Woke up yesterday to a letter in the mail from SS. Basically saying we are cutting off your benefits, you earn too much via working, etc etc.
So I call them today and talk to a nice lady. Basically, you can't earn more than 940 per month GROSS. Which as we all know is lame...We all have to pay taxes when working, so it should be NET instead. Anyways...Here are my options and i'm not quite sure what to do (excuse the length, but I know many of you guys are smart, have gone down similar roads like this, and some of you have time on your hands, might be bored enough to read it, and offer advice):
#1 Quit totally: Aside from the massive $$$ hit this will bring down on me, at least I would have my benefits, and more importantly, the time needed to properly look for a better career. As it is now, between my care and working full time, I don't have ANY time to properly look for a better job/career. I mean higher end things, like federal security, enter a law enforcement academy, and all the phone calls/meetings/tests/processing that you need for that to happen. My goal (if my health stays good like it is now) is to enter an academy, etc. So maybe this might be the better route. I have a few surrounding counties, and a couple federal agencies I could look into. Due to my only time being off is on the weekend, if I keep working full time (regardless of SS), I just won't be able to do what I need to do.
*THE DOWNSIDE(s) TO THIS OPTION*: Much less money income per month. I am now used to working full time, and applying everywhere does take time, but not a full time job amount of time, which would mean a ton of time of boredom/reflection/possible depression. Also, there is no guarantee I will be accepted anywhere. Just like I found out with my local counties sheriff dept.
#2 Part time + SS benefits: At my current job, due to my rate of pay (GROSS), I won't be able to work hardly any time at all. Basically 15 hours per week, which isn't even two 8 hour shifts. My boss and company is very understanding and accommodating, but disrupting shifts with a request of 15 hours per week or less, is just ridiculous and I fully understand them not going for it. Other options could be part time at another site that my company contracts through, but those sites pay similar rates, so it might be an equally silly request (>15 hrs a week). Getting a part time low paying job at some place like blockbuster, or something similar that is beyond uninteresting to me, and not anywhere near what my education/training is in. The last option could be working under the table somewhere, but jobs like those are usually construction. If I could find something under the table that paid ~10 an hour, full or part time, I wouldn't mind at all, except for construction (while I'm healthy for a 36 yo cf patient, that work in the Florida sun would just wreck me).If I were somehow able to magically get right to the mark of 940 a month, and keep my ss benefits, this option would leave me the closest to where I am now with full time work + benefits.
*THE DOWNSIDE(S) TO THIS OPTION*: Well, many actually. Not working in my field anymore, which would mean no longer acrueing experience in that field any more. Which was the main purpose of me starting to work again, to try and offset the long period of time on disability to my potential employers/law enforcement agencies eyes. Trying to stay below 940 a month is nearly impossible, even part time at Macdonald's (due to them looking at GROSS), so I don't know how people do it without working under the table. Anyways, i'm sure you can see the downsides to this option, but if I were able to work under 940 a month, this would be the financially best option. When we are selected to be hired by an employer, it's because we can offer them time, skills, etc. If all we can offer is 15 or less hours per week at a respectable wage, why would they hire you when they have a ton of people wanting to work full time? Especially in this crappy economy with tons of lay offs?
#3 Continuing to stay at my current work and lose all benefits: If I were to chose doing this, and lose ALL my SS benefits, and status as disabled, I would make roughly $500 less per month than if I were to work part time at the limit (if possible to do) and received my benefits. The only real positive side to this, would be continuing to acrue experience in this field.
*THE DOWNSIDE(S) TO THIS OPTION: Tons of downsides. I wouldn't be labeled as disabled anymore, which is a big hit. My medicare enabled status would go away. I would have to pay out of pocket for my current medicare health plan, which is a back up plan now. The huge uncertainty of having CF, not having a great job/career with benefits to help me out if I crash land health wise again. Basically that safety net of SS benefits would be gone, and to be honest, it's pretty scary going that route. I can always make due (though it would be rough) with much less money and be on SS benefits...But not having anything there at all and be expected to work full time at a "just a paycheck" job with no benefits, and kind of go nowhere else, is scary.
*WHERE MY MIND IS NOW, AND WHERE I'M LEANING: Reality is reality, and this is where I am now. Regardless if the system is messed up or unfair to us, this is it. I have got to make a decision by April 1st. I also forgot to mention I will have to pay back a ton of money, even though I did my part by calling them and informing them when I started, and followed up. As of now, I will try to go part time with my current company, and almost guaranteed to hear they can't do it. Which will mean I will have to quit...And possibly look for part time work else where. As it is right now, with both sources of income and benefits, I'm pretty much independent. I can take care of my own health needs, and everything that goes along with that, and help with the financial burden of car insurance, house problems, food, and everything else. Take that way, and I'm much more dependent on my family and my fiance. Which we all know is not a good thing. As I have shared before, my father put (a substantial amount) into retirement/SS for around 50 years, and never touched a dime due to dying before he retired. I was able to claim on it due to disability, and being his child. I am not what healthy outsiders could describe as a leech on the system, not to mention I'm paying into it while working as well.
If I were able to land a good position in an actual career (like my plans are), this wouldn't be such a bad deal of bad news.
