What Price Motherhood? Moms rally to demand Social Security for work as caregivers

The Sunday Star-Ledger (NJ) ^ | 5/11/03 | Peggy O'Crowley

[VeritatisSplendor]

Families honor their mothers today with perfume, hanging plants, and dinners out. What many of today's mothers want most, however, doesn't come from a store. They want respect, financial recognition, and nothing less than to change the way society looks at motherhood. And they're not waiting for anyone to give it to them.

[zip]

I hit post too quickly.

SSI, Food Stamps, state aid, etc. There are welfare programs available in every state but Social Security shouldn't be the answer for doles. It was established for working people paiying their share into the fund and receiving funds, when justifed, from SS. Nowhere in the Act does it say "give away for getting pregnant" or "give away for taking care of someone's child". Maybe I have an edited edition of the law?

[babygene]

"SSI??"

You can only get SSI if you have less than $2000 in assets. She has 1/2 the house and half the X's 401K (which she can't spend yet).

As soon as her net worth drops below $2000, yes she can get SSI.

[FITZ]

Might as well give it American moms --- President Fox of Mexico is demanding social security benefits be given to his citizens. Just give it to everyone who never put in ---the program needs to be ended.

[zip]

I am not saying she should not receive assistance, but I am saying NOT FROM SOCIAL SECURITY ADMIN sources. It WAS NOT designed to be a welfare program. Don't attache more give-aways to a private, non government, funded operation.

[babygene]

"But, if I am working, for my husband, wouldn't we then be subjected to higher taxes, as a two income family?"

Probably not, because wayges he pays are deductible as a business expense. He gets the duduction, and you get the wayges. I think it would ballance out so that you paid just the SS taxes.

[I still care]

Sarah, you are right. I stayed home for 16 years taking care of an ill husband and two learning disabled children. I was in a car accident a few years ago, which severely injured me and from which I am still disabled. My husband died suddenly, and I as I am not invested in SS I cannot get disability. I have been praying and trying to find a way to support myself. At 16 and 18 the boys are trying to help out but are really too young.

I would gladly have paid SS taxes of some kind in the past few years in order to have qualified. I always thought I would be able to get a job when he passed on, but I never reckoned on the car accident.

[Elsie]

SOCIAL SECURITY leads to.... SOCIALISM

[babygene]

I'm not suggesting that mom's get SS without paying in. They just need to find a way to pay in...

[Elsie]

I would gladly have paid SS taxes of some kind in the past few years in order to have qualified.............

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Honey, there were GOBS of offers of LIFE INSURANCE delivered to your mail box every year!!!!

You HAD a chance, why did you not TAKE it?

Do you want it to be MANDATORY??? Government IMPOSED on ALL people???

Are you AWARE of the NAME of that FORM of Gov't???

[zip]

At 16 and 18 the boys are trying to help out but are really too young.

If they are in the home then you have to go back to SSA Office and they will arrange for support of the boys. They will also refer you to social assistance agencies.

[I still care]

He couldn't get life insurance because of his illness. We have some left over from the early 80's, from before he became ill, but were never able to increase it to meet our needs. Once they find out he was on oxygen, he couldn't qualify.

[babygene]

"If they are in the home then you have to go back to SSA Office and they will arrange for support of the boys."

There are only survivor benifits in this case if the husband was qualified. If the husband hadn't paid in for enough quarters, then there would be no benifit for the boys or the wife.

[zip]

If the husband hadn't paid in for enough quarters, then there would be no benifit for the boys or the wife.

Didn't realize that issue. thx

[Elsie]

We (I) never THOUGHT this would happen to us (me)....

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Ain't this the truth......

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We either, as INDIVIDUALS, have to START thinking this way or else

WE, as MEMEBRS of the COLLECTIVE, will have the Gov't to do it 'for' us.

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If there is ANY other way, I do not know of it.

[staytrue]

Right now, the employer pays you a dollar and pays the feds 7 cents for a total cost of 1.07 to the employer, and you pay 7 cents and you get 93 cents left. Would you feel better if the employer paid the entire tax where the employer would pay you 93 cents and pay 14 cents to the fed for a total of 1.07 cost to the employer. Would you feel badly if the employer no tax and you had to pay it all ? Here the employer would pay you 1.07 and pay no tax, while you would get 1.07 but would pay 14 cents in tax for a take home pay of 93 cents.

Basically, the employer thinks your work is worth 1.07 but you get only 93 cents. I'd say that no matter who is writing the check, the employee is paying the tax.

[SarahW]

Unless you consider people like me workers.

[zip]

It is taking money from workers and redistributing it to non workers.

Maybe I should have stated it "...from SS TAX paying workers and redistributing it (out of ss funds) to Non SS TAX paying workers and non workers. OKAY?

[Libertarianize the GOP]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list

[SarahW]

And yet, I'm entitled to a portion of my spouses retirement benefits (as well as my own). My entitlement to my husbands benefits takes into account the contribution I make.

Not to mention, I was once qualified for disability benefits. But it "expires" - the number of credits required goes up as you age, and you have to earn a certain number of them within a specified period before your disability.

Women who leave the workforce to care for family lose the right to claim disability benefits after a fairly short time. And no matter how many credits you have (and I have a lot) you have earn to at least 20 of the credits in the 10 years immediately before you became disabled (if you are 31 or over, which most women with a 12 yo are) Im 40.

It would take over two years for me to be eligible for SS disability again.

Mothers who sacrifice their earning years are totally out of luck if the spouse dies, she goes to work, and becomes injured or ill before those twenty credits are accrued.
women should

[Elsie]

Now don't start showing the math. If mere humans discover that businesses do NOT pay any taxes, then the game will be over!

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Businesses COLLECT taxes for the GOVERNMENT!!!!