Senate proposes $300 bonus for seniors

Saving is a smart move and very smart in this economic crisis. I am hoping this stimulus will go through. I don't get Social Security or SSI but I work with some women who do and times are just as hard for seniors and the disabled as it is for anyone else. Thanks for you imput.

Your daughter would qualify. It has to pass the House and Senate but Obama wants to approve it by February and start sending checks. If she gets SSI or Social Security she will qualify. BTW: I think it is WRONG to set an income limit for the disabled. Many WANT to work and should not be penalized for it. I see alot of this in my line of work and its a catch 22 and not at all right. Medical and other expenses far outweigh wages they may make I am sure.

On this you and I agree. I'm paying back the Christmas bonus she got from her job because it put her over the $940 mark. I don't know if it has changed since the last increase. I probably should have taken the money and put it into her account, but I just didn't have the heart to as she was so thrilled to have that extra money. While I don't physically pay back the money it comes out of her SSI which means I have less to spend for her. She just this last year became eligible for SSDI but even with that it doesn't go far to make sure she's taken care of.
She's suppose to be going to school to learn culinary arts but the school is too far away and she has issues with road travel. I've been working the past few years trying to get us closer but the few steps we get ahead aren't enough to make up for the many steps we seem to be pushed back. Being able to keep more of her money to save up would help tremendously.

Yes irishidid this we do agree. As I posted above the economy is just as hard on the disabled and seniors as it is on everyone else. I don't know your daughter situation but there are some instances where medicines are not covered and medical supplies. I was appauled to find out some people are on disability are still paying $200 and more for uncovered medicine. I intend to send many messages via the link on the White House website and this is one topic I plan to work on along with Veteran Benefits.

My daughter has Autism, ADHD, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, OCD, Dysgraphia and some others they can't find a diagnosis for. Most of the medications have been covered by medicaid. One that I remember they wouldn't cover was anafranil because the state decided she didn't need it. The reason it was prescribed was for trichatillamania which is obsessive hair pulling. Both her developmental specialist and the pharmacy went round and round with the state to get them to cover it. Strangely enough they approved the Prozac she was on for her OCD without an argument.
Right now she's off of all medications. We made that decision together after her being on one or more medication of some form since she was three years old. Going on two years with no medication but we know there's the possibility she may need it again.

Congratulations on being medicine free. Wish we had another thread for this topic as I am curious. I had a client also on Prozac and she took herself off and told me she feels better off of it. It makes you wonder about over medication. I am glad she is doing well without it and hope that will last for awhile. It is amazing she is able to work too and WANTS to go to school to learn an art. You and I may differ but I am proud of her for pushing forward. I am actually we got to 'chat' about her. I know I was put on Prevacid for acid reflux and it was $140.00 for a month supply (30 pills) and my insurance wouldn't cover it. I fought long and hard but in the end I had to take the generic. Crazy. Hopefully (I am semi holding my breath)this plan will pass. Everyone can't get out and build bridges and dig ditches for the infrastructure and they do need help too.

OPPS, I was trying to say i am glad we got to chat about her.

The Prozac was a necessary at the time and believe me I questioned the doctor about it before I agreed to put her on it. The OCD had gotten to the point of interrupting her life. On one visit to her sister's house my older daughter counted over thirty bathroom visits in an hour. Another issue was four leaf clovers, seriously. Where most kids might spend maybe five minutes looking for one she would obsess for hours over finding them. Funny thing is, she'd find them too! Honestly, I could go on and on about what I've dealt with concerning her.
We may not agree on everything, but there's common ground here. Both of us understand the needs of the disabled and the need to advocate for them. Kudos to you for the efforts you're making to help those who need it.

If you are on social security or disability the money you are able to have saved is very limited. As for assets if they had it before their social security would you insist they would have to sell something they worked hard and long for? Just because they own a house does not mean they are living high. I believe that it should be available to all our seniors. Oh and please do not think this because my name has gramma in it, I still have 20+ years before I can collect social security.

Here are the SSI guidelines: http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/11000.html#part2

I believe I have heard that this is something else that Obama wants to change - basically because the SS system will go bankrupt in a matter of a few years if something isn't changed.

There are programs such as the PASS that allows the person to save more money than usual without losing their benefits and penalizes less if you work. It tends to be one of those things you have to look for as it isn't general information.
There's a difference between those with some money at retirement and those with abundance. It isn't based on need so the multi-millionaire does qualify for social security retirement payments.

I know that some people do it some way - because I know people who do have a lot of money/assets that do get SSI. There are those also, who work for cash and don't report it!