Anyways thanks for your time. I'm sure many of you guys have dealt with this to some degree. Any advice would be appreciated.
So I call them today and talk to a nice lady. Basically, you can't earn more than 940 per month GROSS. Which as we all know is lame...We all have to pay taxes when working, so it should be NET instead. Anyways...Here are my options and i'm not quite sure what to do (excuse the length, but I know many of you guys are smart, have gone down similar roads like this, and some of you have time on your hands, might be bored enough to read it, and offer advice):
#1 Quit totally: Aside from the massive $$$ hit this will bring down on me, at least I would have my benefits, and more importantly, the time needed to properly look for a better career. As it is now, between my care and working full time, I don't have ANY time to properly look for a better job/career. I mean higher end things, like federal security, enter a law enforcement academy, and all the phone calls/meetings/tests/processing that you need for that to happen. My goal (if my health stays good like it is now) is to enter an academy, etc. So maybe this might be the better route. I have a few surrounding counties, and a couple federal agencies I could look into. Due to my only time being off is on the weekend, if I keep working full time (regardless of SS), I just won't be able to do what I need to do.
*THE DOWNSIDE(s) TO THIS OPTION*: Much less money income per month. I am now used to working full time, and applying everywhere does take time, but not a full time job amount of time, which would mean a ton of time of boredom/reflection/possible depression. Also, there is no guarantee I will be accepted anywhere. Just like I found out with my local counties sheriff dept.
#2 Part time + SS benefits: At my current job, due to my rate of pay (GROSS), I won't be able to work hardly any time at all. Basically 15 hours per week, which isn't even two 8 hour shifts. My boss and company is very understanding and accommodating, but disrupting shifts with a request of 15 hours per week or less, is just ridiculous and I fully understand them not going for it. Other options could be part time at another site that my company contracts through, but those sites pay similar rates, so it might be an equally silly request (>15 hrs a week). Getting a part time low paying job at some place like blockbuster, or something similar that is beyond uninteresting to me, and not anywhere near what my education/training is in. The last option could be working under the table somewhere, but jobs like those are usually construction. If I could find something under the table that paid ~10 an hour, full or part time, I wouldn't mind at all, except for construction (while I'm healthy for a 36 yo cf patient, that work in the Florida sun would just wreck me).If I were somehow able to magically get right to the mark of 940 a month, and keep my ss benefits, this option would leave me the closest to where I am now with full time work + benefits.
*THE DOWNSIDE(S) TO THIS OPTION*: Well, many actually. Not working in my field anymore, which would mean no longer acrueing experience in that field any more. Which was the main purpose of me starting to work again, to try and offset the long period of time on disability to my potential employers/law enforcement agencies eyes. Trying to stay below 940 a month is nearly impossible, even part time at Macdonald's (due to them looking at GROSS), so I don't know how people do it without working under the table. Anyways, i'm sure you can see the downsides to this option, but if I were able to work under 940 a month, this would be the financially best option. When we are selected to be hired by an employer, it's because we can offer them time, skills, etc. If all we can offer is 15 or less hours per week at a respectable wage, why would they hire you when they have a ton of people wanting to work full time? Especially in this crappy economy with tons of lay offs?
#3 Continuing to stay at my current work and lose all benefits: If I were to chose doing this, and lose ALL my SS benefits, and status as disabled, I would make roughly $500 less per month than if I were to work part time at the limit (if possible to do) and received my benefits. The only real positive side to this, would be continuing to acrue experience in this field.
*THE DOWNSIDE(S) TO THIS OPTION: Tons of downsides. I wouldn't be labeled as disabled anymore, which is a big hit. My medicare enabled status would go away. I would have to pay out of pocket for my current medicare health plan, which is a back up plan now. The huge uncertainty of having CF, not having a great job/career with benefits to help me out if I crash land health wise again. Basically that safety net of SS benefits would be gone, and to be honest, it's pretty scary going that route. I can always make due (though it would be rough) with much less money and be on SS benefits...But not having anything there at all and be expected to work full time at a "just a paycheck" job with no benefits, and kind of go nowhere else, is scary.
*WHERE MY MIND IS NOW, AND WHERE I'M LEANING: Reality is reality, and this is where I am now. Regardless if the system is messed up or unfair to us, this is it. I have got to make a decision by April 1st. I also forgot to mention I will have to pay back a ton of money, even though I did my part by calling them and informing them when I started, and followed up. As of now, I will try to go part time with my current company, and almost guaranteed to hear they can't do it. Which will mean I will have to quit...And possibly look for part time work else where. As it is right now, with both sources of income and benefits, I'm pretty much independent. I can take care of my own health needs, and everything that goes along with that, and help with the financial burden of car insurance, house problems, food, and everything else. Take that way, and I'm much more dependent on my family and my fiance. Which we all know is not a good thing. As I have shared before, my father put (a substantial amount) into retirement/SS for around 50 years, and never touched a dime due to dying before he retired. I was able to claim on it due to disability, and being his child. I am not what healthy outsiders could describe as a leech on the system, not to mention I'm paying into it while working as well.
If I were able to land a good position in an actual career (like my plans are), this wouldn't be such a bad deal of bad news.
Anyways thanks for your time. I'm sure many of you guys have dealt with this to some degree. Any advice would be appreciated.