
Caregivers Support Group
A voluntary caregiver is a spouse, relative, friend or neighbor of a disabled person or child who assists with activities of daily living and assists those unable to fully take care of themselves. The challenges of a caregiver are unique and sometimes it's hard to find people to talk to who know what you're going through. Join the conversation and find others who...

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For those of you who have a spouse or family member on diability how do you keep track of their money? Or do you even keep track of it? Clearly the money is meant for the person with the disability. I am getting so frustrated seeing that my BIL is not getting his basic needs taken care of while his wife just got back from a 2 month trip. She has no income of her own. She lives off of him. While she was gone we found huge bills that she has not been paying. She plans on leaving again soon and I would hate to see her rob him blind. I asked my other BIL who is a Social Security Disability attorney and he said it is NOT marital property and she is not intitled to a penny. Do you keep a journal? or account book? Or just consider it household income?
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In Canada it depends on the income source. My husband gets a disability pension from the federal government. That is entirely his income - not mine. He gets it because he is permanently disabled and unable to take gainful employment.
Then we also receive disability benefits from the province... but this is tied into our total household income level. It is based on how much he gets from his pension (he only has the gov't one, as he quit work and went back to university before he was diagnosed) and my income... which is not much right now. The amount we receive is intended to make up the difference between what the household needs, and what the total income amounts to. (Believe me, we ain't anywhere near poking our heads above the poverty line right now.) But these benefits are also primarily because of his disability. If I were no longer part of the household, I would not be covered by them.
The provincial benefits also cover things like prescriptions (depending on which ones) and very basic dental care for the family. They take into consideration additional costs of required diet and medical/care equipment, supplies, etc. (all with limitations, of course) ... and also of my special diet (gluten-free.)
So, from here, I guess the answer is... yes and no. I would say that the benefits must be used to cover necessities for the PWD first, and the family if they are unable to work enough due to care needs or other difficulties.
Under no circumstances can I see that it would be okay for a spouse or family member to use those funds to go off alone on a pleasure trip - unless, I guess, it's a respite thing and has been noted as such.
I have often wondered what can be done for a single person (or married?)with a disability who has no one reliable to look after finances with them.
Anybody out there know of legal or other resources (Canada or US) for folks in this situation?
Thanks, I hadn't heard of it (and you'd think I would have by now!) He gets the disability exemption.... hmmm. Will look it up.
http://www.ssa.gov/payee/faqrep.htm
It talks about how if the disabled person can not manage the money how they can have a representative payee do it. That person must account for everything. *and it says they do not recognize people with "power of attorney" as a payee. They have to apply to be a payee. It doesn't really say exactly the role of the spouse. But it sounds to me like they would have to apply to be the payee..?
I have never heard of this before. I'm sure it's something they wnat you to do, but not many people are aware of it. It's worth a read though, if you have a loved one on disability.
Not to mention the govt. idiotic medical supply "rental policy" for durable medical equipment!
I keep a monthly Excel worksheet so I can easily submit the yearly reports.
I would be scared to death to spend the money on anything but her needs. I am surprised your SIL has been able to get by with this. You should report this so someone who has his best interest at heart can control this money