Pension as asset?

[NellieBly]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? MA.

I am closing out my SSI case as my mother left me several large annuities. I told my SSI caseworker all the details.

Today I received a letter from Social Security stating that my pension worth $9999.99 counts against my resources. I don't believe I have access to that pension because I am not 65 or have worked enough years to qualify. Would I have to pay this back to Social Security?

No mention in the letter about the annuities.

It's a municipal pension.

 

[Onderzoek]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? MA.

I am closing out my SSI case as my mother left me several large annuities. I told my SSI caseworker all the details.

Today I received a letter from Social Security stating that my pension worth $9999.99 counts against my resources. I don't believe I have access to that pension because I am not 65 or have worked enough years to qualify. Would I have to pay this back to Social Security?

No mention in the letter about the annuities.

It's a municipal pension.

So it sounds like you don't really know the truth about what you own and what you have access to. Your belief about no access to the pension is not evidence. You need to contact the multiple financial institutions to find out, in writing, exactly what it would take to access this money and then make a decision about what you want to do. You may have to pay taxes and penalties in order to liquidate it. It is possible that it should have been counted toward the $2000 resource limit as soon as you received the inheritance, the date that the probate was final. And apparently, since it is over $2000, you would be ineligible for SSI since the month after that date and overpaid all the SSI you got for that period and will have to pay it back.

Find out what it will take to actually receive your inheritance and how much it will be after any taxes or penalties. It does matter for SSI.

 

[NellieBly]

I realize I'm no longer eligible for SSI. It's the pension that concerns me. The last time I was at Social Security, the worker mentioned I should apply for SSDI since I had worked so many years. I pointed out I only paid into the municipal pension system. She should have pointed out my pension was an asset.

I just don't want to have to pay back a lot of money.

 

[NellieBly]

Could I have to pay back MassHealth? I had cancer treatment.