Re: Disability- Back to Work -Trial Months

[Guest guest]

okay, let me ask a question of the group on this same idea, i saw the trial ticket to work, but, I can't see a reason to use it, when one is allowed to earn income anyhow, why would one choose to use the ticket over just working part-time without a ticket? thanks, larryOn Dec 16, 2008, at 6:32 AM, martin.murray55 wrote:It is so helpful to have this discussion about back to work and trial months. My understanding is that any monies made by going back to work need to be "spent down". Does that mean to $2000? For those who have gone through this process, does the case worker ask to see your bank statement for each month that one works?Thanks much.

[Guest guest]

,

The $2000 you mentioned has to do with Medicaid, not SSD. To get Medicaid, you do have to pretty much use up all monies and assets, and get at or below $2000 to use the state funded insurance. If you have tons of assets, and think that at some point you may need Medicaid, now is the time to transfer assets to mom or dad for safekeeping. Medicaid really requires you to be broke, with severely limited income to use them. I had just sold my home in 1993, had tons of cash in several accounts from my equity, and Medicaid never new for some reason. I did, however "spend down" and bought the things that I thought I'd need, or want, to make me comfortable in the near and far future. I bought an expensive bed, took a long vacation to Key West, paid car off, etc. They don't care really how it's spent down, only that it is. Now, I wish I'd taken some money and gave it to my dad for safe keeping. I didn't use the money to spend down my medical bills,

because at that time, my medical bills, with my medicines, with procrit shots and neulasta, would have eaten up all my money at one fell swoop. So, I decided to spend down, but to enjoy the money as I spent down. Oh well.

Social Security Disability is not the same as Medicaid at all. On SSD you and your doc simply have to prove that you are disabled using their (The SSA's) methodology and criteria.

Social Security DOES ocasionally check with the IRS after you report that you've gone back to work (even for guys like me that are on very limited hours) to make sure that you have not used your trial work periods, and if you use one up, the let you know. I just got a letter stating that I used 6 of my 9 trial work months, so they do check. I knew about the trial work periods, and planned it out to get caught up in some bills. I'm using trial work period number 7 this month to assist in Christmas expenses and to get some house projects done. I'll save the other two for rainy day months. BUT, my disability is heavily documented, and I report to my docs everything I'm going through, or feeling. I document like crazy. Why? Because at some point my disability status may be challenged by SSD, and I'm prepared for that. My docs have said that even now, I'm "severely disabled" and cannot work FT at any job. I just happen to have a good

job, where my employers allow me to sit and rest as I need to, and allow me to call in sick without severe penalty, and they make my schedule out so that I can see my docs as I need to. My job works with me well on my disability, but I know, and they know, that I'd never, ever be able to do my job FT, so I'm all about documenting. (Thanks Best Buy!!!!)

I was honest last Feb when I reported that I was going to attempt to work PT, and reported it to SSD. The worker I talked to thanked me for my honesty in reporting this change. He said that some do not, and once caught (and he said that they always get caught), then they have to repay every bit of the monies that SSD gave to them. I'm glad I reported it, but always wonder if I would have gotten caught "in my lifetime". Oh well, I'm always honest.

Looks like a great day in Alabama!! Have a nice week....

"If no one could ever see it, would you still buy that Mercedes?"

From: martin.murray55 <martin.murray55@...>Subject: Disability- Back to Work -Trial Months Date: Tuesday, December 16, 2008, 9:32 AM

It is so helpful to have this discussion about back to work and trial months. My understanding is that any monies made by going back to work need to be "spent down". Does that mean to $2000? For those who have gone through this process, does the case worker ask to see your bank statement for each month that one works?Thanks much.