As Predicted....

[chimp3]

Dribble down economics! Getting pissed on by old, rich, white dudes with enlarged prostates.

[Minimalist]

[Joods]

I'm fine with cutting of SSI and medicare to the wealthy. In 2010, 47 million collected benefits while making over 100K per year. I've seen another estimate of 1.4 billion per year in SSI benefits to millionaires.

bold mine

I'd like to see a link on that because SSI is a welfare based program and all earned and unearned income is counted against SSI benefits. So if a millionaire is getting SSI, they should be reported for welfare fraud.

[Aroura]

I'm fine with cutting of SSI and medicare to the wealthy. In 2010, 47 million collected benefits while making over 100K per year. I've seen another estimate of 1.4 billion per year in SSI benefits to millionaires.

bold mine

I'd like to see a link on that because SSI is a welfare based program and all earned and unearned income is counted against SSI benefits. So if a millionaire is getting SSI, they should be reported for welfare fraud.

The rich can and do collect SSI

One key point to be aware of is that  are based on your earned income, such as wages from a job. Many of the wealthiest Americans get their income from passive business activities, or from dividend income on their investments, which is not counted for Social Security purposes.

To sum it up

The bottom line is that while billionaires can qualify for Social Security, they must have earned income for a minimum of 10 years -- not just passive sources of income such as investments. And unless they earned more than the Social Security taxable maximum in each of 35 years, they'll receive less than the maximum possible retirement benefit, which is currently $2,687 per month at full retirement age.

Oh, and here is how many/much in reality.
How much do the rich collect in SSI?

47,535 millionaires received Social Security benefits in 2010, totaling $1.438 billion. Median income of all recipients over 65 is $26,000.

[brewer]

Thanks Aroura. Not caffeinated yet.

[Joods]

The rich can and do collect SSI

One key point to be aware of is that  are based on your earned income, such as wages from a job. Many of the wealthiest Americans get their income from passive business activities, or from dividend income on their investments, which is not counted for Social Security purposes.

To sum it up

The bottom line is that while billionaires can qualify for Social Security, they must have earned income for a minimum of 10 years -- not just passive sources of income such as investments. And unless they earned more than the Social Security taxable maximum in each of 35 years, they'll receive less than the maximum possible retirement benefit, which is currently $2,687 per month at full retirement age.

Oh, and here is how many/much in reality.
How much do the rich collect in SSI?

47,535 millionaires received Social Security benefits in 2010, totaling $1.438 billion. Median income of all recipients over 65 is $26,000.

I specifically asked about SSI benefits, since that's the claim: 

I'm fine with cutting of SSI and medicare to the wealthy. In 2010, 47 million collected benefits while making over 100K per year. I've seen another estimate of 1.4 billion per year in SSI benefits to millionaires.

The article you quoted, doesn't even address SSI benefits at all. 


The article was misquoted as when you quoted it, it left out the linked words "Social security retirement". The article is completely based on earnings and even goes into the fact that a wealthy person may not even qualify for SSA (Retirement benefits). SSI vs SSA are different monsters. And it's important to understand the difference. 

SSA is money based off of your income and how many years you worked. This is the money that comes directly from Social Security funds that you paid into. 

If you are disabled and cannot work and do not have enough work credit hours to qualify for SSDI, you may qualify for SSI benefits. There are several factors they take into consideration with that. 

Sorry Aroura, if you're going to use an article to make a point about wealthy getting SSI benefits, at least be accurate about it. 

Link directly from ssa.gov explaining SSI and the differences between it and retirement benefits.

SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME (SSI) OVERVIEW
WHAT IS SSI?

SSI stands for Supplemental Security Income. Social Security administers this program. We pay monthly benefits to people with limited income and resources who are disabled, blind, or age 65 or older. Blind or disabled children may also get SSI. 

HOW IS SSI DIFFERENT FROM SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS?
Many people who are eligible for SSI may also be entitled to Social Security benefits. In fact, the application for SSI is also an application for Social Security benefits. However, SSI and Social Security are different in many ways.

• Social Security benefits may be paid to you and certain members of your family if you are “insured” meaning you worked long enough and paid Social Security taxes. Unlike Social Security benefits, SSI benefits are not based on your prior work or a family member's prior work.
  
• SSI is financed by general funds of the U.S. Treasury--personal income taxes, corporate and other taxes. Social Security taxes collected under the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) or the Self-Employment Contributions Act (SECA) do not fund the SSI program.
  
• In most States, SSI recipients also can get medical assistance (Medicaid)- to pay for hospital stays, doctor bills, prescription drugs, and other health costs.
  
• Many States also provide a supplemental payment to certain SSI recipients.
  
