If you quilify for welfare do you get actual money?

[momz]

I would say to do something specifically for the kids. My sister was on welfare as well as had medicare for her kids. She was getting student loans and her husband was working under the table. He was making about $50,000 per year. Her rent was $250 per month on government assistance. I know for a fact that she was getting weekly manicures and monthly hair appointments as well as tattoos. She told us that she deserved all of these things. Her kids and herself have always had cell phones and all of the latest gadgets. The welfare system is severely flawed. Her circle of friends were just like her. On a side note, I tried to get her kids gifts for Christmas feeling the same as you and they had EVERYTHING. They even made fun of the gifts we gave them. She still claims that she deserves this money from the government. On my podium--if you are getting any type of government assistance you should not be getting hair done, manicures, have cell phones. If these are gifts then sell them for food. If you are exchanging for babysitting then get a job that will pay money. I do see there are many people that need government assistance but too many get it that don't need it and that is a fact.

I hate to jump in here, but I have seen this type of fraud as well. This is what makes many people skeptical of anyone that is receiving government assistance. It is my business because I am paying taxes to support it. I think the intent of the system is commendable. It is supposed to be a stop gap, not a way of life.

I have a neighbor receiving SS income because of the death of her spouse (a situation that is horrible in and of itself). The fact that she and her children are collecting SS is not a problem for me. But...she is also getting medicaid, free lunch for her kids, free cell phones for herself and her kids, SNAP (or EBT, or whatever it is called...aka food stamps). If these things were truely a NEED then I wouldn't have a problem with it. But, she works under-the-table so she doesn't have any reportable income other than her SS money.

I used to be friends with her until I figured out she was scamming everyone she could. She has been widowed for 12 years (again, I see a responsibility to assist her so don't begrudge her the SS money), but she uses this marital status to play on the heart strings of the people she cons. I know because I have been conned by her.

She gets people to pay for her kids school clothes and Christmas gifts (I've done both). But...every year, her kids have more and better clothes and Christmas gifts than my own do. The last year I helped her with Christmas, my son had been over on Christmas afternoon and her kids showed him their gifts I finally realized I had been had. Why was I giving her $$ to shower her kids with Christmas gifts which was WAY beyond what is appropriate to spend at my house on such things. Then to have her kids flaunt it in front of mine. It made me sick.

She actually refused to allow her daughter to get a job because it may impact the amount of $$ they would get from SSI. So, even though her daughter is now 17, wants to have a job to save for her own future, the mother is encouraging (even teaching) the daughter how to milk "the system" for all she can get.

What ever happened to pulling yourself up by the bootstraps and making your own way? I, for one would much rather have the dignity of going to work everyday, and living within my means as opposed to playing the game of hand outs.

I'm sure the vast majority are not like this...but this type of thing is what sours me on the whole idea of 'welfare".

 

[momz]

Did you report them for welfare fraud? Welfare fraud is probably not as prevalent as people believe, but it would be less prevalent than it is if people would report it. And it isn't hard to prove since she needs to pay the bills for the phones, which means a bank account (you don't move $50k a year in cash and pay for cell phone contracts), which means its a simple audit. Without people reporting fraud, the system has no way to address those that do it.

I'm curious about this. How does one go about report such a thing? Who do you contact? Is it an annonymous reporting system, or do you have to identify yourself...I would worry about retaliation.

 

[ShayBells]

I didn't read any replies but it's all different. There's food stamps cash assistance insurance and where I live energy bill help.

I'm surprised she gets cash assistance. I was told I couldn't qualify without trying for child support first.

With cash assistance you do get money on a debit card usually. Everyone gets different amounts depending on situation (ie dependents etc)

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[crisi]

I'm curious about this. How does one go about report such a thing? Who do you contact? Is it an annonymous reporting system, or do you have to identify yourself...I would worry about retaliation.

