What i hate about SSI

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1) It's like being on a leash. You constantly have to report pretty much everything you do, including every single paycheck you get, whenever you move, start or stop work, etc. And doing so tends to raise red flags to them, even though they expect you to do it. It's like you can't win.

2) It's incredibly inconvenient to do this. The phone lines take hours and often you never are spoken to, and it's pretty much impossible to do it online, so you have to go to an office with a bunch of creepy people and sit down for HOURS. The SSI office hours are also insanely short, and they tend to be located in the ghetto.

3) It's hardly any money. Generally it's between $500 and $750 a month, which is not even enough to rent a studio apartment. With food stamps and a roommate, you can just barely make ends meet and enjoy a nightly ramen or baked potato.

4) if you work, you have to give a huge chunk of money back to the government, to the point it's the equivalent of making $5 an hour or less if you make minimum wage. If you are a waitress, you might be making less than $2 an hour after what you have to give back. This makes working part time far less worthwhile.

5) The system is complicated and you are constantly bombarded with mail from them, making sure you're still you're still "legit disabled", as if having a disability is the same as having the flu. It is purposely done this way so people accidentally commit fraud or miss a deadline so they have an excuse to stop giving them benefits.

6) The $2,000 asset limit is draconian and hinders people from rising above collecting benefits, when they could hypothetically get off them by making wise investments or starting their own business. It doesn't seem fair to ban SSI recipients from investing when in many cases that's the only way they could otherwise make an independent income. This is especially revelant to Aspies who tend to be smart but not good at working with other people/the public.


I think it's because conservatives want the poor and people with disabilities to be as miserable as possible, if they can't work. What do you think? I suppose I'm grateful I get the benefits because otherwise I'd be homeless but damn, it's almost like being on probation.

Last edited by donnie_darko on 14 Apr 2015, 5:46 am, edited 2 times in total.

I believe what you stated is at least partly true.

The SSI people don't WANT you to be on SSI. They feel that if you're too comfortable, you'll never get off your butt.

It's similar to the criminal justice system; they don't want to make it pleasant to commit a crime; they purposely treat you like crap, and make you go through bureaucratic hurdles--just so you don't feel comfortable in it.

I believe many people really need to be on SSI; others are just using it so they don't have to get up in the morning to go to work. I've seen both in "real life." I wouldn't know who is one or the other on this Site without actually knowing them; therefore, I don't judge based upon an internet presentation.

I know, for myself, I would never want to be on it. If it so happens that I had to get on it....so be it! I wouldn't want anybody judging me. If I were on it, though, I believe I would try my best to get off it. If I failed, despite my best effort, so be it.

Even SSDI sucks--but it sucks less. Alas, one has had to have some work history in order to be on it.

I think people vastly overrate the prevalence of disability fraud. It's not easy to get on SSI, and they are very meticulous and being on SSI is similar to being on probation in many ways. If I just didn't want to work and had no morals I would just be a con artist. It's far easier than trying to defraud Social Security. You need evidence of a disability and my parents went to court for YEARS to prove to the government that my Aspergers was hindering me from working a regular job.

I would agree with what you said.

I'm on disability and just had a court hearing to renew it end of Feb. nearing mid April and haven't heard a response. Not sure a YES or NO answer. I have meltdowns and stress easy and anxiety but judges lawyer etc. don't live with me and see that everyday! THEY DON'T LIVE IT! Sadly if a NO I have to try to function at a full time job and from what I read Autism plus job might = meltdowns or even suicide risk. Yep I could hand a job SSI Judge people (as I'm laying up in a hospital dopped on drugs since I tried to kill myself) or freak out crying meltdown and get arrested then jail that's nice right? SHEESH!

If you makes you feel any better, I've heard they renew it 95 percent of the time.

