THE DANDELION CONNECTION
FOCUS ON: The Public Assistance
Budget: Part
I
Volume 4 Issue 3 (716) 847-0655 ext.216 April, 1996
Everyone on public assistance has a budget but few know what it means. It is a computer generated form which should be attached to each notice you receive. You have a right to a copy of your budget and you have a right to ask your caseworker to explain how it was figured out. Your public assistance budget will have many letters, numbers, and abbreviations. This series of articles will explain the basics of public assistance budgeting.
You have an assigned examiner with the local Department of Social Services (D.S.S.). Some consider this person to be a social worker. The correct title is a social welfare examiner. Their job is to examine and determine eligibility and authorize payment on behalf of the local D.S.S.. Your income maintenance worker collects information from you at various stages in your involvement with DSS. They may gather the information through telephone contact, face to face interview, or by mail.
Your budget is created when your examiner puts your information into a computer that figures out your welfare payment. It is programmed based upon state regulations and standards. The budget is based upon information such as: amount of income (UIB, earned income, social security) and expenses (cost of shelter, utilities, and childcare). The agency compares your expenses with its allowances. You will frequently find that you pay more than the agency allows.
People who work or have changing income have an obligation to report their earnings within 10 days of receiving it. The agency should begin budgeting that income immediately. If it is income from employment, you should begin receiving reports in the mail every three months for you to complete. You must submit the report along with copies of your paystubs by the due date stated on the report. If the DSS does not receive a report, your benefits may be discontinued.
When you apply for assistance, your budget is set by looking at your 8 most recent work weeks. When you are on quarterly reporting, your income from three months is "averaged" as follows. If you are paid weekly, the examiner adds the last four weekly paystubs, divides the total by four and multiplies by 4.3333. If you are paid bi-weekly, your last two paystubs will be added together, divided by four and multiplied by 2.1667. You have an obligation to inform your worker of any changes in your earned or unearned income. These reports should be made in writing. You should keep a copy of any document that you submit to DSS for your records.
Next month, the series
will review the Adams' family public assistance budget.
El Presupuesto De
Asistancia Publica: Parte I
Todas las personas en asistencia publica tienen un presupuesto pero pocos saben lo que significa. Es un formulario generado de computadora que debe de estar adjunto con cada aviso que usted recibe. Usted tiene el derecho a una copia de su presupuesto y usted tiene el derecho de pedirle a su trabajador que le explique como fue calculado. Su presupuesto de asistencia publica tendra muchas letras, numeros, y abreviaturas. Estos series de articulos van explicar los basicos del presupuesto de asistencia publica.
Usted tiene un examinador asignado con el Departamento de Servicios Sociales local (DSS). Algunos consideran a esta persona de ser un trabajador social. El titulo correcto es examinador social de welfare. El trabajo de ellos es examinar y determinar elegibilidad y autorizar pago de parte de D.S.S. local. Su trabajador de mantenimiento de ingresos va coleccionar informacion de usted en varias etapas durante su compromiso con D.S.S. Pueden reunir la informacion por contacto de telefono, intrevista personal, o por el correo.
Su presupuesto es creado cuando su examinador pone su informacion en una computadora que va calcular su pago de welfare. Es programado basado sobre regulaciones y criterias estatal. El presupuesto es basado sobre informacion tal como: cantidad de ingreso (UIB, ganancias, securo social) y gastos (costo de refugio, utilidades, y cuidado de nino). La agencia compara sus gastos con su concesion. Frecuentemente usted paga mas de lo que la agencia permite.
Personas que trabajan o tienen ingreso cambiante tienen la obligacion de informar su ingreso dentro de diez dias despues de recibirlo. La agencia presupondra ese ingreso inmediatamente.
Si es ingreso de trabajo, usted recibira reportajes por el correo cada tres meses para que usted los complete. Usted tiene que sometar el reportaje con copias de su talonario de pago al dia debido en el reportaje. Si D.S.S. no recibe su reportaje, discontinuaran sus beneficios.
Cuando usted solicite por asistencia, su presupuesto es fijado mirando las ultimas semanas de trabajo. Cuando usted tiene que reportarse trimestral, tienen que "promediar" su ingreso de tres meses segun lo siguiente. Si le pagan semanar, el examinador suma los ultimos 4 talonarios de cheque, divide el total por cuatro y lo multiplica por 4.3333. Si le pagan cada dos semanas, suman los ultimos dos talonarios de cheque, lo divide por cuatro y lo multiplican por 2.1667. Guarde una copia de todos los documentos que usted le sometio a DSS para su archivo.
