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The system isn't perfect. Occasionally someone does get SSI or SSDI when it isn't warranted, and sometimes deserving people get denied. However, generalizations and stereotypes about people on disability really aren't necessary and only contribute to the ignorance of the general public on this issue as well as to social stigma associated with being on disability. Not ALL people who appear healthy actually are. Not ALL people who are on disability are fat lazy malingerers with no desire to work. Not ALL people on disability scam the system.
I'm on SSDI, and yes I do work, and yes I do report my income both from my part time tax paying job at a local university as well as from my sporadic self employment. I was working part time when I was granted my disability claim. To be granted disability under the age of 50 at the second appeal level you must prove to an ALJ through medical documentation that you can not work ANY job in the US economy for 8 hours a day 5 days a week. If you are over 50 you only have to prove that you can't work any of your previous jobs for 8 hours a day 5 days a week. This does not mean that someone on disability can not do anything at all.
Getting SSDI is not easy. Most "fakers" would bail out before being buried in the amount of debt and scrutiny it takes to get SSDI. I applied, was denied, waited too long to appeal, applied again and appealed twice. It took 3 and a half years after my second application before I had a hearing with the ALJ and vocational expert AND THEN it took another 5 months to see another SSA doctor and have a follow up hearing with the ALJ and a SSA medical expert at which time the decision was rendered. During this nearly 4 year waiting time I did a little bit of work for cash to sustain myself that I later reported to social security as well as on my tax return, got a meager part time job, saw many doctors many times, accrued many overwhelming bills, signed a deed in lieu of foreclosure on my house, moved around several times, and accrued over $40,000 in medical bills of which I will be filing bankruptsy to relieve myself of....
There is no easy street in being on disability. You have to budget yourself but it is possible to live comfortably IF you can arrange to live below your means (as is true at any income level). I don't live in public housing. Frankly, there is NO public housing available in my area if I even wanted to apply. The waiting list is closed and has been for a couple years. I wouldn't want to live in public housing. It's not exactly the safest of neighborhoods. I own a manufactured home now and pay a lot rent of $335 a month not including any utilities or insurance. It's affordable.
I keep very meticulous records of what I earn. It's quite common to accuse people on disability of working under the table. It's a typical mind set about people on disability. The scrutiny is constant. I've known people who have been on disability and worked under the table, most of which have done so due to their own ignorance about the fact that you can actually work and earn some money without loosing your benefits and health coverage. There are limits. If you are not achieving SGA (Substantial Gainful Activity) that being $1,010 per month for 2012 it is not considered a self sufficient living wage. However, you can be scrutinized if you routinely fall just short of the SGA standard making it look like you are intentionally earning less and may have the capacity to earn more which can trigger a review of your case.
It is actually beneficial for me to claim every cent I earn on my taxes. I get a bigger refund thanks to the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Credit. Believe it or not the government wants people to work and provides incentives like these tax credits to encourage lower income people to work more.
If you truely want to work, try to work but are unable to work full time due to your health issue it will show in the disability process. If I'm ever able to sustain full time employment again I'll be happy to no longer be considered "disabled". I do hate having that label.
SS Disability is by far the biggest fraud perpetrated on Americans. Most of the recipients are simply too fat and/or too lazy to get off their butts and do anything other than shovel food into their mouths. Food paid for by food stamps, I might add.
These people have plenty of time to game the system and wait to get approved. Once approved, it's easy street for them.
Then there are the double-dippers. I have a neighbor who is on total disability, yet she works 6 hours a day, 5 days a week washing dishes at a local restaurant. She makes $10/hr, and is paid under the table.
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