I am on SSI and I don't feel like I have to report 'everything' but you are right there is a lot of stuff you are supposed to report...like if I did move or start working part time, but at least I don't have to fill out some form of how all my money was spent each month so they can tell me if they approve of my purchases. You are also right about the inconvenience...

I did however find a work around, since I am in therapy I go to a center for mental health and they have a Navigations department to help with SSI or other financial related stuff so if I scedule an appointment with them they get to do all the obnoxious paper work perhaps you should see if there are any programs like that to help you with that stuff in your area.

Also I thought if you found work on SSI they just deduct a % of the SSI based on how much you are making in wages....but you have to actually physically send the government large chunks of cash, if you start part time work? Are you certain? I don't know as I have not tried finding work yet...but I thought it was more they just reduce the SSI payments.

The 2,000 in assets is ridiculous, I mean theoretically I am sure one could put some money away not in a bank....but then technically that is not allowed since you're supposed to report 'all' assets...I think that very well could be part of kind of a scheme to keep people down not so sure its specifically the republicans trying to make the poor miserable, but it certainly does seem to be a good way to ensure the disabled who are unable to work and never worked enough to collect SSDI remain in poverty....and its almost like you're penalized for trying to move up because if you don't report getting part time work or what not or do it too late or things like that then they can just cut you off the SSI, of course it would be a process...but it seems like it would be kind of easy to end up in the situation of getting a low wage part time job, losing the SSI and then losing that job and being stuck with no income again.

IDK its a lot of stress and cumbersome paperwork, if someone is that determined to just not have to get up in the morning it would probably be easier to find a job that does not start in the morning than to get on SSI...are they really going to go through all the trouble to be approved, risk hefty fraud charges, recieve a minimal set income that ensures they are below the poverty line all to sleep in a few extra hours out of laziness? I just don't see a lot of people doing that....it would probably be easier to become a con artist or something and trick people into giving you money, still carries the risk of fraud but probably brings in more money. I have sometimes heard of parents of a disabled child or adult who has been deemed unable to manage their own funds, spending the SSI money on themselves and neglecting the child/adult...so they basically use the SSI income for comfort items for themselves in addition to whatever money they make other ways. This works because much of the time the child or adult does not fully know/understand their rights or don't know how to address the situation or are afraid to.

I'm surprised more people don't make the SSI/probation comparison. You really pay dearly for getting the money, in terms of the fact you are kept on a leash and are constantly threatened with losing the money if you can't navigate the paperwork and aren't very diligent and responsible in reporting everything you do. I'd rather just be able to work a job I can handle for a living wage than have to deal with SSI, but this system hinders people from doing that.

I don't understand or believe that people would be on it just to be lazy, because they make it miserable. In Canada disability payments are for life, and they don't constantly hound you or make you prove you're "worthy" of them.

I don't view SSI as welfare either, it's more like reparations for the discrimination disabled people face. I think we are entitled to it for the crap we go through and the discriminate we face, it's not freaking charity. Most of us would rather work if we could.

Well I saw a court assistant lady but was denied then waited for nearly 2 years MORE to be able to see a judge. With the judge though I have info. from my psychiatrist and therapist on meltdowns stress and even a rehab place said I couldn't hold down a job. So hopefully that information hopes sway the decision.

Conservatives don't create programs like SSI, Liberals do, and the purpose from the outset is to enslave people. They don't want you to get off of it, ever, so it isn't designed to make it easy for you to become independent. Independent people demand freedom to control their own destiny and the Elitists believe they know what's best for you better than you do, so you don't need pesky freedom.

Pure Conservatism, OTOH, would leave the disabled to be looked after by their families, churches and communities, rather than Big Government, so you'd be free to be dependent on your relatives, or some charity, or get a job and make your own way - then you could make your own money to invest and start your own business. Of course, you could ditch the SSI and do that now.

