Disabled Americans fighting for the right to save more money

[masakochan]

By Blake Ellis

Americans with disabilities are fighting for the right to save money without getting their government benefits cut off

Comments

[rhysande]

I don't know how I feel about the proposed tax free savings accounts, but the earnings and savings limits are far below where they should be. $700/mo would put anyone well below poverty level, and $2000 in savings isn't enough to serve as an emergency cushion, much less as a down payment for a car or home.

[fenris_lorsrai]

In a lot of markets, $2000 in savings isn't enough to pay the deposit on rental housing of any sort. once you account for actual expense of moving, if the person loses housing at any point, they likely don't have the money available to get new housing of any sort, even temporary.

yeah, some housing markets you can get by with that $2000 and get into rental. a market like New York though...

[rhysande]

Good point. Obviously, there was some mid-west centric thinking on my part. It's possible to get a nice 3B apartment in a hipster-ish neighborhood for less than $1000/mo here. $2K would more than cover first and last month's rent.

[fenris_lorsrai]

$1200 is pretty well starting price for one around here, though you may be able to add roommates to swing it. Of course this requires finding said roommates

[chasingtides]

This is a super state-by-state issue.

I'm in PA. The laws in PA are absolutely draconian (and reflected in the article).

Hop the border to a different state and that's not true. For example, neither NJ nor MD have asset limits on Medicaid (or SNAP/food stamps). They also both allow much higher incomes for Medicaid.

As far as I know, it's generally viewed as a state's rights issue.

[tabaqui]

My sis-in-law - though not on disability at the time - faced the same issue when she got a big chunk of back child-support from her ex. She was told she had to spend it all instead of putting in in savings or they'd cut her medicaid/SNAP. She wanted to keep it in savings in case her aging furnace went out or her car died, but had to bow to the pressure of having *no medical care* if she did.

Ridiculous. Even more ridiculous for someone like Ms Wolff, who is already dealing with life-long health issues and a lot lower job opportunities *and* housing opportunities. I detest the idea that if you manage to work and save some money, or come into money through an inheritance or something, you could end up with no food. That's just fucking stupid.