ssi and payment for art?

jawnn

New Member
I get SSI money for bad arthritis in my legs and back....and I sold a couple of paintings for $1000. So I figure I cannot cash the check.

If for no other reason than because there is no way to prove that it took me much longer to paint them than the income limit would account for.

Do banks keep records of cashed checks? If they did not I could just have the amount of money in the back and cash it against that $1000. I do trust the person that gave me the check.
 
When you did a web search for the phrase "How do I cheat the SSI system?", it brought you here? That's strange...
 
I get SSI money for bad arthritis in my legs and back....and I sold a couple of paintings for $1000. So I figure I cannot cash the check.


Cashing the check isn't illegal.

If you receive or earn INCOME, I'm sure you KNOW what legal burden is placed upon your shoulders.

Do I have to report my earnings to Social Security?
Yes.

If you work and receive SSI, then you must report ALL of your earnings.

If you have a representative payee, then your representative payee must report ALL of your earnings.

How do I report MY earnings?

You may call SS at 1-800-772-1213.

You may call, visit, or write your local Social Security office.

Social Security also offers a toll-free automated wage reporting telephone system and a mobile wage reporting application.

You may also use my Social Security to report wages online.

SS website:

SSI Spotlight on Reporting Your Earnings to Social Security.


THIS INFORMATION IS GENERAL.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL 1–800–772–1213 (TTY 1–800–325–0778),
VISIT OUR WEBSITE ( www.ssa.gov ) ON THE INTERNET,
OR CONTACT YOUR LOCAL SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE.
 
@army judge - you make a good point.
This is not a question of whether or not the OP can cash the check, because the requirement to report was already triggered once the OP had earnings. The OP is required to report it no matter what s/he decides to do with the check.

EDIT: I know this is the same thing you said, but it's just stated in a different way in the hopes that the OP will clearly understand it.
 
@army judge - you make a good point.
This is not a question of whether or not the OP can cash the check, because the requirement to report was already triggered once the OP had earnings. The OP is required to report it no matter what s/he decides to do with the check.

Thank you for the kind words.

The OP is required to report it no matter what s/he decides to do with the check.

SS is very clear as to what all recipients of transfer payments must report:

Understanding SSI - Reporting Responsibilities
 
because they will tell me to Maybe I should just frame the check, after all it took twenty years to get some one to give me money for art. And I don't think there will ewer be more.

Framing the check is a better idea than sending it to the SSA.
 
because they will tell me to Maybe I should just frame the check, after all it took twenty years to get some one to give me money for art. And I don't think there will ewer be more.

That's like cutting off your nose to spite your face. Deposit the check and report the income. It's a one time dent in your monthly benefits. It might not even be counted as income based on the following SSI webpage:

Understanding SSI - SSI Income

No guarantees but I saw that:

small amounts of income received irregularly or infrequently;

Are not counted as income.
 
That's like cutting off your nose to spite your face. Deposit the check and report the income. It's a one time dent in your monthly benefits. It might not even be counted as income based on the following SSI webpage:

Understanding SSI - SSI Income

No guarantees but I saw that:



Are not counted as income.
I was just about to return the check so the money could go to a charity. what is the maximum I could earn ? per check or a year.
 
I was just about to return the check so the money could go to a charity. what is the maximum I could earn ? per check or a year.

Probably not $1000. Here's something else in the exemptions that are not income:

"money someone else spends to pay your expenses for items other than food or shelter (for example, someone pays your telephone or medical bills);"

You have a cell phone? A medical bill that needs paying? An internet service? Credit card balance?

Have your "patron" pay those bills directly to the vendors for a while.
 
]Here's something else in the exemptions that are not income:

"money someone else spends to pay your expenses for items other than food or shelter (for example, someone pays your telephone or medical bills);"

You have a cell phone? A medical bill that needs paying? An internet service? Credit card balance?

Have your "patron" pay those bills directly to the vendors for a while.

If those payments for living expenses are voluntary on the part of the person paying it and are in the nature of gifts, then they are exempt.

But they may not be if the payments are in exchange for something else and the payee (jawnn) directs where the money goes. In that instance, it is no different than the payee getting the cash and then spending it himself/herself on those expenses. Certainly that is the way tax law would regard it, and that $1,000 would end up being taxable income. I'd not be surprised that SSA would also take that same view.
 
So I could have my patron buy stuff like a large expensive battery for my bicycle that is my only transportation because it allows me to go to doctors appointments and food stores and the pharmacy. All of which is life support and therefore also lets me do art work even though I am not self employed. I also need a new controller $200, and a set of adult stabilizer wheels $200.

Because I am getting older and more decrepit and arthritis is very painful; ie: I cannot pedal my bicycle any longer.



A large battery pack would cost more than $1200 witch is the limit income for a month.



My friend that gives me rides in her warm car is not going to last as long as I am. So these improvements to my bicycle would keep me alive longer, I don't know if they would be considered these expenses related to my disability though. Unless I was working.



My cell phone is so cheap that it costs only $11 per month, no internet connection, just a basic flip phone. If they cut my medicaid I will have medical expenses.
 
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