El proximo mes, el serie repasara el presupuesto de asistencia publica de la familia Adam.
87 Words of
Encouragement
for Children: Part II
44. Keep on trying
66. You've got that down pat.
45. You're the best
67. Couldn't have done it better myself.
46. Nothing can stop you now.
68. Now that's
what I call a fine job.
47. You've got it made
69. You did that very well.
48. You're very good at that
70. That was first class work
49. You certainly did well today
71. That's
the best ever.
50. I'm very proud of you
72. You haven't missed a thing.
51. You're learning fast.
73. It's a
pleasure to teach you when you work like that
52. You've just about got it.
74. You really make my job fun.
53. That's good
75. You've just about
mastered that.
54. I'm happy to see you working like that
76. One more time and you'll have it.
55. I'm proud of the way you worked today
77. You must have been practicing.
56. That's the right way to do it.
78. PERFECT
57. You're really learning a lot.
79. That's IT!
58. That's better than ever.
80. FINE
59. That's quite an improvement
81. You remembered
60. That kind of work makes me very happy
82. Good Work
61. Now you've figured it out
.83. OUTSTANDING
62. You figured it out fast
84. I like that
63. You're really improving
85. Congratulations
64. I think you've got it now.
86. SENSATIONAL!
65. Well look at you go!
87. I love
you.
Welfare Realities
Part 2
6. The median state AFDC maximum benefit for a
family of three in 1994 was _____ a month.
A. $745 B. $624 C. $254 D. $366
7. In 1994, the
median AFDC maximum benefit
was _____ of the poverty line.
A. 10% B. 82% C. 36% D. 100%
8. After adjusting
for inflation, AFDC benefits
increased _____ from 1970 to 1994.
A. 62% B. 0% C. 45% D. -47%
9. In Canada,
government tax and transfer systems
lift about 20 percent of single-parent
families
out of poverty; in West Germany, about 33
percent; in France, about 50 percent; and in
the
Netherlands, Sweden and the U.K., at least 75
percent. In the United States, government tax
and transfer systems (AFDC, food stamps,
etc.)
lift ___ of single-parent families out of
poverty.
A. Less than 5% B. 10%
C. more than half D. nearly 40%
10. In the 20 years
from 1973 to 1993, average
weekly inflation-adjusted earnings _____.
A. Declined by 19% B. Increased 73% C.
Increased 32% D. Increased 14%
Sources: Unless otherwise indicated, all statistics were drawn from the 1994 Green Book, published by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means; 9-Center on Hunger, Poverty and Nutrition Policy (Tufts University), citing the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies; 10-Center on Hunger, citing Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor.
ANSWERS: 6-D; 7-C; 8-D; 9-A; 10-A
Money $aving tip:
Consider shopping at the store that will save you more. Each grocer has different rules for coupon use. Call and find out the rules for the grocers nearest you. Remember: do not purchase items you don't need just because you have a coupon. Don't forget: store brands may beat coupon offers.
ADVOCACY TIP
Keep copies of all documents submitted to any agency. Have a separate file for each agency. Keep information chronologically with the most recent information first.
POETRY
THE TRUTH ABOUT SPRING
You may delight in the burgeoning
Of bursting seeds or, a cardinal's wing
But, I lean against the window pane
Not really entranced by the rain in Spring.
How can I be? I've got a code -- sniff, sniff
It's all very well--panoramic sky,
A colorguard of tulips aligned to catch your
eye,
The first dandelion popping up in the grass,
The first vibrant rose that you glimpse
passing by.
All this charm is lost on me. I've got a cold -- sniff, sniff
The truth about Spring is: It's cold and it's damp,
Spring is a rogue, a vixen, a scamp,
One day sunny -- the next day so drear,
Spring...charismatic, coquette and a vamp.
You may be intrigued
by the wafting of breezes,
Alas, poor me with a nose full of sneezes!
I've got a code --
achoo! More Kleenex please.....
by Nora T. Gavin
Transitional Morning
Walking,
On the yet snow-covered road,
Rollingly up and down
Through dripping wet,
And obscuring fog.
Our
self-enclosed world,
A struggle against inertia
Affecting everyone else.
Now snuggled in their homes.
Nothing changes,
Or progresses,
Without resistance.
The snow went
To rain
To ice
To bright skies?
by:Peter T. Ruszczyk
Project
Dandelion
Neighborhood Legal Services
295 Main Street
Ellicott Square Bldg. Rm. 495
Buffalo NY 14203