created by crua9 on 09/10/2024 at 00:55 UTC
26 upvotes, 3 top-level comments (showing 3)
So I'm putting this out there so anyone else knows their options, but beyond that maybe it will help others. In USA when it comes to raw cash in hand help in dealing with a disability. Basically no strings on if it is to be used on food or whatever exact thing. We have
So as someone with large gaps in work history, who honestly doesn't have enough work credits at any given point, and so on. I'm not focusing on SSDI. My focus will be on the other 2.
SSI there is strict requirements on how much you can earn and own.
┌────────────┬─────────────────────┬─────────────────────┬─────────────────────┐ │ │ Total wages or net │ Income from │ Owned assets and │ │ │ self-employment │ pensions or gifts │ resources │ │ │ income │ │ │ ╞════════════╪═════════════════════╪═════════════════════╪═════════════════════╡ │ Individual │ Less than $1,913 │ Less than $934 per │ Less than $2,000 │ │ │ per month. │ month. │ total. │ └────────────┴─────────────────────┴──────��──────────────┴─────────────────────┘
You can get an ABLE account and depending on things this might be enough to help. Anything in that ABLE account will not count towards your personal asset. Something to note is ABLE accounts are known to be horrible investment. Many report losing money through the investments in it, and it is highly limited. And for the most part you need to save all your receipts and may need to justify what you are buying at times.
Some say you can't use your ABLE account to buy things like Netflix subscriptions or video games. But in reality, this depends on the state and account. For example in my state and many others, there is a "quality of life" thing. Basically I can't buy you a video game. But I can buy me a video game with using the money from the ABLE account if it is to improve my quality of life. I just have to just say it is for quality of life if ever question.
Basically you need to know the right words and you need to actually know the terms of the account. Plus you need to know if there is a place where you can submit your receipts to help organize things.
Now at this time your disability has to be started from the age of 26 or prior. But in 2026 they are bumping this up to 46 years old. Meaning you can be 50, but if your disability can be proven it was started prior to the given age. Then you can get it.
Another thing to know is what type of assets are counted and what isn't.
The problem I ran into and I suspect many others will. If your income is spotty at best and basically live in with others by their good grace or maybe you do things around the place. This is used against you. Basically, if your family/friends shares meals with you, if they help with clothes and what not, etc. Then likely the system will view you as not paying your fair share. Like even if you are bending over backwards to help around the house and do what is needed. If you don't pay anything in raw money. It is extremely likely the system will view you as not paying your fair share. Even if you can't work or have no way to make money. This will lower your SSI by a bit.
And then depending on the income of those who you are living with, their assets, etc. Even more if it is something like your parents. This would be used against you to the point you might not get any help at all.
DAC to get it
1. You can't be married and you can't get married on it. Even if other person is making $0 and has nothing, and is even on DAC themselves.
2. There is a income limit.
3. Your disability has to been from before a given age and it has to be shown you can't work.
4. Your parents have to be meeting one of the following. 1. Dead. (Only 1 of them) 2. They must be collecting SSDI. 3. They must be collecting their social security.
The good thing is DAC doesn't have an asset cap. Meaning if your parents left you a bunch of land, a house, or whatever. Then this doesn't count against you.
The bad news is it's a pain to get on it.
Asking around, I don't qualify for it for 1 reason. Because in 2012 I held a job for a few weeks above substantial gainful activity or SGA at that time. For 2024 if you made $1,550 as a non-blind person or $2,590 for a blind person in a month. Then this basically will be used against you to an extreme. To the point talking to many disability lawyers they mention it is near impossible unless if you can get documentation from the people that fired me on how my disability got me fired (so them basically admitting discrimination), witness documentation, and so on. And even then it would be an extreme uphill battle.
There is stories where people who had a job for 3 days 13 years ago was used against them and was the entire reason for them being deny.
So basically by trying my hardest to stay off the system, to achieving a normal life, etc ends up biting me in the ass. Because I was too fucking stupid to not know I would've failed and it would've been better if I never tried to start with.
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Outside of that there might be some state level stuff. But in my state (NC) there isn't anything where it isn't cash in hand without ties to very exact things. Like most of the help when it comes to autism is "helping" us mask/pretend to be someone else in front of everyone else. Or career related stuff which is a large miss than hit. In general there is virtually no help for many in the USA.
Comment by AutoModerator at 09/10/2024 at 00:55 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
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Comment by alpacaMyToothbrush at 10/10/2024 at 21:48 UTC
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Ok man, as someone who was in your shoes 20 years ago I'm gonna be real with you, and the truth hurts.
SSI is a poverty trap. It is *not* anywhere near enough to live a dignified life. It never will be. If you were also able to get on food stamps and section 8 housing, you *might* be able to eek out an extremely lean existence somewhere in rural flyover country, but that's about the best you can ever hope for.
You should get with your state's vocational rehabilitation program and try to identify a career you can actually do. I have cerebral palsy and adhd, but I also had an innate interest in computers, so I went into computer science. Voc rehab helped me get grants and such to pay for it.
I would strongly advise anyone to avoid going on SSI at all costs. That should not be a goal. That program is the last resort of those so profoundly disabled that they would die otherwise. As it stands it is only enough to elevate you from starvation to profound poverty. That should *not* be your goal in life.
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Regarding the able account: I've found they are *very* permissive when it comes to what they allow you to spend that money on. You do not *have* to keep receipts. If I were you I'd simply buy a cheap flatbed scanner, digitize them and save them by category and date. Do not rely on physical copies. That receipt material fades quickly with time.
The investment options in able accounts vary by state, and **you can use another state's plan**. I use virginia's plan as Georgia does not give any sort of benefit for using their state plan. Investment options are decent and I've earned a 7% return over over the past 5 years or so just invested in a 'moderate growth' vanguard fund.
Best of luck to you. I know it will not be easy.
Comment by [deleted] at 09/10/2024 at 19:21 UTC
1 upvotes, 1 direct replies
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