Budget related, anyone know about disability benefits?

[Judique]

The benefits you receive for your children must be spent on your children and not saved. If you make an appointment with your local SS Office, they will go over everything. The money can be applied to anything relating to the care of your child. Percentage of mortgage, food, clothing, or even an air conditioner. Every year you will get a representatives payee report you need to fill out. On that report it will ask you if you saved anything, spend it all. The money is not meant as a savings account. That is why Social Security recommends you direct deposit the money into a household checking account.

Doreen

The statement about 'not saved' is incorrect. You certainly may save it for the benefit of the child.

Saving it assumes that all the childs needs are already met.

Some children get Social Security benefits because of the death of the parent. There may be a surviving parent who is quite capable of providing full support for the child. The surviving parent as the representative payee can than choose to use the money towards the current needs of the child or choose to save the money for the future needs of the child (such as college).

 

[Judique]

Checks that are direct deposited, must be deposited into an account with only your childs name on it. (or at least they must be the primary). Since this rule was always a problem with the bank and SSD (they didn't agree) we chose to get the checks mailed to us for the childrens benefits. I just sign my name on the back (it is actually in your name with the child as the secondary) and deposit into my bank account. I can also cash them if I want.

The problem is only with direct deposit. Hope this helps.

Checks for the benefit of a child recipient may be direct deposited into the account of the representative payee, usually but not always, a parent. The child's name does not have to be on this account.

The representative payee has a duty to use the money for the child or save it for the child.

 

[ameraumi]

Checks that are direct deposited, must be deposited into an account with only your childs name on it. (or at least they must be the primary). Since this rule was always a problem with the bank and SSD (they didn't agree) we chose to get the checks mailed to us for the childrens benefits. I just sign my name on the back (it is actually in your name with the child as the secondary) and deposit into my bank account. I can also cash them if I want.

The problem is only with direct deposit. Hope this helps.

I wonder if the rules are different for SSD and Survivor benefits. I receive Survivor Benefits for myself and my 2 children, all 3 are deposited in my acct. Theirs are listed as "To Ameraumi, for the benefit of...". I just received the letter stating that we had to have the HS fill out a form for DS to continue to receive benefits as he is turning 18. Since he will be 18, the money will then have to go into an acct in his name.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

Checks for the benefit of a child recipient may be direct deposited into the account of the representative payee, usually but not always, a parent. The child's name does not have to be on this account.

The representative payee has a duty to use the money for the child or save it for the child.

I spent many hours trying to get the money deposited for my children. Different banks must have different regulations. I am unable to deposit their checks into anything other than their own acct. But as I said, it could be different bank/state regulations.

I wonder if the rules are different for SSD and Survivor benefits. I receive Survivor Benefits for myself and my 2 children, all 3 are deposited in my acct. Theirs are listed as "To Ameraumi, for the benefit of...". I just received the letter stating that we had to have the HS fill out a form for DS to continue to receive benefits as he is turning 18. Since he will be 18, the money will then have to go into an acct in his name.

Both of mine will not turn 18 until they are graduated from High School so I have no knowledge of this situation.

 

[momof5boys]

Thanks again for the replies! I am glad to see that some of you have been able to deposit the childrens checks into a household account. I honestly wonder if it is our bank that is requiring the separate accounts? If that's the case then I think it may be time to switch banks. I can't image carrying around 3 different checkbooks, especially with back to school shopping, etc! The bad thing is the bank manager we talked to is my brother in law. Guess DH will have to tell him if we choose to move our bank accounts!

 

[DOREEN1779]

Just to clarify, disability payments and benefits are different from survivor payments and benefits and the rules are different in regard to minor children.

Doreen

 

[Cindy B]

Just to clarify, disability payments and benefits are different from survivor payments and benefits and the rules are different in regard to minor children.

Doreen

Yes, ex. Social Security employee.


Disability is one trust fund.

SSI is different than disability. I don't know anything about SSI implementation except that the field offices had their own regulations on this. Many clients got SSI and Social Security disability confused.

And if you got workmens compensation and you were disabled it was a totally different way of computing benefits, which also changed once and if you hit retirement age.

If someone dies young, (under retirement age), it is a different way of computing benefits for Widows and survivors.

Retirement account is different from survivors.

Widows/Widowers accounts and how they compute benefits is different thant survivors.


Now you all understand why I left!

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

If it helps OP,

I am disabled. My children receive a monthly check separate from my SSD check, it is for children of Disabled parents, and Direct Deposit into the family account was NOT allowed. You had to have a child's account in their name, or elect to have the check mailed and then physically deposit it.

Hopefully the others on the list above may be able to help you with the other scenarios. Good Luck (and before you upset your BIL, call if you have SSD, the bank's hands may be tied, and why start a family fight over something that can't be changed.)