[BlindTlk] FW: SSI change that might be coming

Fri Oct 4 21:13:53 UTC 2019

Hi all! 
Ouch!!!! I’ll bet that penelty hurt! My boy friend is sighted and not on SSI or Social Security benefits at all. I’ll bet our penelty if we got married would be even worse than the one you got. My boy friend and I agree that the current system puts us in a pigeon hole. We call it pigeon holing in our house because, if you think about it, technically, it does stick us in a pigeon hole. True, the intention is to help us get independent, which, during college, I’ll agree there. When not in college, it actually doesn’t actually allow for proper independence, not financially speaking anyway. Yes, we can all get substadised houseing, food stamps and SSI all we want as long as we fit into the right pigeon hole and actually stay there. On the other hand, it’s almost impossible to escape from that same pigeon hole once we are inside that same pigeon hole. I decided to go to school in order to gain true financial independence to get out of that pigeon hole that I found myself in, of course, after I got set up with SSI. The worse thing is that when one is about to leave high school, no one properly informs that same individual just how much of a pigeon hole SSI really is in the current system. I sertainly didn’t get properly informed about the pigeon hole effect. Not even the NFB properly talks about the pigeon hole effect, at least, not extensively. The best article I’ve ever found that brings up the pigeon hole effect is that one in Future Reflections that Ariel Silverman wrote about the benefits and disadvantages about the services that are there for the blind and other disabled people. She included every one of the services out there. Mind you, I disagree with the extra time it mentioned for college accomidations. I for one, have greatly benefited from that particular accomidation many times, especially in math class tests. On the other hand, I totally agree with its argument where it warned about the downsides of SSI benefits. The only other article that warned about the marriage penelty is one Fromm the Braille Fourm in 2014. That article informed the readers about the fact that many people who are on SSI can’t get married or are scared to get married, all because they were on SSI and therefore, living under the thumb of the marriage penelty. I’ll add that the same article spoke dirrectly to me because at the time, I was living with my mom and step dad, was with my current boy friend and both of us wanted to live together. Mind you, this was before we managed to get our own place together. However, this article pointed out that it was clear that the gods didn’t want me to get married because of this gods forsaken penelty, particularly because I was the only benefitiary of this couple and the penelty could be worse for me than for those couples where both were beneficiaries of SSI. I was greatly informed but rather disturbed by that article. I wish there was more information out there that warned about the downsides of the current system. The best warning out there is the limit ammounts of how much money a beneficiary can own at one time or the same for couples. I wish there was more information about the rest of the drawbacks to this pigeon hole. I also look forward to seeing the changes that are comming and tho find out if they will actually happen. Mind you, we to this day have not gotten married because of the penalties that are lurking out there hidden in the wood work. We decided to play it safe instead. We are also still together of course. The man I reffered to in 2014 is the same one I’m currently with. "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear", Author Unknown. 
Thank you for reading this email! Also, please note that I have eighth grade spelling. I'm well known for spelling mistakes. Ironicly, writing is one of my gifts. 
Blessed  Be! 
Kendra Schaber, 
Student of Chemeketa Community College, 
member of 350.ORG Salem, 
Member of the National Federation of the Blind of Oregon, Capitol Chapter. 
Writing on my Polaris Braille Sense. 
Using both Gmail and Outlook. 
Go Detroit, Red Wings! Go Pittsburgh, Penguins! Go Portland, Winterhawks! Go Baltimore, Oriels!  Go Baltimore, Ravens! Go Oregon State Beavers, baseball and football teams!   

> On Oct 4, 2019, at 13:43, Danielle (Shives) Manke via BlindTlk <blindtlk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> I, too, completely support this bill and hope this becomes law. Unfortunately, I didn't do a lot of research before getting married to someone who, like me, receives SSI and was completely caught off guard when, between the two of us, we lost nearly $400. I'm not saying we wouldn't have gotten married had we realized this, but financially, I definitely understand why many don't or can't. There's a reason why everyone refers to this as "the marriage penalty", and such a thing shouldn't exist. You shouldn't be "punished" for getting married and living your life the way anyone else can. I also like the idea of people being able to have more assets without their SSI being effected the way it is. I've long said that the current system makes it very hard for people who rely on it to really get anywhere or have anything, and the changes proposed here would go a long way in making things better.
> Danielle
> 
> --- blindtlk at nfbnet.org wrote:
> 
> From: Eric Calhoun via BlindTlk <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
> To: blindtlk at nfbnet.org
> Cc: Eric Calhoun <eric at pmpmail.com>
> Subject: [BlindTlk] FW: SSI change that might be coming
> Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2019 13:36:23 -0500
> 
> Blindness-related.  What do you think?
> 
> 
> Original Message: 
> From: Football john <johnsnflrox at gmail.com>
> To: undisclosed-recipients: ;
> Subject: SSI change that might be coming
> Date: 
> Fri, 4 Oct 2019 13:10:43 -0400
> 
> SSI change that might be coming
> A bill introduced in Congress would give more flexibility to people 
> receiving Supplemental Security Income benefits. (Disability Scoop)
> 
> People with disabilities who receive Supplemental Security Income would 
> be allowed to keep substantially more assets and would no longer be 
> penalized for
> marrying under a new proposal.
> 
> Currently, in order to retain benefits, SSI recipients generally can 
> have no more than $2,000 to their name at any given time.
> 
> Lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives are looking to 
> significantly increase that ceiling, with a bill introduced this month 
> that would raise SSI's
> asset limit to $10,000 for an individual and $20,000 for couples.
> 
> In addition, the Supplemental Security Income Restoration Act, or H.R. 
> 4280, would increase the amount of disregarded income that beneficiaries 
> can take
> in each month. And, the bill would repeal penalties for marrying or 
> receiving financial, food and housing assistance from family members.
> 
> Backers say the time has come to update Social Security's SSI program, 
> which has remained largely static since 1972.
> 
> "This issue is one I have heard about directly from autism advocates and 
> families in our district, particularly parents preparing for children 
> with disabilities
> to transition into adulthood," said Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., who 
> introduced the measure along with Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz. "This bill 
> brings the
> Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program's outdated limits up to speed 
> with inflation - a common-sense adjustment that will make a huge 
> difference for
> 
> individuals and families caring for someone with disabilities."
> 
> 
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