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Hopefully she's been paying FICA all those years and will have enough work credits to qualify and receive social security and Medicare.
Her divorce happened 30 years ago so I don't know that she can really blame that failed marriage for where she is today. If she had divorced at 50 that might be a different story.
100 times this! My wife has a female relative in her 60's, also long divorced and still ranting about "the man" who hated paying taxes so worked under the table for cash for many years as a hair dresser. She was shocked when she went to sign up for Social Security and her work history was so spotty that her monthly payment was going to be less than $300 a month. She actually had to go out and get a series of part time jobs which caused no end of griping on her part. That was just to tide her over until she could get herself declared disabled which she was successful in doing and upped her payment to like $1,200 a month. Now she's a woman of leisure.
100 times this! My wife has a female relative in her 60's, also long divorced and still ranting about "the man" who hated paying taxes so worked under the table for cash for many years as a hair dresser. She was shocked when she went to sign up for Social Security and her work history was so spotty that her monthly payment was going to be less than $300 a month. She actually had to go out and get a series of part time jobs which caused no end of griping on her part. That was just to tide her over until she could get herself declared disabled which she was successful in doing and upped her payment to like $1,200 a month. Now she's a woman of leisure.
I don't see how 1200 smackers a month would be like living in leisure. Takes 3 times that much to live.
I don't see how 1200 smackers a month would be like living in leisure. Takes 3 times that much to live.
No doubt. Are DC politicians posting here? I guess they are not the only ones notoriously out of touch with cost-of-living expenses. Shouldn't have to point this out, but $1200/mo is WAY below the poverty line in any state.
A "woman of leisure"...ROTFL I just had a good morning laugh though.
No doubt. Are DC politicians posting here? I guess they are not the only ones notoriously out of touch with cost-of-living expenses. Shouldn't have to point this out, but $1200/mo is WAY below the poverty line in any state.
A "woman of leisure"...ROTFL I just had a good morning laugh though.
The federal poverty line for one person is $13.5 per year. So $1200 a month is above that. If one is frugal and owns their assets not still paying for them its possible to survive. But paying rent in California even subsidized. No not enough. And if you have an expensive home where they property taxes are high. Downsize if you are trying to live on $1200 a month. Or do a reverse mortgage.
2022 Poverty Guidelines: 48 Contiguous States (all states except Alaska and Hawaii)
No doubt. Are DC politicians posting here? I guess they are not the only ones notoriously out of touch with cost-of-living expenses. Shouldn't have to point this out, but $1200/mo is WAY below the poverty line in any state.
A "woman of leisure"...ROTFL I just had a good morning laugh though.
No worries. I'm sure that she'll be able to get some under the table side work to boost her income. Maybe she'll hit up her relatives for spending money.
There are ways to make some extra,I recently responded to an email asking me to rate AMEX customer service,it is kind of lengthy .
2 days ago I received a letter from Nielson thanking me for taking the survey and a crisp $5 bill,at first I thought it was a joke ,but coming from Nielson,it is a real $5.
USPS has also once sent me a Target gift card for taking its survey,I think it is $5 or $10,cant remember.
You can also sell something on Ebay or Facebook ,look around the house.
If you read the article,it is not that she does not want to work,but places where work can be found,she cant afford to live there.
The federal poverty line for one person is $13.5 per year. So $1200 a month is above that. If one is frugal and owns their assets not still paying for them its possible to survive. But paying rent in California even subsidized. No not enough. And if you have an expensive home where they property taxes are high. Downsize if you are trying to live on $1200 a month. Or do a reverse mortgage.
2022 Poverty Guidelines: 48 Contiguous States (all states except Alaska and Hawaii)
I think people are too accustomed to expensive areas to live and waste way too much money on stuff every month that they really don't need.
and really thats it it's where you live. I am on Arizona and I dont spend that much more a month on my bills. But i admit i am pretty frugal(or cheap as my friends say) and i have zero debt. Given the information given for this person she would be getting a combination of SSI along with her SSDI or Social Security and getting even few dollars of SSI automatically makes you eligible for SNAP, Housing, Free Phone and other programs like Free :Internet and Utility discounts. If you add all those freebies together you really can live pretty well. As an example take where I am my rent is 800 a month and includes all utilities. If i was eligible for SNAP, Free internet and Free Phone , 1200 a month would mean 400 bucks a month of unallocated funds. Nothing to sneeze at and a lot more then many working Americans have left each month after paying all their bills. And this example is not even including getting into public housing which they would qualify for.
In my view, most people don' just grow compassion unless they have experienced harsh treatment and ridicule and tough times themselves. It makes a person sensitive to the suffering of others.
The unfortunate lady was working as a caregiver. In the USA the average wage for that occupation in 2022 is $2359/mo depending on what state she worked in. If she were living my city, her rent would be nearly 50% of her income. That's where I am at.
Maybe **** happened several times.Could she have:
- lost her job due to covid closures and couldn't find another one in time to defer a foreclosure or make up on her rent?
- lost her job and ran out of savings and lost her home?
- been paying her husband's debts?
- had children to take care of alone and worked two jobs but it was not enough?
- had a medical debt to pay off and her money went to that instead of savings?
- lost time in the workforce due to chronic illness, damage from an accident, medical conditions preventing her from keeping a job?
- several pharma expenses?
Care givers make $12 an hour here. Rent for a 1 br dump is $600 a month.
What worthless classes are being taught in high schools because this is where you learn how to manage finances. It's called consumer math. They don't provide that anymore. Why don't parents teach their kids how to manage their finances.
A 61 year old would have graduated from HS over 40 years ago. This lady can't blame her parents, school or the guy that she divorced 30 years ago for the predicament that she's in now.
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I guess they are not the only ones notoriously out of touch with cost-of-living expenses. Shouldn't have to point this out, but $1200/mo is WAY below the poverty line in any state.