The reporting mechanism varies by state, depending on the state you may need to identify yourself but who you are will not be disclosed to the person investigated if you choose not. A web search will handle the specifics for your state, but you will want to have as much information as you can....for instance keep a log for a few months of what you think is the suspicious activity or any comments made (yeah, I roofed that house and they paid me in cash), will give the auditors some specifics to follow up on. The more information you have, the more likely it is to be pursued. If you are calling to simply gripe without specifics - they don't have the audit staff to pursue

 

[sookie]

Just curious. My friends dd gets what they call "Welfare". She isn't with her husband,he pays no child support and she doesn't work. She quit her job when she found out she was pregnant with third child a couple of months ago. But she has all this money for peds/mans, hair stylist every 3 weeks. So I was always under the impression welfare was just food stamps, Medicaid, housing. Do they actually get cash to spend? And if so, how much cash do they get a month?

Why do you care what she does with her money? And how do you know this?

Thanks guys. I wasn't sure if they got cash or not. I was wanting to do something for friends dd and kids for the holidays, but not knowing what you actually get with welfare did not know what might be more helpful. I may do like baby sitting coupons or something like that.

This seems really out of left field after your OP.

Well, if that was the intention when you started this thread, why did you ask about welfare cash? Why didn't you just ask if "babysitting coupons" would be an appropriate gift for a single mom of 3?

Amen to that. People need to stop worrying about others and just worry about themselves.

As long as she isn't taking frequent DCL or WDW vacations....

 

[luvmy3]

Or they can look to see why someone with only 40 or so posts is starting threads about how well someone on welfare is living. Considering how repeating urban legends about welfare queens is guaranteed to create controversy.

You know there really are welfare queens, and some of us really do know them. Maybe because we are on a Disney message board you don't think we would, I don't know, but you have no idea where we have come from or where we are now. I do agree it creates controversy when it comes up, but not every story is a myth.

Now back to the OP. If your friend is struggling to pay for childcare then babysitting coupons are great. I'd also probably get her kids something as well. If you are troubled by the fact that she gets manicures etc maybe give her a GC for that stuff so she can use her cash for something else.
Give her grocery store GCs, pay a portion of her heat for the winter. Get her kids some good winter coats and boots. There are plenty of things you could get to help if that is what you really want to do.

 

[A_Princess'_Daddy]

You know there really are welfare queens, and some of us really do know them. Maybe because we are on a Disney message board you don't think we would, I don't know, but you have no idea where we have come from or where we are now. I do agree it creates controversy when it comes up, but not every story is a myth. Now back to the OP. If your friend is struggling to pay for childcare then babysitting coupons are great. I'd also probably get her kids something as well. If you are troubled by the fact that she gets manicures etc maybe give her a GC for that stuff so she can use her cash for something else. Give her grocery store GCs, pay a portion of her heat for the winter. Get her kids some good winter coats and boots. There are plenty of things you could get to help if that is what you really want to do.

If you know them, report them. Theft is theft. I believe it is very rare, as I believe most criminal activity is very rare, but rare doesn't mean non-existent and so if somebody is committing welfare fraud, they should be stopped, which should also resolve your concerns about their fraudulent activity.

 

[luvmy3]

If you know them, report them. Theft is theft. I believe it is very rare, as I believe most criminal activity is very rare, but rare doesn't mean non-existent and so if somebody is committing welfare fraud, they should be stopped, which should also resolve your concerns about their fraudulent activity.

Interesting beliefs.

 

[Colleen27]

OP, yes, there is cash welfare available. It is subject to time limits and in most states is only a minimal amount of money per month. In the lowest-paying states it is about 10% of the poverty level for the group size; in the most generous it is about 50%. And from that money, 30% generally has to go towards housing (standard terms of housing assistance). Many states also have a recipient contribution requirement for utility assistance.

From what I understand, there is a lot of barter among those that are poor. A lot of manicures are done in exchange for "I'll watch your kids" A lot of hair cuts are done in exchange for help with repairs. When no one has a lot of money, this sort of barter system becomes very important. So while some states give out money to welfare recipients, the existence of cash does not mean items or services (services especially) are paid for in cash.

Absolutely. And that's true regardless of whether or not public assistance is involved. It is a way of having a better standard of living than one's income can provide as well as a way of maintaining some pride when people do pitch in to help (ie doing a friend's nails in exchange for babysitting feels more like a mutually beneficial arrangement, even if that friend never would have paid to have her nails done, than just accepting the free babysitting). There are a lot of skills that don't command much in the workforce but are very useful in person-to-person transactions (babysitting, house cleaning, doing nails/hair, etc).

