Hi,
I recall there being a post similar to mine...but here is the situation I am in:
1. I live in NY State and my 4yo son has a disability. He started receiving SSI benefits in January of 2014.
2. I work for a home health palliative care agency and am required to travel extensively for my job. I work part-time, in a benefited position, with a guaranteed set 20 hours per week at a set hourly wage. So, as itemized on my biweekly paycheck, I work a set regular 40 hours at the set hourly wage.
3. Also as itemized on my biweekly pay check, I am reimbursed for all extensive mileage (at .45 cents/mi) I drive that is patient care related (extensive mileage) in that pay period. Per my employer, extensive travel reimbursement is NOT earned wages. I am not taxed on the reimbursements I receive. This is an upfront, out of pocket expense to me (gas)...just like when I pay for thruway tolls and parking that is related to patient care. I am reimbursed for all expenses that are an upfront expense to me in order to do my job - because I am traveling to and doing my job in the patients' home.
4. SSI has been INCLUDING my reimbursements as part of my TOTAL GROSS WAGES. This inclusion has affected my son's payments...his payment/benefit is reduced month-to-month from what he was originally awarded (from what I was originally reporting as my regular (base) gross earnings). So once SSI receives a copy of my monthly pay statements, they automatically adjust my income to include my reimbursements...and then my son's payment gets changed to a lower amount.
This has been a very frustrating experience. I feel like I am banging my head against a wall every time I'm on the phone with a rep in the SSI dept. I am scheduled to meet with an SSI claims rep, in person, on 8/6. I will be bringing with me a certified letter from my employer explaining what my regular gross wages are, and explaining that my reimbursements (noted above) are not counted as earned wages. I hope SSI will "see the light" and adjust my income as needed so that my son can receive the benefit he should be receiving and nothing less.
I greatly appreciate ANY feedback you can provide to better prepare my position when I meet with the claims rep on 8/6.
Thank you,
Rebecca
I recall there being a post similar to mine...but here is the situation I am in:
1. I live in NY State and my 4yo son has a disability. He started receiving SSI benefits in January of 2014.
2. I work for a home health palliative care agency and am required to travel extensively for my job. I work part-time, in a benefited position, with a guaranteed set 20 hours per week at a set hourly wage. So, as itemized on my biweekly paycheck, I work a set regular 40 hours at the set hourly wage.
3. Also as itemized on my biweekly pay check, I am reimbursed for all extensive mileage (at .45 cents/mi) I drive that is patient care related (extensive mileage) in that pay period. Per my employer, extensive travel reimbursement is NOT earned wages. I am not taxed on the reimbursements I receive. This is an upfront, out of pocket expense to me (gas)...just like when I pay for thruway tolls and parking that is related to patient care. I am reimbursed for all expenses that are an upfront expense to me in order to do my job - because I am traveling to and doing my job in the patients' home.
4. SSI has been INCLUDING my reimbursements as part of my TOTAL GROSS WAGES. This inclusion has affected my son's payments...his payment/benefit is reduced month-to-month from what he was originally awarded (from what I was originally reporting as my regular (base) gross earnings). So once SSI receives a copy of my monthly pay statements, they automatically adjust my income to include my reimbursements...and then my son's payment gets changed to a lower amount.
This has been a very frustrating experience. I feel like I am banging my head against a wall every time I'm on the phone with a rep in the SSI dept. I am scheduled to meet with an SSI claims rep, in person, on 8/6. I will be bringing with me a certified letter from my employer explaining what my regular gross wages are, and explaining that my reimbursements (noted above) are not counted as earned wages. I hope SSI will "see the light" and adjust my income as needed so that my son can receive the benefit he should be receiving and nothing less.
I greatly appreciate ANY feedback you can provide to better prepare my position when I meet with the claims rep on 8/6.
Thank you,
Rebecca
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