Welcome to the community! I'm new here too but have been reading through all the helpful advice in this thread. Your situation with your mom's SSI Medicaid termination notice sounds really stressful, but it's encouraging to see so many people who have successfully navigated similar resource limit issues. Based on everything shared here, it sounds like you have a really strong case with the tax refund exclusion and burial fund designation. The math works out well in your favor too - if you can get $1,420 excluded for the tax refund and $1,200 for the burial fund, that leaves only $630 in countable resources, which is well under the $2,000 limit. I don't have personal experience with this specific situation, but I wanted to add that when dealing with any government benefits office, it can really help to stay calm and organized even when you're feeling panicked inside. Having all your documentation ready and being able to clearly explain the exclusions you're requesting will make the process smoother. Best of luck at the SSA office tomorrow! This community has shown me there are so many knowledgeable people who have been through these challenges and come out successfully on the other side. Please do update us on how it goes - I'm sure your experience will help other families facing similar situations in the future.

I'm new to this community but wanted to share my experience since I went through something very similar with my father last year. He received a termination notice for exceeding the $2000 limit when his stimulus payment and a small insurance settlement hit his account in the same month. The key thing that saved us was being very specific about exclusions when we met with SSA. We brought printed copies of the relevant regulations (POMS SI 01130.700 for tax refunds and SI 01130.400 for burial funds) to show the caseworker exactly what exclusions applied. Having the actual policy numbers really helped because not all staff are familiar with every exclusion. For your mom's situation, the tax refund exclusion is solid - as long as she can show it was a legitimate tax refund received within the last 12 months. For the burial fund, make sure to bring the will or any documentation showing those funds were specifically designated "for final expenses" or similar language. One tip that really helped us: when you calculate the numbers, write it out clearly for the caseworker. Something like "Total deposits: $3,250, minus tax refund exclusion: $1,420, minus burial fund: $1,200, equals countable resources: $630." Sometimes seeing it broken down step-by-step helps them process the exclusions correctly. Your mom is lucky to have you advocating for her through this! The 6-month notice period is actually a good sign - it means they're giving her time to resolve it rather than cutting benefits immediately.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful information! I feel much better about my decision to wait until my FRA next July before claiming. To summarize what I've learned: 1. At FRA, there is NO earnings limit whatsoever 2. Since I'll be claiming at 67 (my FRA), I can keep working and earning $32,000 with no reduction in SS benefits 3. I should still be aware of possible tax implications Really appreciate all the explanations - this community is incredibly helpful!

Great summary Connor! You've got it exactly right. Just wanted to add one more tip since you mentioned tax implications - when you do your taxes next year, keep in mind the "combined income" formula SSA uses to determine if your benefits are taxable. It's your Adjusted Gross Income + nontaxable interest + half of your SS benefits. If that total is over $25,000 (single) or $32,000 (married filing jointly), some of your benefits become taxable. With your $32,000 work income plus whatever your SS benefit will be, you'll likely cross that threshold, so just plan accordingly when setting aside money for taxes. But the good news is your benefits themselves won't be reduced at all!

This thread has been so helpful! I just experienced something similar - got an unexpected $743 deposit two days ago marked "SOC SEC" and have been nervous about what it could be. After reading Lauren's update about the COLA calculation errors, I went back and did some rough math on what my increase should have been since January, and $743 is pretty close to what I think I was underpaid. I also checked my online Social Security account like several people suggested, and there actually WAS a message in my Message Center from last week that I had missed - it mentioned a "benefit adjustment" but wasn't very detailed. I'm still planning to call them tomorrow to get the full explanation, but I feel much more confident now that this is legitimate back pay rather than an error. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and especially for the warnings about not spending it until confirmed!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I just got an unexpected $956 deposit yesterday from "US TREASURY SOC SEC" and was completely freaking out about whether it was a mistake. After reading everyone's experiences, especially Lauren's update about the COLA calculation errors, I'm feeling much more relieved. I did the math and that amount is actually pretty close to what I think I was underpaid since the January COLA adjustment. I checked my online Social Security account like several people suggested and found a brief message about a "benefit recalculation" that I had completely missed. I'm still going to call them to get the full details, but knowing that so many others are experiencing the same thing makes me feel like this is probably legitimate back pay rather than an error they'll want back. Thanks everyone for sharing your stories and the great advice about not spending it until confirmed - definitely saving me from potentially making a costly mistake!

I went through this exact same situation with my brother about 3 years ago! He's also intellectually disabled and was struggling with overdrafts and bill management. A few things that really helped us: 1. When you go to the appointment, bring a simple written timeline of the recent financial issues (overdrafts, late bills, etc.) - it helps demonstrate why the change is needed now. 2. The SSA worker asked my brother very gently if he wanted help managing his money, and he was actually relieved to say yes. Don't worry too much about that part of the interview. 3. Once you become his payee, consider setting up automatic payments for his regular bills (rent, utilities) so he doesn't have to worry about due dates. You can still give him spending money for personal items. 4. They'll give you a handbook about representative payee responsibilities - read it carefully! There are some things you can and can't use the SSI money for. The whole process took about 10 days for us, and it's made such a huge difference in his financial stability. You're doing the right thing by stepping in now. Good luck with your appointment!

I'm relatively new to dealing with SSA processes, but I wanted to share something that might help with the paperwork side of things. When I was helping my aunt with her disability benefits, we discovered that many SSA forms can be filled out online through their website before your appointment. Not only can you download the SSA-11 form, but you can also create a my Social Security account that lets you access a lot of information digitally. Also, I noticed someone mentioned keeping receipts for the annual reporting - consider taking photos of receipts with your phone and storing them in a dedicated folder. That way you have digital backups in case any physical receipts fade or get lost. Some people also use simple apps like Mint or even just a basic spreadsheet to track monthly expenses by category (housing, food, medical, etc.), which makes the annual accounting much easier. The fact that you already have guardianship papers should definitely work in your favor. From what I understand, SSA generally prefers family members as representative payees when possible, especially when there's already a legal relationship established. You're taking the right step by being proactive about this now!

I experienced something very similar about 6 months ago - got an unexpected $38 deposit that turned out to be exactly what others have described here. In my case, it was a Medicare Part B premium adjustment related to IRMAA recalculation. The letter arrived about 8 days later and explained that my income from two years prior had been re-evaluated (they use a 2-year lookback for IRMAA calculations), which resulted in a lower premium tier and a refund for the overpaid amount. One thing I learned is that SSA automatically reviews these premium calculations periodically, especially when they receive updated tax information from the IRS. Since you mentioned updating your tax withholding recently, that could have triggered a broader review of your account that led to discovering the premium overpayment. The $32 amount is very consistent with typical IRMAA adjustments I've seen discussed here and in other forums. You should definitely receive an explanation letter soon - don't stress about it in the meantime!

I just wanted to add that you can also call the SSA National 800 number at 1-800-772-1213 if you want to verify the payment before the letter arrives, though as others mentioned, wait times can be really long. The best times to call are usually Tuesday-Thursday between 10am-2pm to avoid peak hours. When you do get through, have your Social Security number ready and they can usually tell you exactly what the $32 payment was for. But honestly, based on everyone's experiences here, it sounds like a routine Medicare premium adjustment and nothing to worry about. The fact that you're still receiving your regular monthly benefits normally is a good sign that everything is working as it should!