 

[A_Princess'_Daddy]

Interesting beliefs.

Thank you.

Not only that, but I am quite confident that the white collar fraud that takes place in the financial sector outstrips "welfare fraud" in this country by a factor of 1,000 to one, if not dramatically more.

We all know about Bernie Madoff's $50+ billion ponzi scheme, but how many know about Bruno Iksil, AKA the London Whale? He alone lost in excess of $6 billion in a few days through fraudulent trading for J.P. Morgan Chase (while he was based in London, J.P. Morgan Chase is US domiciled and the case was pursued by the SEC and DOJ, which fined J.P. Morgan over $1 billion for their role in allowing it to happen), and the ripple that put through the rest of the derivatives market will never fully be understood (and, it should be noted, the derivatives market is really nothing more than legalized gambling to begin with).

And of course there were Enron, WorldCom, Tyco, Arthur Anderson, commodity market manipulation, bank failures, hedge fund collapses, cases of insider trading, etc.

If we as a country really want to crack down to stop theft, the scale of theft on Wall Street would boggle your minds. But I'm not jaded because even there (and Wall Street represents the financial sector in my case), I believe 99.99% of people in the industry are largely ethical. The difference is the unethical ones are stealing billions upon billions of dollars, instead of $126 a month in food assistance to feed a family that maybe could get by without it.

 

[Colleen27]

I'm surprised she gets cash assistance. I was told I couldn't qualify without trying for child support first.

That is a federal mandate. Unless you can show good cause not to pursue support (ie an ex that is a proven danger to the mother or children) you have to cooperate with support enforcement, and I've yet to hear about anyone successfully getting that exception. But cooperation often doesn't equal getting support; it means providing as much information as possible to enable Friend of the Court to locate the kids' father and establish a support order, but many orders end up virtually uncollectable. I've had a support order in place for 13 of my son's 15 years on this planet, but most of the time I receive nothing because my ex is out of work or working under the table so no income withholding can be established.

 

[Karlzmom]

Did you report them for welfare fraud? Welfare fraud is probably not as prevalent as people believe, but it would be less prevalent than it is if people would report it. And it isn't hard to prove since she needs to pay the bills for the phones, which means a bank account (you don't move $50k a year in cash and pay for cell phone contracts), which means its a simple audit. Without people reporting fraud, the system has no way to address those that do it.

Yes, yes it is. As a prosecutor who has handled that caseload it is incredible how wide spread the fraud is. A number of years ago San Diego County did a study and even after telling each recipient they would be visited in the next 90 days they still found massive amounts of fraud. Between unreported income, lying about how many people are in the home, lying about where the other parent is, using the childcare program while not attending classes or work etc. it is unbelievable how much taxpayers are on the hook for beyond the well intentioned safety net.

Agreed, if you suspect fraud, report it.

 

[Marionnette]

Thank you.

Not only that, but I am quite confident that the white collar fraud that takes place in the financial sector outstrips "welfare fraud" in this country by a factor of 1,000 to one, if not dramatically more.

We all know about Bernie Madoff's $50+ billion ponzi scheme, but how many know about Bruno Iksil, AKA the London Whale? He alone lost in excess of $6 billion in a few days through fraudulent trading for J.P. Morgan Chase (while he was based in London, J.P. Morgan Chase is US domiciled and the case was pursued by the SEC and DOJ, which fined J.P. Morgan over $1 billion for their role in allowing it to happen), and the ripple that put through the rest of the derivatives market will never fully be understood (and, it should be noted, the derivatives market is really nothing more than legalized gambling to begin with).

And of course there were Enron, WorldCom, Tyco, Arthur Anderson, commodity market manipulation, bank failures, hedge fund collapses, cases of insider trading, etc.

If we as a country really want to crack down to stop theft, the scale of theft on Wall Street would boggle your minds. But I'm not jaded because even there (and Wall Street represents the financial sector in my case), I believe 99.99% of people in the industry are largely ethical. The difference is the unethical ones are stealing billions upon billions of dollars, instead of $126 a month in food assistance to feed a family that maybe could get by without it.

