Some people think it is wrong of us to be going through this process of applying for disability. After all, I am still working so we should not be trying to take advantage of the system.
The misunderstanding lies in what it is the we are actually applying for.
There is another type of social security benefit that is available to those who are unable to work due to a disability. It is called Supplemental Security Income or SSI. SSI is a federally funded program providing financial help for those who have limited income and assets. The funding for this program comes from the general treasury fund and not Social Security itself. You must make less than the monthly maximum that your state government has set in order to obtain SSI. They also factor your spouses income into this. Needless to say, we do not meet the income requirements.
There are some people I know that have opted to divorce their spouse on paper so they might qualify for the SSI benefits as well. Rest assured, Robert and I will not be doing that.
We are not trying to take advantage of "the system". Essentially, we are simply asking if we can have the money that Robert would get when he retires now instead of 20 years from now when he would reach retirement age. After all, given the way Huntington's Disease manifests it self in a person's body, Robert most likely won't be around long enough to collect all the money he has been paying in to Social Security all these years. As morbid of a thought as it might be, it is the reality we face.
Hopefully, this helps clear up some of the misinformation out there.
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