Complaint Review: The Social Security Administration And The United States Government - Nationwide

To answer Stans question, of course not. Yet, I still don't understand why a disabled person, whether he or she is truely disabled or not, can be exempt from child support. Does a disability make you any less of a parent. Suport comes with parenthood. With this system you can play at being mommy or daddy but you don't have to be responsible. I want what's fair. Is this fair? I am not a gold digger and I could care less about where or how he gets his income. I just think the current system sucks. And to the employee I can back my statment up, but no one at the SSA cared. I'm not the only tax payer here. Do we want to continue paying deadbeats scamming the government. Voters in te past wanted the AFDC system overhauled to get rid of 'welfare' mothers. What's the difference here. He's a welfare dad in reverse. He's using SSI to avoid paying and the government is allowing it. I don't care if it's state or federal or whatever it's still wrong.

I do feel bad for those in the OP's situation. Unfortunately, many pensions, retirement checks, and government benefit checks are exempted from attachment and garnishment by federal and/or state laws. These laws are meant to protect those on 'fixed' incomes from having their only means of support taken away. I believe this situation is slowly changing, as child welfare advocates make headway in getting laws changed. As to dependents getting checks, it depends on what program the benefit receipient is receiving benefits from. SSI (Supplemental Security Income) is different than Social Security Disability. Social Security Disability does give dependents support checks. It is an earnings-based program, as the SSA employee stated. SSI, on the other hand, is not an earnings-based program, and I believe, is a program administered jointly by states and the federal government, similar to Medicaid. In fact, children with serious disabilities often get SSI checks to assist with their care. If the 'deadbeat dad' the OP is trying to collect from is on Social Security Disability, then getting checks is likely. If he is on SSI, I do not believe benefit checks are payable.

I know from personal experience that SSI will send checks to minor children. Several years ago, my dad was diagnosed with terminal cancer. He was givin six months to live, he actually lived for three and a half years. He worked for as long as he could and then had to go on SSI. Both myself and my younger sister received checks from SSI. He died when I was sixteen and we continued to receive the checks until we turned 18. Stan really needs to get his facts straight!

Monique, as a career Social Security employee, I am concerned whenever I hear of SSA abuses. However, payment of child support is determined under state law, so a blanket statement cannot be made concerning payment of child support from SSI Disability income. SSI is a needs-based program for aged and disabled individuals. Unlike Social Security benefits, which is paid based upon the earnings of the worker, SSI does not provide payments to dependents. One must qualify for SSI based on their own situation (age, disability, income and resources). Therefore the original poster's children can't be entitled to SSI just because their father receives SSI payment. Concerning the other item raised by the OP, that the child's father is not disabled, if she has evidence to back up her statement, she should share this with her local Social Security office for investigation. (I wonder if she would have raised this question if his SSI were being garnisheed to pay child support?)

In most states collecting child support is difficult when the other parent is on SSI. Thats because the monthly amount is so small that it's difficult to support yourself, let alone minors. I understand your frustration. However, you might want to check and see if your children qualify for benefits under their fathers case. I know that in the case of SSA-D, SSA and I thought SSI, your children as minors would be entitled to a check payable to you for them each month. The check sould be direct deposited into your bank account (to my understanding you must open an account with your name FOR childs name), and each year you would have to 'verify' that you were the one responsible for deciding how the funds were spent. Although I may be off base here, it's worth a call to your local SSA office to find out. Good Luck and keep us updated.