SOCIAL SECRRITY ! (Rant !)

[shooterg]

I didn't realize how smart I was to pick a bride 12 years younger over 30 years ago..I'm still covered on her insurance and she'll be working another 12 years ! I hope not to have to deal with it until then if I last that long . Meanwhile I invest the savings in firearms/powder/etc.

[MaryB]

I have an advantage plan, my check went up $4, my advantage plan went up $6 so I went backwards!

Our SS was increased by 0.3% this year and MEDICARE increased 0.3%. This is a no win situation.

[TexasGrunt]

I turn 65 in Oct. Been getting small SS check for 3 years now. I was unable to work, why not?

My wife and I will have some hard choices to make when I sign up.

Myself I think I will do without as many "parts" as possible.

There is no easy solution. Medical is a shell game that is rigged by the insurance company's.
And you are dammed if you do, and dammed if you don't. So pick your poison.

They are dang good salesmen, and they know how to push the product and scare people.

Dollar is worth less every day and the inflation on medical costs has been skyrocketing for 15 years. Leaves most of us up the smelly creek without a paddle.

Did you take SSDI? If so you don't need to sign up.

[GhostHawk]

No, I wanted SSDI but was denied. Gave up when the appeal fell through.

It was until after it was all over and we got all the files that I saw that the doctor I went to try and get SSDI stabbed me in the back. That man is lucky to be breathing.

So essentially for 15 years I had zero income and was unable to work. Life sucks, in reality life is what you make of it. If it sucks you are not doing it right.

Because of that 15 years with no work I am at minimum. In fact I was lucky to qualify for that. Counting my blessings.
That 670$ a month is not a lot, but it lets me do a lot with it as long as I am a bit patient.

[mold maker]

Put some aside for when years later, they find a miscalculation and want the difference back right now.

[Boaz]

Explain ?

[country gent]

Boaz, when my disability finally went thru ( took 5 years) I got a lump sum payment from SSDI for the amount. Since my work insurance covered me that time What they paid me had to be paid back out of the SSDI check first. I occasionally get medicare letters stating that I'm over or under paid on deductables and treatments but not to pay anything yet. It can be a nightmare dealing with the beurocrats at times.

[TexasGrunt]

No, I wanted SSDI but was denied. Gave up when the appeal fell through.

It was until after it was all over and we got all the files that I saw that the doctor I went to try and get SSDI stabbed me in the back. That man is lucky to be breathing.

So essentially for 15 years I had zero income and was unable to work. Life sucks, in reality life is what you make of it. If it sucks you are not doing it right.

Because of that 15 years with no work I am at minimum. In fact I was lucky to qualify for that. Counting my blessings.
That 670$ a month is not a lot, but it lets me do a lot with it as long as I am a bit patient.

Did you appeal?

[shooter2]

What your government did was take your money and give part of it to someone else and used the rest for other ****. Had you been able to keep it and invest it at a nominal rate you would be wealthy by the time you reached 65. One of the biggest scams in history.

[William Yanda]

"Your call is important to us. Please stay on the line and the next available representative will be right with you." Meanwhile, back to elevator music. I think they have technology that selects whichever type of music you detest most. Three minutes later, repeat. Even evilbay has a system that will estimate the wait, and allow you to request a return call.

[10-x]

Guys, from experience in a law firm,( please dont hold that against me) hire a lawyer right up front when you file for SSI disability. Will save you lots of headaches, heart burn, frustration and the urge to... well you know. By law the " barrester" only gets a %age.

[country gent]

I did use a attorney from the plant. Took 5 years+ a little. Denied several times, examined by Their "doctor", ( I have MS he never requested my MRIs, or any of the test done, ) diagnosed me thru a 40 min physical as fit enough to work.In the hearing they had 2 experts there that claimed I could do inspection gaging and other work all positions that required 25-30 years senority to get when they opened up. Its a joke dealing with them

[AK Caster]

I didn't realize how smart I was to pick a bride 12 years younger over 30 years ago..I'm still covered on her insurance and she'll be working another 12 years ! I hope not to have to deal with it until then if I last that long . Meanwhile I invest the savings in firearms/powder/etc.

You will still be required to pay for part B when you reach 65.

[GhostHawk]

Yes, and with a good disability lawyer, and lost.

Worst 2 years of my life hands down. Totally wasted effort and it sent me into a depression that took years and lots of work to crawl out of.

I was not missing any limbs, and no one could prove that I was unable to work. Perhaps just unwilling. Hard to prove a negative. I understand that they see a lot of people looking for an easy check. All I can say it was the hardest work I ever did and I never saw a dime. Took a real toll emotionally.

Did you appeal?

