The state has applied to the federal government for a waiver to cut off this jerks food stamps.
Just because he’s technically eligible doesn’t mean he has to keep using them. This assclown could refuse them. :mad:
While he may indeed be an ass-clown, I think laws that permit this type of thing to happen are more pit-worthy.
May be the first time I agree with Crafter_Man. Change the law so the lottery is considered income, or change the eligibility requirement to include liquid assets, and the problem is solved. You have to assume people will grub for every bit of benefit they can give themselves, and not act nobly. Altruism is a fine thing, but shouldn’t be planned for.
You may have a point that they are pit-worthy, but I’m not sure that they are more pit-worthy. I don’t think the people who wrote the law intended this loophole. Maybe they should have realized it, maybe they were careless, but I doubt they intended it. This man isn’t doing this inadvertently or through some oversight. He’s intentionally abusing the system and therefore, in my mind, more pit-worthy.
I don’t disagree in this precise situation. Although the question is whether the law in general allows lots of “this type of thing” or whether this is a truly freakishly unusual edge case.
Well he does not have a job. But the next evaluation would broom him. I believe you can not have more than 50 bucks in the bank.
Complete nonsense.
To clarify, the lottery winnings are absolutely considered income in the year they are won. As such, the guy probably paid a 40%'ish tax rate. In subsequent years, however, they are treated as liquid assets. In principle, it makes sense to adjust food stamps and other welfare payments for one’s wealth levels, and the public anger is understandable. In practice, I suspect this doesn’t amount to any substantial savings given that these sorts of folks (e.g., lotto winners) are quite rare.
Having said that, I don’t understand how he’s not earning enough in interest to be disqualified from food stamps. Maybe it’s all sitting in some checking account earning nothing in interest (wouldn’t shock me given this guy’s apparent sophistication)? Of course, he might simply be failing to report earned interest on his tax returns.
In most states, you can not have more than 2000 dollars in the bank, in cash and/or in investments and qualify for food stamps.
If he’s paid 40% on his winnings, he’s more than entitled to claim any benefits he’s allowed for not working. For that matter, even if the winnings aren’t taxed, he’s presumably paid taxes before, and is still entitled to claim.
I honestly can’t work up very much outrage over this. I’m sure he’s paid enough in taxes on his winnings to cover even a lifetime of foodstamp benefits several times over.
I don’t think the man’s actions are admirable but I agree with Crafter_Man. The state was in control of the rules when they made up all versions of these games so it is their own fault. If you want to build rule-based social systems, you have build it well and accept every outcome if it is within the rules. Good for him. He just made an obvious point about unintended consequences of strict rule based social programs. I pit states that have lotteries to begin with yet outlaw most private gambling. They prey on their own citizens, often the poorest and most naive of them. He happened to be one of the few that got anything from it. Screw the state. One wealthy person on food stamps won’t bankrupt a state. They should worry about the totality of how all of their rule based systems are being used and whether they are really getting the desired results overall.
Don’t worry. Within two years it’ll all be blown on strippers, expensive trinkets, and—in all likelihood— lottery tickets, and he’ll just be another honest Joe down on his luck who needs food stamps.
Is it that simple that it is the rules of the game that need overhaul? If the provision uses the definition of income that is in another Act such as Income Tax Act (or whatever it may be called) it may be a separate Act that provides the basis and can’t be changed by the administrators of the game. This is just specualtion- I have no recondite knowledge of how the system works.
And if this guy had gone and blown all his money on hookers he would be entitled to foodstamps and he would be roasted here for being foolish and wasting all his money.
You have a point, but I disagree - this conduct is worse than loopholes that might allow it. This guy should get some stones and get off the free handouts.
edited to say, “what davidm said”…
I dunno, guy seems pretty frugal to me.
Cite? That seems like a ridiculously low bar; so low that I wouldn’t believe it. $2000 in any liquid form, and you’re disqualified for food stamps? So, if I manage to save up $2000 over the course of a year or so (about two months living expenses), I go off food stamps, even if my income hasn’t changed? What’s the point?
http://dss.sd.gov/foodstamps/eligibility/
This one is S. Dakota. i saw several states , all the same.
Yeah, trust me, food stamps don’t cover much and you have to be dirt poor to get them. You may think we have this great safety net but remember, a net, is mostly holes.
Strongly doubt the food stamp system is going to be broken by the weight of all those greedy lottery millionaires claiming the benefits they’re technically but not morally entitled to.