• SSI recipients may also be eligible for food assistance in every State except California. In some States, an application for SSI also serves as an application for food assistance.
  
• SSI benefits are paid on the first of the month.
  
• To get SSI, you must be disabled, blind, or at least 65 years old and have "limited" income and resources.
  

some bolding mine.

[Aroura]

The rich can and do collect SSI


Oh, and here is how many/much in reality.
How much do the rich collect in SSI?

I specifically asked about SSI benefits, since that's the claim: 

I'm fine with cutting of SSI and medicare to the wealthy. In 2010, 47 million collected benefits while making over 100K per year. I've seen another estimate of 1.4 billion per year in SSI benefits to millionaires.

The article you quoted, doesn't even address SSI benefits at all. 


The article was misquoted as when you quoted it, it left out the linked words "Social security retirement". The article is completely based on earnings and even goes into the fact that a wealthy person may not even qualify for SSA (Retirement benefits). SSI vs SSA are different monsters. And it's important to understand the difference. 

SSA is money based off of your income and how many years you worked. This is the money that comes directly from Social Security funds that you paid into. 

If you are disabled and cannot work and do not have enough work credit hours to qualify for SSDI, you may qualify for SSI benefits. There are several factors they take into consideration with that. 

Sorry Aroura, if you're going to use an article to make a point about wealthy getting SSI benefits, at least be accurate about it. 

Link directly from ssa.gov explaining SSI and the differences between it and retirement benefits.

SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME (SSI) OVERVIEW
WHAT IS SSI?

SSI stands for Supplemental Security Income. Social Security administers this program. We pay monthly benefits to people with limited income and resources who are disabled, blind, or age 65 or older. Blind or disabled children may also get SSI. 

HOW IS SSI DIFFERENT FROM SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS?
Many people who are eligible for SSI may also be entitled to Social Security benefits. In fact, the application for SSI is also an application for Social Security benefits. However, SSI and Social Security are different in many ways.

• Social Security benefits may be paid to you and certain members of your family if you are “insured” meaning you worked long enough and paid Social Security taxes. Unlike Social Security benefits, SSI benefits are not based on your prior work or a family member's prior work.
  
• SSI is financed by general funds of the U.S. Treasury--personal income taxes, corporate and other taxes. Social Security taxes collected under the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) or the Self-Employment Contributions Act (SECA) do not fund the SSI program.
  
• In most States, SSI recipients also can get medical assistance (Medicaid)- to pay for hospital stays, doctor bills, prescription drugs, and other health costs.
  
• Many States also provide a supplemental payment to certain SSI recipients.
  
• SSI recipients may also be eligible for food assistance in every State except California. In some States, an application for SSI also serves as an application for food assistance.
  
• SSI benefits are paid on the first of the month.
  
• To get SSI, you must be disabled, blind, or at least 65 years old and have "limited" income and resources.
  

some bolding mine.

Oops sorry! I got SSI confused with SSA.

No need to get nasty. It was an honest mistake.

[Joods]

I specifically asked about SSI benefits, since that's the claim: 



The article you quoted, doesn't even address SSI benefits at all. 


The article was misquoted as when you quoted it, it left out the linked words "Social security retirement". The article is completely based on earnings and even goes into the fact that a wealthy person may not even qualify for SSA (Retirement benefits). SSI vs SSA are different monsters. And it's important to understand the difference. 

SSA is money based off of your income and how many years you worked. This is the money that comes directly from Social Security funds that you paid into. 

If you are disabled and cannot work and do not have enough work credit hours to qualify for SSDI, you may qualify for SSI benefits. There are several factors they take into consideration with that. 

Sorry Aroura, if you're going to use an article to make a point about wealthy getting SSI benefits, at least be accurate about it. 

Link directly from ssa.gov explaining SSI and the differences between it and retirement benefits.


some bolding mine.

Oops sorry! I got SSI confused with SSA.

No need to get nasty. It was an honest mistake.

I wasn't getting nasty. I was pointing out the differences between SSA and SSI since I asked to see information directly relating to brewer's claim. Your link wasn't addressing the claim. That is all. Accuracy is important here.

No need to get all defensive because I pointed out the error.

[Aroura]

Also, a little googling shows that people of all incomes are still eligible for disability.

[Joods]

Also, a little googling shows that people of all incomes are still eligible for disability.

There is also a thing called SSDI, which is for those individuals who have worked and paid into the system. It pays out much more than SSI benefits and it is not considered a welfare based program.

SSI and SSDI are two completely different things and the claim brewer was making didn't involve SSDI at all. It strictly mentioned SSI benefits. 

Going directly to the Social Security Administration's website, as opposed to relying on secondhand or thirdhand information is where I went to get my information because it's the official government website for the SSA.