HomeMy WebLinkAbout1977-12-13-AdHocHSC-min.pdf December 13, 1977 Lexington Ad Hoc Human Services Council Meeting
INCOME MAINTENANCE PROGRAMS : SOCIAL SECURITY AI:D VETERAN'S SERVICES
Jeff Shaw opened the meeting at 3: 00 pm by announcing that the
Town Manager will hold a hearing on Revenue-sharing funding on Monday
evening, December 19, at 7 30 pm He then introduced Greta Glennon,
Veteran's Agent for the Town of Lexington, who spoke on services
available to veterans
Veteran's benefits fall into two categories : federally-funded
and state-funded . Federally-funded benefits may by further divided
into two classes : service-related disability and non-service-connected
eligibility by way of disability or age or death (survivor-benefits) .
Benefits for service-related disabled veterans range from $41. 00 per
month for 10% disability to $754. 00 per month for 100% disability,
The income limitation for determining non-service-connected
eligibility is as follows : for the veteran alone - $3500 00, for
the veteran with one dependent - $4760 00. The same income limitation
applies to a surviving spouse applying for benefits . If this spouse
works, s/he is not eligible for benefits, but the children can
receive same at the rate of $57 09 for the first eligible child and
827. 00 for each additional childper month Children are eligible
until economically emancipated (18-23 years of age)
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is unique in that here no
veteran has to "go on welfare. " The state funds assistance to veterans
and their dependents in time of need or hardship Eligibility depends
primarily upon dates of service, established back to the American
Indian War ( 1 )
WWI - April 6, 1917 to Nov 11, 1918
WWII - Sept 17, 1940 to Dec 31, 1946
Korean - June 25, 1950 to Jan. 31, 1955
Vietnam - Feb 1, 1955 to May 7, 1975
After war dates, the major factor for eligibility is monthly income
The limits are as follows : for the veteran alone - $300 00, with one
dependent - $500 00, per child - an additional : 100 00, but total
not to exceed $800. 00 All income is deducted from benefits paid
Payments are based upon a state-wide system Here are two examples :
A. _,.Vietnam veteran with spouse and two children, living in 7-room
house and out-of-work (due to illness or waiting for unemployment
compensation payments to begin) :
$180. 00 - veteran & spouse, $135. 00 - 2 children over 8 years of
age @ $67.50 per child (under 8 receives $46. 50 ) , $115 00 - rent
or mortgage payment, $7 00 - telephone, $15 00 - transportz ion
Total equals $452 50 plus $49. 00 per month fuel allotment.
B. Over-65 veteran or surviving spouse living alone in six-room house:
$129 00 - applicant, $115. 00 - rent payment, $26 50 - leisure
time, $7 00 - telephone, $15 00 - transportation, $19 00 - special
diet needs Total equals $312 00 plus$42 50 per month for fuel
In any case, medical bills are paid while the individuals are receiving
benefits.
Last year the state and the town (50j each) paid out $54, 000 00 for
240 veterans and/or their dependents.
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December 13-page 2
Francine Kollias, Field Representative for the Cambridge Social may,,.
Security office, spoke next. The information to which she referred
is covered in greater detail in pamphlets that she brought along
for distribution; a copy of each is submit: .ed with the original of
this report: SSI for disabled or blind children; Your d bility claim;
Estimating your social security retirement check; Social 3 curity
Information For Young Families ; What you have to know abou SSI;
A guide to s .pplemental security income; Your Medicare Handbook,
There are five types of benefits available under Social Securityt
retirement, survivor, disability, medical,and SSI. Retl.'rr:ment
benefits are available from age 62 dependent upon the am,.Itnt paid-in
to the system by the covered. worker. The full rate would be paid at
age 65 and is lowered per month that the individual files previous
to age 65, a full 20% lower at age 62 Benefits for auxiliaries
are generally 50% up to a family maximum.
Survivor benefits are paid. to the family unit of a deceased
covered worker: a surviving spouse -over age 6o, a care-taking parent
of children under 18 (or, if students, up to 22) . Surviving spouse
benefits are also calculated at 100% at age 65, reduced as described
above A lump-sum ($255 00) death payment requi -1s six-weeks processing
time A child disabled before age 22 will be covered for life under
a parent's earnings .
There is no age requirement for disability benefits The
condition, however, must have lasted (or be expected to last) at
least 12 months, and there is a 5-month waiting period before benfits
can begin. Eligibility is based not only upon the total amount
of time the worker has worked under Social Security coverage, but
also a requirement that s/he must have worked in such a situation for
five of the previous ten years. The applicant will not necessarily
be examined by Social Security physicians.
For details concerning Medicare,see report of Lexington Ad Hoc
Human Services Council Meeting of Nov. 16, also Your Medical- Han_ ,00k.
SSI or Supplemental Security Income is a federally adm. nistered
welfare program and is not based upon earnings, but rather on need .
It covers the blind , disabled , and persons over' 65. The resource
limits are $1500. 00 for an individual or $2250.00 for a couple, and.
income must fall below $177 80 per month for the individual or $266.70
for the couple. Resources not counted. in the limits are home, car,
personal effects, $1500. 00 worth of life-insurance. Payments are
based, in part, on degree. of independence, ie living arrangements.
Anyone receiving any moneys from SSI receives Medicare benefits.
Questions : May an individual place funds in trust for burial
and remain eligible for SSI? Yes, provided money cannot be used
by the applicant Will field representative visit locally if
applicant cannot get to Cambridg' or Woburn? Yes. Is there advice
available to help applicants get 'heir books in order when apply ng
for benefits? No. Cou'licil on Aging tried to interest banks in o fering
same without success, will try again, specifically Shawmut which has
program to help women handle money Two Arlington banks offer such
help. Here is an unmet Lexington need
Meeting adjourned. at 4:40pm Sheila Clemon-Karp
COPY TO Town Manager
1-9-78