r/SocialSecurity

Ever since I was 18 my dad has been keeping me from claiming social security money by saying he has to go to the office with me. I’m 20 and we had my social worker visit today and she brought up the social security money and asked if I was aware of it. My dad said that he tried telling me I can go myself but he hasn’t. Every time I have asked him he said that he has to go with me, and when I would ask to go he would say no because he’s busy.
Edit: For clarification I was in foster care

Right now I can only make X amount of dollars per year while on SS. At what age does that stop and you can make any amount without penalty? I always thought it was over 70, but my friend insists it's 66 years and 10 months.

Thanks

This may sound stupid but I’m asking to make sure because you know what they say about making an assumption!

It is illegal to have more than one SS number correct?

How do we handle the $3,000 SSI couple asset limit when payday lands right at the end of the month?

My wife just qualified for Supplemental Security Income SSI. We have three kids and I work a full-time job.

I am incredibly stressed about keeping us under the $3,000 couple asset limit at the start of every month. Because my paychecks hit right at the end of the month, our bank balance spikes right before the 1st. I try to pay our bills early to pull the balance down, but processing times mean the payments take 2 to 3 days to clear.

On top of that, the Social Security Administration ssi counts our second car as an asset. It's a beat-up vehicle worth about $1,500, which means I actually only have a $1,500 buffer in the bank to avoid triggering an overpayment. I’ve resorted to withdrawing cash at the end of the month just to clear out the account, but I know cash still technically counts as a resource if they audit us. This all truly makes me wonder how many people have a mattress full of cash some place.

My 91 yo grandma has an overdue SSI financial review. She has early dementia and she is hard of hearing. The letter for the phone interview came in the mail 1 week *after* the scheduled date, so she missed it (she probably didnt hear the ringtone or she answered and it wasnt a family member so she hung up we dont know) so i have to reschedule.

my question is, how can I make this easiest for my grandma? the phone interviews are confusing for her because of the extra interpreter (she speaks spanish) that sometimes is hard to understand and she asks us “what did they say?” and the interviewers dont like that and sometimes she gets a bit frustrated and confused. I read about “Representative Payee” but we don’t want to take her agency away from her since even though she has memory issues, she still has the mental capacity to ask us to take her to her bank every month, to buy her own food at the grocery store, to make meals (with supervision) and to buy her own clothes and meds that her insurance doesnt cover.

should I call SSA and ask for an in person interview? Will they let me do that (id be sitting beside her while making the call) or does she have to do the request herself? will they let a family member with her in the interview to repeat questions for her? she takes notes to remember things will she be allowed to bring notes to her interview? Will the questions be too complicated for her or just basic straight forward questions?

I would like to know if I can start collecting SS before full retirement age, while I am still working, in order to collect the $24,480 annual earnings limit? Assume I earn $12,240 a month. Would I be able to start receiving my SSI in January, and still work January and February and then stop working all together without penalty?

It seems the earnings limit is for taking a small retirement job after retirement, but for me working the full-time job pays way more for my time.

I am just trying to time the start of collecting and the stopping of working for my maximum benefit.

We got the first check yesterday. Obviously, I want to keep it inside a bank account and set up direct deposit, but I can’t get a clear answer on how to do this.

- I don’t need a dedicated account for backpay

- The info packet says to use a Rep Payee account UNLESS you’re the parent living with him, which I am. Then it said I can use a personal bank account. But since there’s 2 names on the check, most banks won’t deposit it into a personal account (from what I can find)

- And if I DO use a payee account, I need to bring proof of me being his payee to set it up. Except I don’t have any, besides the check being in my name (and his) and access to a payee profile on the SSA portal. Everywhere says it’ll be stated in the award of benefits letter, but absolutely nothing in there mentions my name. I asked my bank if the check would be enough proof and they said no, so how do I get proof?? The confirmation of benefits letter I can request from the portal doesn’t mention me either.

Please can someone make me feel less stupid?

It's not letting me see my account for some reason

I've been trying to get this done for close to three years and I'm still nowhere near getting it. All I have is my birth certificate which seems entirely useless- I dont know my ssn, I don't have a passport, I cant get a job because I dont have these things- so none of that paperwork, I dont have any school ID that they care about, and my last medical record was in 2012..so genuinely what do I do ?? I'm so close to just giving up, no one wants to give me a straight answer, everytime I think im getting closer to finding a solution its just another dead end. Do I just accept that I won't be able to do anything with my life at this point...because that's really what its sounding like :(

Hi there, I was awarded SSDI in July of 2024. Got my backpay a few weeks later. Ever since, I've been getting it monthly without a problem.

But last Wednesday, a direct deposit in a large amount from SSA was in my account. No idea why. And today, my usual amount was deposited. This is odd. Obviously, I'm not going on a shopping spree! I don't mess around with the feds haha. I figure I'll wait until this coming Weds, to give them a week to realize what happened and take it back if they need to, and then call them to see.

Has anybody else had large deposits years after approval? If so, what was it for? Just a glitch? Could it be correct? What do I say to them? Any input appreciated, this is just super weird 🤷

UPDATE: Well, apparently it's supposed to be there! It's a "one-time payment." For what? Nobody seems to know. But I have documentation that it is, for real, actually legitimate. Mind is a little blown right now. And I think it's weird that nobody can tell me if it's old backpay, COL, or what. Would the documentation have to state WHY it was deposited? Or is just their statement that it was a one-time payment enough, in the event they decide to try and do a clawback?

