Suffering a variety of illnesses, 56 year old Bruce Guy applied and was granted Social Security Disability in 2006. One year later, still considered disabled he went back to work with MDOT full time.
Not the same job he had when he was healthy, but a good desk job. He contacted the Social Security Administration to notify them of his change of status. But the 1500 dollar monthly disability checks kept coming to the tune of 18 thousand dollars extra last year. "I don't want trouble with the IRS I don't want trouble with Social Security."
Bruce Guy told us. "I'd love to take the money but everyone I talked to at the Social Security Administration office says you make too much money for us to be giving you this money." Repeated calls to the Jackson Social Security Administration to stop the disability checks went unheeded. According to Guy, "The bottom line is I want them to quit sending me money do what they say they are going to do." Frustrated and trying to do the right thing, Guy called Three On Your Side for help. He says, "It's putting me in a bad situation. That 18 thousand dollars a year is costing me 2 thousand dollars in taxes. I'm not supposed to be getting that money.
Our attempts to contact the Jackson Social Security office were futile. So we went to attorney Tim Porter to help solve Guy's dilemma. Porter agreed. Working a full time job and making over 51 thousand dollars a year, Guy should not be receiving the disability funds. "It seems like he did everything he thought he needed to do to stop the payments and the Social Security Administration hasn't listened. So my question would be is the government asleep at the wheel? Probably."
This apparent case of waste and government inefficiently is forcing Guy to stash the disability, afraid that the government will allege overpayment and demand all of it back. Plus, he's having to pay taxes on it out of his regular paycheck. Porter told us, "I actually talked to the gentleman Marsha. He said I see a lot of ads for attorneys who will try to get you Social Security, but I don't see many who will try to make it stop." When asked if he thought this was a case of government waste, Guy replied, "Do I think this is a waste of taxpayer money? I think this is keeping somebody else from getting disability that needs it very badly."
Your government at work or is it? Porter's last step suggestion guy needs to march down to the Federal building in downtown Jackson with all of his paperwork in hand and speak to someone directly.
4 comments:
The "last step" should have been his first step! Plus, if he is capable of sedentary work, which liberal-minded ALJ allowed his claim in error? Maybe the claim shoud be reopened for "error on the face" and he can pay it all back.
This is a guy who needs an appt. Do we still give them for complex PE matters? It doesn't sound like the local number is listed, but if it is, it could be busy all day anyhow. Or either, bumped to the TSC.
He sounds like a T2 claimant. Then, if so, entitled to a TWP. But, he sounds awfully uninformed -- as if these checks just sorta magically appeared. If he had a hearing, his lawyer would have filled him in lots better than this. Also, his award letter should have a local number.
So, it all sounds weird. Sometimes people just have to advertise how incompetent SSA/any govt agency is. And, notice that the consumer protection types don't seem to have any contacts in the local Congress person's office or the SSA shop. Well, we shall see what happens.
In our FO, our staff has been slashed to the point that we do not do our own work-issue cdr's. They are farmed out to another, even smaller FO. That FO merely sends out SSA-821's that are blank except for the employers' names from the DEQY. When they come back, they are processed if, when, and in any way they can be under the circumstances.
Of course Mr. Guy cannot get help--there is literally no one to help him. work-issue cdr's are one of the lowest priorities when choices must be made literally that some cases will not be done.
Man, I didn't know it was that bad. I haven't looked into this with my friends. One is in a big city class I. I'll check it out for my own information. Just a 821? Not even a damn worksheet? Give me a break. How is he supposed to figure this out--with a Ouiga Board?!!
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