Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with socialsecurity

How do I get SSI/disability for mental health?

loquacious — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:32:34 -0800

How do I navigate Social Security to qualify for Medicaid, SSI and disability for mental health services? How do I find an advocate to guide me through the walls of paperwork and decisions? Sub-question: what are current mental health institutions like for in-patient treatment? I qualify for an array of symptoms for mental health disability - namely marked social dysfunction, severe anxiety, depression (most likely rapid cycling bipolar), persistent ideations and the inability to function normally and keep a job, set or keep goals or otherwise function at life. I have trouble maintaining all kinds of relationships. I also have an unhealthy relationship with alcohol and tobacco as self-medication.

In case it needs to be said - I also qualify financially. I have no job, no money, no property and as much as I hate to admit it I'm basically indignant and losing my housing.

I'm having a hell of a time finding services, doing my homework and wrestling with the bureaucracy while in the midst of these symptoms. How do I find an advocate, case worker or guide? This process is daunting enough without struggling with the symptoms at the same time, and dealing with the bureaucracy is aggravating the symptoms and often sending me spiking off into severe manic or depressive territories.

Also what can I expect these days if I sign myself in for in-patient treatment at a mental health facility in Los Angeles? I'm considering this as an option to get the process kick-started, as I'm more or less on the edge of crisis territory. What's the process like? What can I bring with me? What can't I bring? How much control can I expect to have over the process?

(Paging The Straigtener)

Does unemployment affect future SS benefits?

NeoLeo — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 12:49:46 -0800

Does receiving unemployment affect future Social Security benefits? I have a relative who was let go in the past week by his company because they decided to close his division. I told him that he should get unemployment payments until he finds a new job, but he told me he didn't want to receive them because he thought it would be "taken out of his future Social Security".

So... does receiving unemployment affect receiving Social Security benefits in the future? Is there any downside to receiving unemployment?

By the way, this is in California, and he is in his early thirties, if that is relevant.

How strange is this guy's name?

shesbookish — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 21:20:47 -0800

Where do I look for unique names listed in the social security system? I have an acquaintance who claims that his first name is unique in the U.S. To be more precise, he said that he is the only person with a social security number who has his first name. I get the feeling that this guy likes to fib a little and I would love to figure out if this claim is true. When I google around all I can find is a listing for popular names in the social security system. Anyone know where to find the very unpopular or unique names?

Replacing Social Security Card

LittleMissCranky — Mon, 26 May 2008 22:10:24 -0800

How long does it take to get a replacement social security card? I'm in Texas, if it matters.

Felony Record and Disability

Anonymous — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 18:13:13 -0800

Does a felony conviction affect eligibility for Social Security disability? Or should one spend 10K to an attorney to have the record expunged when otherwise, a criminal record isn't important to other areas of life?

FICA exeption for J1 visa holder?

klanawa — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 10:11:39 -0800

J-1 visa holder. What taxes do I pay? I'm a Canadian citizen I was in the US from April, 2006 to August 2007 working under a J-1 visa. This was in a non-academic setting. I was labelled a "management trainee," and all wages were paid by my US employer.

I paid Social Security and Medicare taxes in both years, but it occurs to me that maybe they were withheld in error. All the materials I've seen on the IRS site say I "may be" exempt from those taxes without going into particulars. Conveniently, the IRS phones just ring and ring and ring.

Anybody have any experience with this or links to info that I've failed to locate?

Thanks.

New immigrant filter: Can he work? Social security office screw up?

potsmokinghippieoverlord — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 16:21:56 -0800

Social Security card confusion? Doesn't have the "valid for work only with DHS Authorization" wording? Eh? So I'm about to marry my British fella this Friday (yay!) and several weeks ago he applied for and received a SSN/card.

However, I thought cards for new immigrants would have the "VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH DHS AUTHORIZATION" stamp on them. His doesn't. Whaaaa....?

Once we're wed, we're going to do the whole expensive adjustment of status thang so he can have a green card and can travel freely. But I'm wondering if the Social Security office screwed up by sending him a card without that stamp.

1. Can he work now? He didn't get an EAD stamp (work authorization -- which would allow him to work for the first 9o days of his arrival).

2. Do we have to fill out the I-765 anyway?

I'm suspecting that the answers are NO and YES, just so we're right with the ol' gubmint.

What does the hive mind say?

Heaing for trigeminal neuralgia

Nancy Lebovitz — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 18:58:37 -0800

Any advice for a disability hearing for trigeminal neuralgia? One of my friends has trigeminal neuralgia--a nerve problem which causes frequent excruciating pain. She hasn't been able to work for two years.

Her hearing for disability is coming up in two weeks. She has a lawyer, but I was still wondering if anyone here has advice on getting disability for a serious problem which isn't one of the more visible handicaps.

Do I have to quit my job to get disability?

Anonymous — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 19:49:23 -0800

Do I have to quit my job to qualify for disability? I have numerous health problems, both mental and physical. A week ago I applied for disability after not working for 4 years. The next day, I got a call from a place I'd interviewed with, and I was hired. On my 2nd day there, I've already had severe emotional problems, and some physical. My new boss was understanding and is going to try to work with me.

I am really desperate for money... we're talking if I hadn't gotten this job, I'd be selling my stuff. I don't know how long I will last at this job before I just can't work anymore due to both my physical and emotional problems, or they get sick of it and fire me. (My longest job ever lasted 11 months and included 2 leaves of absence. The others lasted 3 months, 3 weeks, and 2 days respectively.) But as long as I have it, I can't afford to quit while the state takes 5 months to decide if I qualify. Do I have any chance in hell of getting disability while I'm working? My state says they don't do partial disability, only full, but yet I know someone in this state who works while he's on disability - he just has to have his employer send in a statement of his wages to Social Security each month.