🤯🤯🤯

Hey guys so I was approved for SSDI and I was wondering if there is a certain amount you can save and if there was a cap off for a car. What is limit I can go over before they take away my Social Security.

I’m 69, my wife turns 62 in October. I started my SS benefits when I turned 65, I also have pensions from GE and Duke Energy. We have been married for 39 years. My current SS payment is just over $4,000 monthly. My wife said when she checked the SS website for her benefit if she retires at 62 she would get ~$1,600 monthly. A friend told me that since I made significantly more than her she would be entitled to a higher benefit. I’m trying to verify this information, but haven’t had much luck. Can anyone share their experience with this? TIA

Hi, I have suffered with back problems for years (diagnosed with degenerative disc 2 years ago) and it has gotten worse. I also now have bad sciatic (have not been officially seen/diagnosed by a doctor for this yet). I am going to be applying for SSI. Does anybody have any suggestions on how to increase my chances on getting approved for it? I really need to be approved for this because my condition has gotten bad. Any insights or suggestions?

i have been to our local ssa office trying to get a replacement social security card because i got married and got an update on my immigration status.

GET THIS: day before my third visit, i received a new social security card with COMPLETELY DIFFERENT NUMBER and brought that with me to my appointment the next day and even the guy at the counter was baffled.

AFTER THAT THIRD VISIT, guy at the counter shredded the replacement card with wrong ssn and gave me a receipt letter stating that if i dont receive my card (with the right ssn and updated name) within two weeks, to call them and i just did right now turns out they dont have my application in the system so i have to make another visit FOR THE FOURTH TIME.

i have been going thru this application/waiting phase for the past two months 😭 i just want to be able to get a texas ID and move on from all this BS

Hi! Recently I was given a written decision of full approval. However, the start date was incorrect. I told my lawyer assistant - we could ask, look into it, but that I did not want to appeal. Good enough is good enough. Found out on Friday, sent a text on Friday and also, told him on the phone.

Today, I hear my lawyer sent a request for the hearing office to look into sometime between now and then. I'm not sure what happens next. To be frank, I am not sure what I am suppose to do or what's happening. No one has informed me on what's going on. Frustrated and worried. I do know - if we appeal - they can change the decision. It's not worth it to me. Please, anyone explain this more to me.

I'm going to be applying for SSI soon but I'm worried I don't have enough documentation of my issues and I'm not sure how to get more.

I have brain damage from an experimental radiation treatment when I was a kid, but it's never something they fully investigated to my knowledge because they were rightly more focused on helping me not die of cancer.

I am also autistic but once again, nobody ever fully investigated because I never made trouble for anyone.

I do for sure have a PTSD diagnosis on the record from therapy, and must have something about anxiety because I'm on medication for it, but ultimately I'm worried there's not going to be enough of a paper trail and I have no idea how to get more of one, especially since I can't exactly afford a ton of visits to specialists and the one specialist I did visit said they can't check for brain damage for certain because that would expose me to further radiation which would exacerbate said brain damage.

Anyone know how to get more medical evidence for SSI people to look at?

Hey y’all,
Is anybody or has anybody gone back to school and received a Pell grant? If so does it affect your disability review or payments?

Back story :
*Liver transplant 8/12/25 (so it’ll be one year)
* was told I was approved for disability , but haven’t received payments yet
* I have a few other problems, diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoporosis as well, as anxiety and depression. ( up to date and going to doctors)
* wanting to take some Community college classes because it’ll all be paid for so technically I can use my Pell grant refund for other bills including school.
*will be taking online courses mostly but maybe one or two in person?

*my question is since they haven’t paid me for
my disability yet but I am a year out will it mess my case that I applied for 8/4/25.
*if I told them I’m able to do school online because I can do it at my pace will that be okay?

Let me know any experiences, advice , you guys may have.

*also those going to school, would you let you schoolsss as know you might have major doctor s you cannot do miss or might need more time for test taking?

But
Thank you

My daughter (18) is waiting for a 5 month backpay check from SS. We had no idea she could still get benefits after she turned 18 but shes a year older than everyone in her grade so she will graduate May of next year.

We went into SS. The guy begrudgingly accepted our paperwork and told is backpay would get direct deposited like always. except shes mow 18, which i questioned and he shut down. we went home, logged into her ss account and low and behold they mailed a check on august 6 to our old address despite our new Address being on every bit of paperwork we handed the guy.

We immediately went into the post office to forward her mail, but have yet to receive the check. We have informed delivery on both addresses and its not arrived either place.

She got letter stating she’d receive a check “around August 20”. We called SS and the rep we spoke to told us we should’ve had it last week. Does anyone have experience recently with a Survivors Benefit Backpay check taking so long to receive?

Hello, I have been on SSI for 13 years after a diagnosis of Vascular EDS and Porphyria. It will never be cured, it will end with my death. I attempted to work in 2024, but was not able to physically handle the job. This year, a CDR was started, and I am in school for Religious Anthropology. I am an online student and only have 3 contact hours per week and all other classes are online asynchronous. I already have a degree, so I’m not sure if they will consider it retraining or not. All of my doctors agree that I cannot work in my former field of nursing, and one even wants to do more surgery. SSI is the only reason that I am able to still do things. 1/3 goes to rent, 1/3 food 1/3 medical, and 0 fun money. Any Pell goes to transport for school, books, and medical devices that help with school. I was actually prescribed a wheelchair so I could go to campus, but obviously it helps get me out of the house. I am worried that I shot myself in the foot for going to school.