Aright I just recently moved out of my father’s house, and I have a problem concerning my mother’s social security checks. Okay my mom died last June and I was told a couple of weeks ago that me and my two brothers were supposed to receive Social Security checks. Now I am fairly certain that that money is going to my father, who is collecting the money behind my back without even telling me or my brothers that he is receiving it. Now before I get any posts saying I am a greedy and should let my father use that money to support us let me provide you with some information about my father.
When my father and mother got divorced he promised to provide us with food, school supplies, and clothes if he could claim us as his dependents. Now my mother didn’t have any idea what that meant and assumed he would pay for the things he promised (which by the way a REAL father would have done anyways) but of course he didn’t buy any of that, so basically he ripped my mom out of $6,000 from claiming us as his dependents.
He only payed $500 a month in child support for 3 kids. I KNOW that my mother was entitled to a lot more money than that to provide for us. She said he would take him to court for more money but we couldnt afford a lawyer.
While we were living in a trailer park living paycheck to paycheck he was out buying a house and a new car every 3 years while my mother had to resort to walking.
He claimed he could not afford to pay for us to go to college and yet he just went out and bought a brand new 2000 Camry, which I am sure he is getting the money from the Social Security that is supposed to be for me and my brothers.
We only saw him 3 times a year. Our birthdays and Christmas. That’s it.
Now I tried to call Social Security before but the guy I talked to was very rude to me and said that I was still a minor (I was 18 at the time so i wonder where he got that from) so i gave up on calling till I moved out.
I was told by my coworkers that the check should have been coming in my name and if it was how was he able to cash it without me knowing? My father also did my income tax return this year and I only got back $245. I paid like $1500 in taxes this year and me being a student and all I was told I was supposed to get most of that back.
I am hoping my own father is not trying to rip his kids out of money that should be saved up and go for our futures or put in a savings account but if I find out it’s true, then… i dont know…
Sorry to hear about your mom and the wya things are with your old man. You sound liek you’re in the same situation my brother and I were in after my parents divorced. It sucks, but it builds character:)
As far as SS payments go, you’re not due any. You are over the age of 18, therefore, when your parent dies, you don’t get any cash. If your sibs are under 18, they should be getting the checks, and they will get a menial amount until the age of 18. If your dad is ripping the checks, I’d have my sibs call the SS office and have them straighten the old man out, that’s not cool at all(the checks might actually come in your dad’s name, but I’m not sure).
As far as your taxes go, your dad might have made a mistake on yours, but there’s no way he could get the cash from it…next year, I’d recommend that you do the filing. If you lost money on your return, I’d just remember to file 0 next year so you can get the money back, also, the education credit should get at least %90 of your school expenditures back.
I might be mistaken here,(wouldn’t be the first time) but I believe that your local District Attorney could help you with the back child support payment’s. Child support is the right of the child, not of the parent.
Plus, the IRS may be interested in hearing from you about your father’s fraudulent tax returns.
I was told that I was supposed to receive checks until I got out of school. I don’t think it was fradulent I think he recieved checks in my name, cashed them, and put on the income tax return. I was supposed to receive 5000 dollars in life insurance and never saw that so I’m thinking thats how my tax return got so low.
Talkinsquirrel,
I think that GaWd is correct about SS payments ending when you turn 18. My dad died when I was 18, and I never received any checks, although my two younger brothers did. When my brother turned 18, he was told he was no longer eligible. I believe that those checks were in my brothers’ names. So if your dad was cashing checks intended for other people, with others’ names on them, against their will…could that be a criminal issue?
I don’t really have any concrete advice to add to what’s already been said, but I know that it definitely is not fun to have to deal with family disputes and financial issues, especially when you’re already having to deal with losing your mom. Sorry to hear about your troubles, and hope you can resolve them soon.
Also, before you attempt any reporting of him, think of what effect its going to have on your siblings if they are still with him.
Besides the money aspect, how is he as a father?
BTW $500/month child support is fair for three kids. Its the bare min. in some states but at least he is paying. 8 out of ten kids I know don’t get any support.
Sorry to hear that your father is not much of one. We can’t all be great, but everyone deserves better. Hopefully you will grow up to be a man who does take care of his family… A few words of advice, but not about the checks ('cause I don’t know about those, never take much from the Government). Do not let this become the center of your universe. If you can, contact SSI and see if your younger brothers can get the benefits they deserve. Then focus on improving yourself, (you sound like a good kid already) and live life in a way that will allow you to look back and say “I am happy with the trail I left behind!”. You do not need to worry about getting back at you old man in any way - he will regret the fact that he has alienated you, and there will come a day when he will need your help, and will be asking you to be a better man than he was. The expression “living well is the best revenge” sort of encompasses the thought (not that you need revenge). See, the parents I know, live for the moment when their children are successful at something, anything. You father will not be enjoying those moments with you, knowing that he short-changed you, and suffering inside.
I should stop this dribble, I think you get the point. Be a good man and this pain you have now will go away, financial and otherwise.
BTW, since you moved out, you must be supporting yourself somehow, what do you do?