Background check shows false info?

anthropomorphic — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 14:36:12 -0800

New employer has done a background check - returns addresses I've never lived at? All the info I have from the company at the moment is that the address has shown up on my social security number. I've checked my free credit report and I don't see anything out of the ordinary. What's going on? What do I do about it?

Who should we put as our beneficiary?

Jazz Hands — Sun, 06 May 2007 12:02:12 -0800

How does one provide life insurance benefit for someone who cannot have an income? Background: My husband's son, 13 now, is autistic. He will never be self-sufficient and will be on his parents' insurance until 18 and SSI thereafter. But to qualify for SSI/Disability we are told that he cannot have assets/income above a very low amount or he no longer qualifies(until his medical/housing care bleeds all of the money dry and can re-qualify for benefits) So right now he has the plans benefitting his son's mother.
What other options does he have? I think a trusteeship would be something to look into, if it shields the money and keeps him on SSI. Of course we hope to be around a very long time to take care of him, but this getting older is scary and we worry.

Do employers have to deposit money to Social Security?

Hot Like Your 12V Wire — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 21:28:34 -0800

Do employers have to offer the option to deposit money into Social Security? My mother worked many years for a Texas school district that did not offer the option to deposit money into Social Security (instead, that money went into the Texas Teachers' Retirement System.) Now she's 49 and needs to draw Social Security Disability due to Parkinson's, but doesn't have the quarters required because of TRS. Is this legal? If not, is there any action that can be taken to get those quarters?

Social Insecurity Phone Number

DragonBoy — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 11:51:01 -0800

Yesterday I spent two hours in line at the Social Security Office to get a new card for my son. Considering how long the wait was I can't believe the rules they had for waiting in line. Please help me understand the rational for not allowing people to use their mobile phones. The SSA guard on duty was also very active about enforcing the "No Cellular Phones" rule. I got told off for sending text messages and playing games on my phone. Other people were threatened with losing their place in line because they were making calls. No one was loud enough to bother others and really, the guard's enforcement of the rule made standing in line all the more miserable. Is this a violation of my rights to free speech? Can the SSA ban cell phones in their offices?

I have to go back to the SSA in a couple of weeks to update my card and before I do I'd like to know all the facts so I can be prepared for the overzealous guard.

Hospital notify SSA of birth

yclipse — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 05:39:02 -0800

Are hospitals required to notify the Social Security Administration of new births? Do they do it, even if not required? I recently came across a copy of a letter sent by a hospital to the SSA, identifying a baby's name and date of birth, and names and SSNs of both parents. I don't have to ask why this would be done. I just wonder if this is required, or customary. Replies from people familiar with hospital practice preferred.

Social Security and Canada Pension Plan

Joleta — Tue, 27 Dec 2005 22:21:40 -0800

Can a person collect under both the Canada Pension Plan and U.S. Social Security, based on qualifying work in both countries? My mother-in-law is 80 years old and lives in Calgary, Alberta. She is a U.S. citizen and a Canadian landed immigrant. She has lived in Canada for 35 years and has worked in both Canada and the U.S. She is currently collecting under the Canada Pension Plan, but my husband and I are wondering whether she could also collect U.S. Social Security, as she probably had enough earnings in the U.S. to qualify, before she moved to Canada. (To clarify, we are in the U.S. and don't know much about the Canadian system.) I have been reading the international section of the Social Security Administration web site and am still unsure about this. Most of the information on the SSA site talks about combining work credits from the U.S. and foreign countries in order to qualify for a pension in one or the other country. My question is, if she would qualify for a Social Security pension based solely on her work history in the U.S., would the fact that she is collecting a Canadian pension disqualify her from collecting a U.S. Social Security pension in addition?

SS#s of those passed on?

attercoppe — Wed, 02 Nov 2005 21:53:25 -0800

How would one go about finding out the Social Security number of a deceased relative? This is for a co-worker of mine, whom I'll call Wendy. Wendy's father passed away about seven years ago. Wendy's mother, in her mid-sixties at the time, has since remarried. She has just recently learned (from the SSA) that she is eligible to draw on her former husband's Social Security benefits, but first she needs to fill out the appropriate paperwork. Neither Wendy, her sister, nor their mother has any record of the father's Social Security number. The sister did his final income tax returns, but has since lost them. They have his military discharge papers, but they do not include his SS#. How else can they obtain his number, and who must make the request?

My thoughts so far: the SSA, the IRS, former employers, other military records, bank records, property titles. I'd like suggestions (thoughts/opinions) or instructions ("I've done this before"). Thanks.

how to get a credit card or loan without SSN or citizenship?

k8t — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 12:08:55 -0800

How can a non-U.S. citizen (or anyone without a social security number) get a credit card or a student or private loan?

Catch 22

mischief — Wed, 14 Jul 2004 09:43:51 -0800

Catch 22: I am applying to Social Security for disability. I need my birth certificate. To get my birth certificate from Pennsylvania, I need a valid government-issued ID bearing my current address (driver's license). To change my driver's license to my current address in South Carolina, I need my birth certificate (implemented 6/04 due to Patriot Act).

Has anyone run into this and figured out how to break the loop? I have already called Social Security, SC DMV and PA Vital Records AND talked to supervisors. Is my congressman next?