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A birthmother had 5 children. While alive she drew disability benefits. Not the kind where you become disabled after you have paid into the system, but the kind where you are disabled and never able to work. (She was diagnosed Manic Depressive.)
Anyway, is there any money at all these kids are eligible for or are they going to fall through the cracks in the system?
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Originally Posted by Playful Psychic
Please don't post your email address{removed-<>} - that's dangerous. You will be answered on this thread.
Are you asking about SS benefits (she had to have worked at some point) or some other type of State or Federal benefits?
You specifically said birth mother - were the children later adopted by someone?
She NEVER worked. She was one of those people who was mentally unbalanced and couldn't hold a job. The children are not adopted. They are being cared for by various family members... except for the one I have. I tried to get Survivor Benefits for her but was turned down saying her mother never worked. I was just hoping there was something out there for the kids. After all, the money she was getting prior to her death was to take care of the children. Now they get nothing?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Playful Psychic
Who was paying the benefits when she was alive? She couldn't collect SS Disability unless she was employed.
Perhaps SSI?
Her mother calls them SSI benefits. I have no knowledge of any of that and don't know the difference!
I just received the denial paperwork from the SS. It says the birthmother did not work long enough under SS for her (the child) to receive benefits.
My question is this, IS THERE ANY OTHER PROGRAM OUT THERE THAT WOULD BENEFIT THESE CHILDREN? Does anyone know of anything we can do for them? Surely these children will not be allowed to fall through the cracks simply because their birthmother was mentally disable to make a living for them. Surely the government does not provide for the mother and the children ONLY while the mother is breathing and toss the children to the wayside once she is in the ground. Something MUST be in place. I just need some help finding it.
Thank you,
Cindy
Quote:
Originally Posted by Playful Psychic
Please don't shout, which typing in caps is - this is a volunteer site and members are busy all over the boards.
No, SSI does not provide benefits to the children of deceased recipients unless the child is disabled. It is for "disabled low income people with few assets."
Many factors enter into what benefits are available - but: where are the children now? Who has custody? Does the father pay support? How old are the children? Who is the legal guardian? The States and sometimes the Counties offer assistance but more info is needed.
My intent wasn't to shout. My intent was simply to emphasize the question at hand with the limitations of typing. I now see I have a bold option, which I will use in the future.
In answer to your questions:
Where are the children now?
3 are with the maternal grandmother.The father of two of them is in prison. The father of the 3rd is a druggie and does not work.
1 is with her father (the druggie who does not work)
1 is with me (a legal guardian). There is no known father.
What are the ages?
3 with grandmother are 15, 13, 7
1 with father is 10
1 with me is 6
Is support being paid?
No. The other 4 are getting TennCare, a state funded health insurance program. No other assistance is being offered. When I inquired to the state of Mississippi about the child I have, I was told she does not qualify for state funded insurance because I make "too much money".
The first four children live in Shelby County Tennessee. The child I have lives in DeSoto County Mississippi.
I think that answers all the questions you asked.
Thank you,
Cindy
Quote:
Originally Posted by Playful Psychic
What a bad situation all the way around - and, yes, the income limits for "too much money" are ridiculous. It's the same in NY State - if you make enough to feed yourself and a cat, you make too much money!
Have you looked at all - and I am not familiar with your area - at being appointed the child's foster parent or guardian or at adoption (of course, the fathers would have to consent for some of the children)? Some States provide stipends and monthly payments under those circumstances.
This is a heart breaker but I can't think of anything else - let me see if I can get somebody who might have more info to post here.
Adoption is the next step. Of course I do not believe that entitles her to anything. I will get an adoption tax break (if I hurry before the entire government collapses!).
As far as my child's father, there is no one to contest anything. The birthmother was a crackhead on the streets. The father could be one of hundreds of men. Nobody is going to even try to step up or he would have already done that.
The grandmother is only interested in adopting if she (or the children) can benefit from it. She would, of course, be eligible for the tax break, but she makes very little money, and most of it is returned to her anyway because of the number of dependents she claims. I see little or no benefit for them in adoption... except that they would be eligible for the grandmother's SS benefits when she dies. I think they would be anyway, but I am not sure of that.
If you learn of anything, I am all ears.
Thank you,
Cindy
Honestly, the only thing that I see that you can do is as Judy pointed out with the foster care of the child(ren). I realize this is a really tough situation because you are one of the few that really is in it for the kids not just the free money. Unfortunately, there have been too many people in it for the money so stricter limitations had to be put into place so as not to bankrupt the government (trust me on that I have done lots of research on it). I'm not sure if all states do the little extra money for foster care but all of them that I know of do.
Wow. I don't know about the grandmother, but there is no circumstance under which I will give up custody for money. My choice, I know. I'd just be afraid she'd get taken from me in the system and that child has suffered enough. Money isn't everything. It'd be nice for her to have it, but if we have to eat rice and live in a cardboard "house", it'd be better than worrying about what might happen to her in the shuffle.
Thanks for all the help. I'll go now and maybe think about what other options might bring home a little extra cash. My Mama always told me that nobody was ever going to give me anything and whatever I ended up with would be hard earned. She is a very wise woman!
Thanks,
Cindy
What kind of timeline are we talking about here ? There may be ways to do things that can help. How long since the mother passed away ? How long have you had the children / child in your custody ?
She died 07/04/2006. All the children have always been exactly where they are now.
To explain that anomaly, the birthmother basically lived on the streets. She did get a SSI check every month which was for all 5 kids and the grandmother took it and gave her an allowance and spent the remainder on the 3 kids she had. The girl who lives with her father and the child I have never received any of the money.
What kinds of things might we be able to do? Nothing is the answer I have gotten so far. Something is better than nothing... but not at the expense of giving up custody.
Thanks,
Cindy
Other then some of the things that are already being suggested. Are you including this child on your tax returns as a dependent ? That may help a little and if you haven't you need to file an amendment right away and hopefully its not too late. You might try the foster parent angle and see if you can adopt after that runs out. You would have to open your house for inspection etc but in your case it may help a lot and also they can receive benefits through you.
I am not an expert on Foster parenting, but wouldn't a child need to be in the system to be a foster child? If that is the case, then the answer has to be no because I am not giving up custody and risking losing her. She would be devastated to be removed from my home however short the duration. I just cannot take that risk.
As for the tax return, I do claim her now although I didn't before the birthmother died because the grandmother was claiming her. After the birthmother died there was a scare where the state was going to come in and take control of the kids unless somebody stepped up and took custody. At that point I went to court and got custody and began filing her on my return.
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Originally Posted by Playful Psychic
I posted this on the legal thread and knew my comrades would come to the rescue - in the meantime, this situation is breaking my heart - no joke.
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