100-year-old client, Ms. U., came to the CVLS Jewish United Fund (JUF) clinic in February with a unique issue. A survivor of the Holocaust, Ms. U. is entitled to and receives reparations provided by the German government for its role in World War II. Ms. U also receives Supplemental Security Income (SSI), which is a monthly payment to people with disabilities and older adults with little to no income or resources.
SSI recipients must follow strict rules regarding their financial resources. They must report changes to their income and assets, and they cannot earn over a certain amount. However, certain income, like reparations paid to Holocaust survivors, are exempt from these rules. Despite this exemption, Ms. U.’s SSI benefits were cut when the Social Security Administration (SSA) wrongly considered these reparations as income. The SSA also declared any SSI benefits previously received by Ms. U. as an “overpayment.”
Social Security expert and longtime CVLS volunteer attorney, Stacey Dembo, did not hesitate to help. Stacey immediately filed an appeal and was able to get the SSA decision reversed within just a few months after seeing Ms. U. at the clinic. Thanks to Stacey’s intervention, Ms. U. can go back to enjoying her twilight years with one less worry about her financial security.
