ssi, working, and maintaining integrity and moral values.

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I know there are a number of people on ssi who could not work a regular full-time or even part-time job BUT could make a few bucks here or there on the side. So, if someone were to bring in a couple hundred dollars a month by fixing computers, walking dogs, whatever, do you feel it would be wrong if they did not report their earnings?

I personally have no problem with someone doing that.

Would that even matter? I don't think the benefits would change if a person only earned an extra couple hundred dollars per month.

It would probably be best to report it, since if its found out that you're getting other income and didn't report it you can get in legal trouble I think...then again I am not sure if you have to report it if its not a consistant 'income' like if you make 100 bucks house sitting for a friend or family member as sort of a one time thing not sure you legally have to report it...but if you're regularly earning a little extra its probably best to report it.

I think you'd still get benefits, they just might reduce it depend on how much you were making on the side.

I would really keep track of what I make. I don't think it's necessarily morally wrong. $725 a month or thereabouts is really very little money. However, SSI has stringent limits in reference to what you could make per month and per year. I believe the limit is about $2,000 a year, which is about $170 per month or so. I should look that up. You should, as well. I know you can't have more than $2,500 in savings.

You're allowed to make certain amount of money (a few hundred a month*) without affecting your SSI and if it's less than (I believe) $3000 yr you don't even have to file a tax return. I do remember the $2000 figure is the maximum amount you're allowed to have in the bank (liquid assets) at any given moment.

Where reporting it might upset your applecart would be that even a relatively small amount can affect other subsidies, like HUD housing assistance and SNAP food stamp allotments and stuff like that, most of which you have to have in order to survive on SSI Disability. So if it were cash money, you'd probably be better off saying nothing, rather than opening that can of worms. If you're just fixing things or doing yard work, it's probably not going to be enough to bother about anyway. Consider it a gratuity gift, like a tip.

Government rules and regs are full of loopholes and Catch-22s, all apparently designed to make sure that once you're on the dole, you by-gods stay on it, because if you even begin to become self-sufficient again, they'll throw you overboard before you have a chance to get your feet under you.

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* as I recall from reading all the paperwork a few years ago, you can make a large percentage of your monthly benefit amount before it affects your SSI, Uncle Sam is fairly generous about that (I'm sure the exact figures are on the Social Security website), but all the other govt subsidies are much more particular. They like to keep you breaking even, rather than getting ahead.

No I don' that's wrong. I find it ridiculous any sort of money you get you have to report it. What if someone loaned you the money or gave it to you so you could use it to get food, report that? Or if you got it as a gift for your birthday, report that? You help someone out so they give you some money or you go around collecting cans and take them to recycling and get a few bucks for it, report that?

I feel our country wants people to stay poor and sadly I do truly believe it because of the flaws our system has.

I only consider it a real job if you actually have a job and you get paid and have to pay taxes on it than just doing odd jobs. Okay if you work for a computer place and you fix computers there, I would say report your earnings. if you are just fixing them at someone's home or at your home and they pay you some money for it, I don't see it as a real job. I also don't consider walking dogs as a job either. I see it as contributing.

Right. Doing stuff for CASH can't really be traced You shouldn't advertise your services. SSI sucks and the government wants you to think it sucks.