No one will help me it’s sad.
kil
E T, For your consolation, I worked around the same years or little less than you. I receive today doble of what you say you receive. I am getting closer and closer, every year, to become homeless. I look forward to homelessness life in my 25 years old car However, at that moment, I will be free of the thyrany of my COA=HOA and will finally be able to save that monthly coa fees (519) or ( 796 next year 2025) to purchase a better car then. Wish you well, from Florida.
Tony
I am from Florida too. I just bought my waterfront retirement home on the Florida Gulf Coast. My house is not in a HOA. COA/HOA fees and property insurance has skyrocketed here due the condo building collapse in Surfside and hurricanes.
COA/HOA fees are really expensive if it is a waterfront property on the Gulf Coast or Atlantic Coast. The senior 55+ community are over $400+/month COA/HOA and that is suppose to be an affordable place for seniors to live.
There are no new 55+ senior community built in the last two decade and all the old ones have gone up in price making it unaffordable for seniors.
These senior condo buildings are very old and the maintenance on them is very expensive.
The all ages condos for disabled people are even more expensive.
Even mobile homes are expensive. Lot lease is 700+/month and getting insurance on a mobile home is very expensive. They also have to pay the mortgage and property taxes on the building and not taxes on the land.
If you are renting, then there is no guarantee that your rent will not go up next year.
The homeless rate is going up across the U.S.A.
I have a $20K savings but I need 3 times as much. In Florida, insurance company require a new shingle roof replacement after 15 years and that will cost me $20K leaving me with nothing. I have to save more money by the time I have to replace the roof. Owning a house isn’t cheap.
Everyone is near broke due to housing and there will be a recession soon. Housing is the biggest expense for everyone. People will go without medical care before they go without a home.
JERRY M.
THESE PROBLEMS ARE A DIRECT RESULT OF PEOPLE GETTING USED TO NOT WORKING DURING COVID-19, FROM BIDEN’S GROSS OVERSPENDING BILLS PASSED BY CONGRESS AS A RESULT OF COVID-19! THEN BIDEN PASSED THE SO-CALLED INFLATION INFRASTRUCTURE BILL THAT INFLATED GOVERNMENT COSTS GREATLY AGAIN, SO INTEREST RATES WENT MUCH HIGHER THAN DURING MOST RECENT YEARS! THAT IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PEOPL DO NOT WORK BUT DRAW WELFARE AND GOVERNMENT MONEY TO LIVE ON! THEN THE PEOPLE INTENTIONALLY NOT WORKING STAYING HOME SO THEY COULD GET MORE MONEY FROM THE GOVERNMENT PAYING THEM NOT TO WORK CAUSED SHORTAGES IN AVAILABLE WILLING TO WORK EMPLOYEES WHICH RESULTED IN EMPLOYEES DEMANDING HIGHER WAGES WHICH RESLULTS IN HIGHER COSTS TO CONSUMERS, THUS CAUSING VERY HIGH INFLATION, MUCH HIGHER EXPENSES IN OPERATIONS OF COMPANIES, BUSINESSES, HOUSEHOLDS, CONSUMER PRODUCTS, ETC. SO, THE U.S. ECONOMY WAS NOT IN BALANCE BECAUSE TOO MUCH MONEY WAS ARTIFICIAL IN THAT THERE WAS TOO MUCH MONEY AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE SAME AMOUNTS OF GOODS! OUT-OF-BALANCE COSTS WILL ALWAYS CATCH-UP WITH BUSINESSES, AND THAT WILL CAUSE BUSINESSES TO REDUCE PRODUCTIVITY, REDUCE QUALITY OF PRODUCTS, SERVICES AND EVENTUALLY WILL CAUSE PEOPLE TO BECOME MUCH TOO HEAVY IN DEBT, WHICH WILL CAUSE LOSES TO BUSINESS AND WILL EVENTALLY REDUCE DEMAND FOR SERVICES AND PRODUCTS, WHICH IS STARTING TO HAPPEN NOW! RESULTS ARE DILUTION IN THE VALUE OF OUR U.S. DOLLAR, THE VALUE OF EACH UNIT OF LABOR, AND DILUTION IN THE AMOUNT OF SERVICE OR PRODUCT THE CONSUMER GETS FOR THE SAME DOLLAR AMOUNT! THESE THINGS WOULD NOT BE HAPPENING IF WE HAD NOT LET ALL OUR MANUFACTURING, FACTORIES, PLANTS, MONEY, GOOD JOBS, INVESTMENTS GO TO FOREIGN COUNTRIES LIKE MEXICO, CHINA, EUROPE, AFRICA, CANADA, ETC. GET ALL THESE FACTORIES, ETC. BACK INTO USA WHERE EMPLOYEES AND BUSINESSES HAVE A PLACE TO GO TO DEVELOP AS INDIVIDUALS AND EARN MORE MONEY, THEN USA CAN BE PROSPEROUS WITHOUT BAD INFLATION AGAIN! BIDEN IS PUTTING U.S. INTO A THIRD WORLD WAR RIGHT NOW DUE TO HIS FAVORING MARXISM AND SOCIALISTS! THIS WILL HURT USA TREMENDOUSLY OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS BECAUSE WE HAVE LITTLE FLEXIBILITY TO INCREASE OUR U.S. PRODUCTIVITY DUE TO LETTING THE FACTORIES, ETC MOVE OUT OF USA! BUT, THE REASON THE FACTORIES, ETC. MOVED OUT OF USA WAS BECAUSE U.S. UNIONS GROSSLY OVER-PRICED UNION SALARIES AND BENEFITS THAT COMPANIES COULD NOT AFFORD BECAUSE CONSUMERS WOULD NOT PAY THE HIGHER PRICES FOR PRODUCTS! SO, NOW WE MUST GET THE COMPANIES, FACTORIES BACK IN USA WITH NON-UNION, RIGHT-TO-WORK LAWS IN PLACE TO ALLOW COMPANIES FLEXIBILITY TO PRODUCE PRODUCTS, LIKE CARS AT LOW PRICES FOR CONSUMERS TO BUY AND FINANCE AT CHEAPER INTEREST RATES. WE MUST HAVE LOW INFLATION AND LOW GOVERNMENT SPENDING TO HAVE LOW INTEREST RATES AGAIN!
JERRY M.
DO NOT LIE, CHEAT AND FAIL TO SUPPORT YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILIES! ALMOST EVERYONE CAN DO SOME TYPE OF WORK AND WE EXPECT YOU TO WORK AND EARN YOUR WAY IN AMERICA! WE ARE NOT GOING TO KEEP PAYING WELFARE ASSISTANCE, SSI, SSI-DI AND SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY TO THOSE WHO HAVE MANAGED TO LIE, CHEAT AND GET ON A SET OF WELFARE BENEFITS RATHER THAN ADMITTING THEY ARE NOT REALLY DISABLED, PERMANENTLY! DO NOT CHEAT, YOU WILL GET CAUGHT!
S.S.
We’re sorry to hear about your situation Erica. If you have limited income and resources, you may be eligible to receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) in addition to your monthly Social Security benefit. SSI is a needs-based program that provides payments to people with limited income and resources who are age 65 or older, blind, or have a qualifying disability. To learn more about SSI eligibility requirements and how to apply, visit our Who Can Get SSI page. You can also call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. In addition, you may be able to receive assistance from the state in which you live. To learn about services in your community, you can contact your state or local social services agency or welfare office. For other resources, check out our recent blog: How Connecting to Benefits Programs Can Save You Money. We hope this information is helpful.