Distract and deflect.

Nice attempt to change the discussion. I'm sure more than a few will follow you down this rabbit hole instead of sticking to the discussion at hand.

 

[tvguy]

Did you report them for welfare fraud? Welfare fraud is probably not as prevalent as people believe, but it would be less prevalent than it is if people would report it. And it isn't hard to prove since she needs to pay the bills for the phones, which means a bank account (you don't move $50k a year in cash and pay for cell phone contracts), which means its a simple audit. Without people reporting fraud, the system has no way to address those that do it.

Well, after having spend time volunteering at both the food bank and homeless shelter, I was frankly shocked at how prevalent welfare fraud is, and how uninterested government agencies are in investigating it.
I am glad to help someone get food, medical care, and counseling, but I just walked away from the lady who insisted someone should help her get a new iphone because she lost her old one at the bar the night before.

 

[A_Princess'_Daddy]

Distract and deflect.

Nice attempt to change the discussion. I'm sure more than a few will follow you down this rabbit hole instead of sticking to the discussion at hand.

Excuse me? Why are you attacking me? I suggested that if welfare fraud is believed to be taking place, that it should be reported, as theft is theft. I also wonder why welfare fraud is so much more interesting to people than larger cases of fraud. If you disagree, post some empirical evidence to the contrary instead of attacking me.

 

[Granny square]

Or they can look to see why someone with only 40 or so posts is starting threads about how well someone on welfare is living. Considering how repeating urban legends about welfare queens is guaranteed to create controversy.

Good points.

44 posts in 5 years.

There is welfare fraud. There are also people just barely making it. I live in a city devastated by a plant closure. As many white collar as blue out of work. 23% unemployment. People can't sell their homes to move elsewhere. As unemployment benefits ended they've wound up in the other systems. Few are getting mani pedis. And they are as easily gifts and barter as wasting the funds.

If people need help help them. Novel concept. Ask them what would be helpful.

 

[njmom47]

My oldest dd gets foodstamps for her and my dgd. She gets cash each month as well, 1/3 of which she uses to help pay her rent even though she gets housing assistance. She got WIC when she was pregnant and when my dgd was young. She has done the paperwork for child support but since dgd's dad is in and out of jail, I doubt she'll be getting that any time soon. I pay her cellphone bill and we pay her car insurance (which is the cheapest of all 5 of us), but for the most part, she is on her own.
So yes, people who receive EBTs also do get cash.

 

[Granny square]

http://waysandmeans.house.gov/legacy/humres/107cong/6-11-02/6-11find.htm

Briefly, about 2% at best guess for welfare fraud with only a percentage of that being "welfare queen" caliber. Most is just some under the table cash flow.

 

[davedmaine]

Thank you.

Not only that, but I am quite confident that the white collar fraud that takes place in the financial sector outstrips "welfare fraud" in this country by a factor of 1,000 to one, if not dramatically more.

We all know about Bernie Madoff's $50+ billion ponzi scheme, but how many know about Bruno Iksil, AKA the London Whale? He alone lost in excess of $6 billion in a few days through fraudulent trading for J.P. Morgan Chase (while he was based in London, J.P. Morgan Chase is US domiciled and the case was pursued by the SEC and DOJ, which fined J.P. Morgan over $1 billion for their role in allowing it to happen), and the ripple that put through the rest of the derivatives market will never fully be understood (and, it should be noted, the derivatives market is really nothing more than legalized gambling to begin with).

And of course there were Enron, WorldCom, Tyco, Arthur Anderson, commodity market manipulation, bank failures, hedge fund collapses, cases of insider trading, etc.

If we as a country really want to crack down to stop theft, the scale of theft on Wall Street would boggle your minds. But I'm not jaded because even there (and Wall Street represents the financial sector in my case), I believe 99.99% of people in the industry are largely ethical. The difference is the unethical ones are stealing billions upon billions of dollars, instead of $126 a month in food assistance to feed a family that maybe could get by without it.

Two completely different things, dude

 

[A_Princess'_Daddy]

Two completely different things, dude

Why? Aside from the fact that one outstrips the other by a factor of 1,000 to 1?