Disability in US =Life sentence of poverty

If you are a 100% disabled person living in the United States and receiving SSI (Social Security Insurance) you are locked into a poverty level for life.  The average payment is $698 a month with states paying a smaller amount to make up the difference to bring you up to the poverty level.  For a single person the magic number is $10660 a year.  That is all well and good, it pays for the basics and the disabled person usually has medical and food assistance.  

But there is a catch.  

Under the rules of receiving SSI the recipient is only allowed to make a maximum of $50 a month above the federal payments. That basically means that if the disabled person takes in more than $50 from any source they are subject to a stoppage of benefits or at least a reduction in the benefit amount.  

If grandma gives you a 100 bucks for Christmas they will deduct it from your January check.

Basically the disabled person is prevented from ever rising above the basic poverty level unless they wish to lose their lifeline benefits. Even if they sell property worth more than $50 they are obligated to report it and will have that amount deducted from their benefits to insure they never rise above the poverty income level for even a month.  

Any savings they have before becoming disabled will have to be drained before they receive any benefits.  So not only are disabled persons required to remain at the poverty level but any and all assets they have before their disability must be exhausted before they can receive a benefits.  So a disabled person must be reduced to the poverty level before they are granted disability.  

This basically means that not only must the person suffer a reduction in the quality of life due to the disability but they must also have their life futher degraded to the poverty level to qualify for benefits.

This is discriminatory in nature and denies the disabled from ever having the opportunity of a better life, a life that is already in ruins from the disability.

A person that is 100% disabled is not necessarily unable to make money.  Look at Steven Hawking, he is 100% disabled yet is a successful author, theoretical physicist, father and teacher.

Many disabled persons can make money but federal policy discourages that with its $50 monthly limit on earnings.

Why should a disabled person be prevented from ever rising above a marginal existence?

This policy prevents the disabled from ever saving enough to buy a car or a home, it prevents them from having any liquid assets that could be used to improve their condition above poverty level.

This is unacceptable policy and treatment, this is discrimination against the disabled and this issue needs to be addressed.

Please contact your congressman, senator, or representatives and ask them why the disabled are sentenced, without due process, to a life of poverty and prevented by policy from ever rising above the poverty level.

(c) Rick Carufel 2012