[MaryB]

Took me 3 years to get SSDI, when we finally got a hearing in front of the administrative law judge he asked me questions for 15 minutes, asked for my medical record. Red it. Then he asked me to please sit while he took care of something. He proceeded to rip the SSA agent a new one for 45 minutes for denying my case from the start. And my case was one of the ones that forced a change in how they process disability now. I won easily and worked with the judge to document everything SSA did when denying me. Lost evidence, denied ever receiving it when my lawyer had a signed receipt after hand delivering it, the joke of a medical "exam" they claimed I had when I never saw their doctor or talked to him on the phone... SSA got in a lot of trouble back around 2008 over it. In 10 years they have never had me see their doctors and now I am old enough that they won't bother because anyone over 55 who is disabled is considered un hire able. I won 3 years back pay at the time.

[Huskerguy]

Disability greatly increased under this past administration. It was a good way to get millions out of the workforce and on government assistance. Not saying it was right or wrong, but it was happening. I just turned 63 and retired a few weeks ago. About 2 1/2 years ago I contracted a rare lung disease. I get really tired, susceptible to major colds, bronchitis, infections, etc and just do not have the stamina I once did (who does though right). I went 15 years without missing any time at work and the last few since the disease I have missed probably around 7-10 days a year. My wife doesn't want me to work, she sees how it drains me. I want to work but she is right, it does suck the life out of me and I am pretty worthless around the house when I was working. BTW, I am a school administrator and work in non-profits as well. I thought about filing for disability but know it would take about as long as it will be when I can get full SS so why bother and put myself through the humiliation.

We have a local SS office and we went there last June to get an idea of what each of us could get and learn a few more things. I read all I can and this has been an interest of my mine for several years. We have a note hand written by the person who helped us with information about filing for me and filing and refiling for my wife - turns out it can't be done so the person told us wrong. Wasn't a great deal of money but it was the point that somewhere along the way you really want to trust these people.

I think few people realize the supplemental insurance policies must all be the same coverage by law. The only difference is in what they charge. So it pays to shop around and I was told that they can take things into consideration (high drug costs, etc) that they can't do when you are younger. The insurance companies are not the ones to blame as they are playing by house rules.

So lets say you get $2,000 a month at age 65 for your SS. I believe they take medicare out at the rate of $135 a month AND you pay taxes on 85% of your SS. There are a few states that do not tax SS. I don't happen to live in one of those.

Many on here know way more than I do but I can tell one thing - the cards are stacked against you as you get older. The tax man is just waiting to get his share now that everything is paid off and you have no deductions.

Someone has got to figure this thing out one of these days as so many boomers are going through the system. But maybe not. Please tell me where I am incorrect.

[frkelly74]

you might be able to claim the Earned Income Credit to off set some of the penalties that they take for making too much money. Turbo Tax will figure it automatically for you. We always go in to the office to talk to an actual person when we have a question. Take a number, sit and wait, read a book. Mid month is best , beginning of month is the worst time to go because everyone else goes then. Do not let them convince you that they are giving you anything, It is money that they took under threat and you deserve it back because you earned it and you couldn't use it or invest it for yourself.

[badbob454]

My rant is when social security started they took my money , and gave it to retired people who never paid in a dime ...., now when i may need it it may not be there ... i started work in 1968 and am still working ,,,,

[bedbugbilly]

Social Security is only a "benefit" to those who receive it but never EVER paid in to it!

The guvment really views it as an "entitlement" program . . . you might disagree but basically, that is how the "left" views it. Perhaps all of us who are now on SS and who paid in to it should be applying for all the "entitlement" programs - and trust me, I have no problems for those who really NEED the help, but look at how many of us who worked hard and paid in to the system are paying for others on SS who never did. Maybe we should have applied for the Obama phones, free college and food stamps and then sell them on the black market as many do in order to supplement our SS?

I had to contact SS by phone a couple of years ago - called in AZ and got the office in Tucson - the woman I talked to couldn't even begin to answer my questions. I decided to wait until I got back to Michigan. Called and got a completely different answer than from the one I take to in AZ. Decided to go in to the office in nearby city - waited two hours in order to talk with somebody and there was just one other couple our age who were there to file for their bendefits. The rest? All young people looking for their "entitlements" through SS - most talking and texting on smart phones that I or my wife don't have as we consider they a "luxury" . . not a "necessity".

O.K. I'm done ranting as well . . . Boaz . . . I hope you get it all ironed out and good luck to you!

[w5pv]

The judge that I had wanted the SS lawyer to explain why I wasn't on disability when their own lawyer said I was disabled.The judge was pretty irate that they even had hearing after their lawyer said I was disabled