Cost Of Living Adjustments

Discussion in 'Money & Finances' started by Sheldon Scott, Oct 18, 2016.

  1. Chrissy Cross

    Chrissy Cross Supreme Member
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    That's ridiculous! Are they maybe looking at combined income??
     
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  2. Yvonne Smith

    Yvonne Smith Senior Staff
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    Bobby gets around $8,000 per year, so that makes roughly $13,000 for both of us, and the poverty level for 2 people is over $16,000; so even counting both of us, we are under the FPL amount.
    Bobby applied for SSI benefits also because the VA sent him a letter and said he should qualify for extra SS benefits. The Social Security lady said he could get up to $25 per month increase, if he qualified, which he didn’t; so he got the same letter as i did that stated he also had too much income.
    We had no idea we were so rich !
     
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  3. Chrissy Cross

    Chrissy Cross Supreme Member
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    I would follow up on that...at least once...doesn't seem right to me.

    Do you count what you get before of after Medicare is taken out...part B?


    I get about $16,488 a year in widows benefits but that's before they take out the $125 for part B.

    Here I'm eligible for a 20% discount on my PG&E bill. Also my supplemental is free but Ive not tried for anything else so don't know.
     
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  4. Yvonne Smith

    Yvonne Smith Senior Staff
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    We have Medicaid because we are low-income, so we do not have a Medicare Part B. We have a Medicare Advantage plan that goes along with Medicaid. There are still co-pays, but I think that they are probably lower, too.
    It would not do me any good to follow up with SS because they have stated that I have too much income to qualify, and I don’t want to lose my medical benefits by trying to appeal. I need the heart meds, and the doctor visits, so it is better just to take what little I have and not fuss about it, I think.
    We have an organization here called TARCOG, which is the regional agency for aging, and it might be that they would let me talk to an attorney that does SSI benefits, and see if he says I should appeal or not.
    I am going to look into at least asking them for help, and see what they say.
     
    #64
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  5. Chrissy Cross

    Chrissy Cross Supreme Member
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    Hopefully TARCOG can help and yes, I agree...you do not want to lose the benefits you do have.

    Still...it sucks and doesn't seem right to me.

    Both of us are lucky with our daughter's helping and to be honest with the prices in California I'd be homeless even with the money I get.

    I was looking at studio appts for rent in CA and I couldn't afford any. Maybe get on a long waiting list for low income housing. :(
     
    #65
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  6. Babs Hunt

    Babs Hunt Supreme Member
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    @Yvonne Smith Did they include a printout showing where you made to much money?
     
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  7. Yvonne Smith

    Yvonne Smith Senior Staff
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    Yes, but it doesn’t really say much except that my income was too much for me to qualify for SSI help. I can appeal but I am afraid to, because if they think my income is too high for SSI, I might lose my medical benefits, too.
     
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  8. Babs Hunt

    Babs Hunt Supreme Member
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    I wonder if there are different income requirements in different States for qualifications?
     
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  9. Hedi Mitchell

    Hedi Mitchell Supreme Member
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    It amazes me that some folk can get assistance, yet other can not. The whole thing is fraud to me. Just like their so call increase in
    SS...seriously , why bother to tell us about increase, when the medicare is also increased. Every friggin penny to be sucked out of you.:(
     
    #69
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  10. Babs Hunt

    Babs Hunt Supreme Member
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  11. Babs Hunt

    Babs Hunt Supreme Member
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    Well we got a $13 raise on my husband's SS check for 2018. That won't even cover the excess on the electric bill with all this cold weather we're having. But then again...something is better than nothing. :)
     
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  12. Hedi Mitchell

    Hedi Mitchell Supreme Member
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    No raise for me...nothing new there. :(
     
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  13. Babs Hunt

    Babs Hunt Supreme Member
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    Actually, we both may have gotten more than the $13 raise since we were paying $120 something for our Medicare before and now we are paying I think $134....so I guess they took the rest of our raise and applied it to our Medicare payments...and then gave us the $13 that was left. :)
     
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  14. Tim Burr

    Tim Burr Veteran Member
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    Reading that the projected COLA for Social Security 2019, will be about 2.8 %.

    We might actually see an increase in our checks because Part B Medicare will only increase
    by $1.50 per month, up to $135.50
    Last year it was a $25.00 per month increase.

    Every little bit helps.

    Both my Military Retirement and VA Disability checks are also tied
    to this percentage.

    Guess we will see where it finally lands on October 11, 2018.
     
    #74
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  15. Don Alaska

    Don Alaska Supreme Member
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    And it doesn't work as well if you have a family that relies on you.
     
    #75
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