SSI (Child over 18) and VA dependent benefit (helpless child)

[Lit Love]

You're not going to get a better answer than what jsm has given you. 

[lighthouse]

Please help in understanding...The phone conversation and what actually is wrriten is so confusing....Mortgage: 1,243.00   ..property insurance : 0 property taxes 0 heating and fuel 0 (I think it was stated it was ll in the mortgage..not sure as I was not the one on the phone )..electricity :195.00 gas :120.00 garbage removal :18.33 water : 125.00 and sewer 0  FAMILY household of 4........Son payed an average of 440.00 cash toward the household expenses..He wishes to show that the food  or shelter  he gets is worth less than 264.33    WHY would they say that??..and what does that mean..hubby said he did not say that.    also it states he is not reciving any food or shelter from the people he lives with for which he has an agreement to repay.  There has not been any other changes in his living arrangements. He does not expect these arrangements to change.   He buys food separately from the other household memebers..He does not eat all his meals out.......Is he paying his fair share according to this?......its like they were just going down a form and writing stuff..or this is the way they write stuff?  ADDING this up what does this mean?..is he paying his fair share..no where says anything about his amount..or anything..just stuff they do on there end.  please help me understand this...Thank you!

[Lit Love]

Well, are they including the VA child benefit towards covering his living expenses?

[jsm]

Please help in understanding...The phone conversation and what actually is wrriten is so confusing....Mortgage: 1,243.00   ..property insurance : 0 property taxes 0 heating and fuel 0 (I think it was stated it was ll in the mortgage..not sure as I was not the one on the phone )..electricity :195.00 gas :120.00 garbage removal :18.33 water : 125.00 and sewer 0  FAMILY household of 4........Son payed an average of 440.00 cash toward the household expenses..He wishes to show that the food  or shelter  he gets is worth less than 264.33    WHY would they say that??..and what does that mean..hubby said he did not say that.    also it states he is not reciving any food or shelter from the people he lives with for which he has an agreement to repay.  There has not been any other changes in his living arrangements. He does not expect these arrangements to change.   He buys food separately from the other household memebers..He does not eat all his meals out.......Is he paying his fair share according to this?......its like they were just going down a form and writing stuff..or this is the way they write stuff?  ADDING this up what does this mean?..is he paying his fair share..no where says anything about his amount..or anything..just stuff they do on there end.  please help me understand this...Thank you!

Much, if not most of the actual language that prints up on the application is totally out of the hands of the interviewer; it is pre-programmed language that prints when certain questions are answered a certain way. Standard language required to show that sequential evaluation was followed.  Here is a link to the flow chart if you want to know more.

https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0500835005

Then the computer system adds up those numbers, divided by the number of people in the household, to determine if the $444 is his share or if it is under his share. That decision is then part of the computer generated award notice, although those details are not necessarily included in the award notice.

These sharing questions about household expenses will come up every time there is a redetermination of income, resources and living arrangements.

I think you are agonizing over something out of your control and you should let it go. Or apply for a job at SSA and as an SSI claims rep, you would go to training to learn all of this.

[lighthouse]

Best to know and understand...and this is what I have learned ..There was only one question asked about food ..when you buy the food do you place it all together are separate?...When the payee buys the food at the store he buys it separate..so he can keep track of his share ..And that is why it states the way it does..they don't go into detail about how much "Share" etc..when it comes to food..IF I had read the top part ..of this letter I would have seen this is for his continuing benefits..so all is good..But yes this is standard..and they must type in the information that is on the computer in front of them..and some of the wording you would never know what it meant until you understand what they actually did..and now we know and understand ..this part of it..Thank you

[lighthouse]

To answer the other question..yes the dependent part was taking out already..This income interview was about the past part until now. Nothing to do with the recent VA reduction part..except that the amount we know that continues includes the VA reduction ..As far as the 753.00 part he should have had during the time when there was no VA reduction and he was running a concurrent during the months of July-Oct..yes he should have had the extra 20.00..and it did not automactially happen because of the screw up of the DAC part not running with the SSI part..so looking at the overall picture now..yes he is due the extra 80.00... (but after the VA reduction for the month of Nov and on..probably not those months )  . No one knows why they did not run together when they were both at DDS at the same time..but the DAC got terminated..and than followed as a claim after the SSI..even thou the DAC part went a month before. (something in time we will get an answer too. ) All is done with both quality reviewand on s and approvals and even a redetermination income review .....All done in 7 months from the intial application...

[KitCat]

I think you are agonizing over something out of your control and you should let it go. Or apply for a job at SSA and as an SSI claims rep, you would go to training to learn all of this.

Jsm,

Is SSI claims rep a specific job? Is this the same as someone who works as a claims rep in a local field office, or do some people specialize in just SSI?

I'm wondering because so many people have trouble getting accurate info about SSI (unless they come here and ask you)

When people call or visit with SSI questions what do you recommend is the best way for them to get good answers?

[Bonzai]

It is quite simple to get information about SSI.  All one has to do is go to SSA.gov and look up Supplementary Security Income guidelines. 

The easiest way to get SSI answers is many of the questions posted have been answered previously, and can be found by using the 'Search Box' located on the left side of the board.

SSDFact's staff and members often post answers with links to SSDFacts posts already made on the same subject.

KitCat, are you interested in becoming a non-attorney representative?  To be certified as one by the Social Security Administration is a long and arduous process, and you have to travel to take the test; which many fail.

[lighthouse]

Well, are they including the VA child benefit towards covering his living expenses?...good question..this is what I have been told ..but not by the SSA as we never asked them..we just assume the answer was correct. The VA dependent part I believe is unearned income..and cant be used for expenses..on the paper it is called "income" like DAC..so maybe it is income??..What I understand is you cant use it for expenses like clothing (even thou he can use it for what he wants )..like DAC...I thought of adding it to the expenses..and brought it up and was told you cant. The law states if the Veteran is living with the dependent it is income to the dependent..and on the paper work of his only income it states..DAC and VA dependent...unless you think it can be uses for expenses?..looking at this it looks like it is treating the same way as DAC and gets deducted the same way?

[lighthouse]

yes there is A lot of info on SSI...unfortunately when you get the paperwork ..it looks like Chinese writing!.."Why is it stated like this" "What are they saying"..lol so it does take others who have been there to help understand..But I do look around here and in the POM manuel..and Any and all sites ..as most everything about SSDI/SSI is online..But SSI is complex..when it comes to PMV/VTR..and the MATH ...and the understanding in the "wording" of what they have actually done..as you only get 10 days to correct any mistakes (well less when the mail is behind )..So yes this is a great site ..and thanks for your assistance..

[Helper]

Well, are they including the VA child benefit towards covering his living expenses?...good question..this is what I have been told ..but not by the SSA as we never asked them..we just assume the answer was correct. The VA dependent part I believe is unearned income..and cant be used for expenses..on the paper it is called "income" like DAC..so maybe it is income??..What I understand is you cant use it for expenses like clothing (even thou he can use it for what he wants )..like DAC...I thought of adding it to the expenses..and brought it up and was told you cant. The law states if the Veteran is living with the dependent it is income to the dependent..and on the paper work of his only income it states..DAC and VA dependent...unless you think it can be uses for expenses?..looking at this it looks like it is treating the same way as DAC and gets deducted the same way?

DAC & VA dependent are both unearned income.  You can't count income as an expense.