I know that my financial-institution (credit union) account is monitored in real time by the U.S. Social Security Administration (all non-retirement assistance recipients sign a waiver to allow it). As such, I opened a savings account with an ATM card attached to it. Now, I withdraw cash when I need it and (unlike with plastic debit and credit cards, or checks) they are oblivious about what I have spent it on. Though, if the truth is told, it is pretty boring shtuff.

It might seem meaningless to avoid such monitoring, but: 1) it is lawful to do so, and 2) I refuse to willingly restrict my privacy more than the law requires.

Conservatives are the ones that want to humiliate people who use these programs, and then eventually abolish them altogether. A libertarian society you speak of isn't realistic. I have no desire to be (more of) a burden on my family and charity is inadequate to meet all the needs of people here. To totally gut the security programs in America would lead to Africa-style poverty, trust me. Small government is great for the big guy and horrible for the little guy.

Plus, not everyone has families who support them.

I worked at a restaurant for 2 1/2 years while on SSI because I had to get out of the house and away from a roommate whom was off his meds and was a total schizo. My base was a measly 2.15/hr plus tips tho I worked at a lower volume restaurant during the off hours (which I didn't complain about since I HATE loud noises and groups) So the store would make an average so 30-50 bucks a night and I'd see 10-15 a night give or take and I reported the earnings to them however due to my manager screwing with our tips he inflated what the night shift made so that he could get bonuses and wont have to pay the difference in minimum wage so at the end of the year my taxes showed I made over 2 thousand dollars a year (which is nothing folks) SSI found out and cut my benefits down I still continued to work while paying them a % from the their checks by the time I left I owed those rats more then I even saw I went into my local SS office to prove that I am disabled we went back and forth and basically told them keep the f'ing money! I got in contact with an attorney and he told me that survivors benefits (my mother kicked off in 2005) would be more beneficial as you don't have to worry about what resources you have and you can make up to I think they said 1,500/mo and still keep any benefits during a work trial period. Considering that I have Autism and it's documented the chances if it going away and me no longer being disabled are slim to nil.

Tho if an opportunity presents it's self I'd still chose to work there's more money that comes with it and my ultimate goal is to be fully or close to fully independent.

most people wait over 2 years to get on it, and have to get lawers and go to court cases. ssi rejects everyone, then you have to fight it.

every month they send me letter saying you made 600-1500 dollars last month so you owe us that. problem Is I didnt' work last month. they do this every month, then we have to call them and go down explain and repeat next month.

when I do work I don't make that much. and after taxes and then take their half(pre taxes of course) i get paid $1.80 per hour, now tech I'm paid $9.31 an hour, but after losing 30% to taxes, and 50% to ssi. I only make the 1.80. now housing has decided that after years of saying that such a low income doesn't matter that it does and we lied to them over the years and it is counted. so either they lied or our last agent decided that filing paperwork every 3 months for 200 income wasn't worth the trouble. suppose should buy a recorder and record all conversations with ssi and housing, . ohh and we gave ssi a check two months ago to cover what I made and they said I owed. well now they saying they never got a check and we owe them. like did the person pocket it??? so stressful every month. yep living the life on ssi.

Sweetleaf
its you get the first 85 dollars, tthen its they get half of rest. pre taxes of course. cause they aren't going let their half be taxed. you have to to suffer all the taxes yourself. it confuses people whe I say i made 600 and only get 200. they like shouldn't you got around 300. but nope cause pre tax was 900 so they take half of 900 then i get rest after taxes. so I only actually get 1/4 of my earned income. well 20% of it. so not even 1/4. then in my case if i earn over 200 a week pre taxers I also pay 25% to credit debt. so there goes it all. work doesnt' know I'm on ssi. so hard to explain to them that I have to work certain amount of hours or I don't make money. gas is $3 to get to work so if I only work 2 hours i don't make anything. 8 hour shift is $12. got offered work but I would have been 2 hours there 8.5 hours working, 2 hours back. so 12 hour total for 12 dollars. no thanks. due to bus taking. car in shop probably forever.