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I am disabled & briefly received benefits from the state in 1989-approx. 1992 but only about 2 yrs. I had one child at the time with no assistance from his father. My family was in a cult that forbid me from going to college and from whom I am and was shunned for over 30 years causing extreme challenges. My father was the only person in my family not doing this or in this religion. He passed away last October. I just received 2 letters from the state saying that they are going to order repayment of benefits from my inheritance. Is there anything that I can do to mitigate this? I have a lawyer who is listed on the probate papers but the state has not contacted him. It really seems unfair that I never knew of this and would have paid what I could have when I was able to work but I didn't know about this clause. Can the amount be reduced or negotiated? I don't even know where they are getting their figures from. The amounts seem way high for the time when the payments were made. I now receive SSDA and pay for my own Medicare and supplemental insurance. It seems as though once you've received benefits you're alway going to have to if that is how it works and it is demeaning and belittling. I am in shock and don't even know what to do now or how to explain this as I have cognitive impairment from child abuse by my mother and brothers as well as emotional abuse from the same individuals and the religion causing me to have a break down and have to be hospitalized many times. This is very stressful and disheartening. Can you give me any advice on what I can do? They knew where I'd moved and that I'd gone to school and worked and never came after me before now...why is that? Why don't they tell you this upfront so that you can take care of obligations? It didn't show up when I had to go bankrupt in the past.

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In many states there is recovery of welfare and Medicaid collected if you received the payments for a child. Father’s and mother’s are held responsible. Did you provide the name of the father at that time. When you contact them be sure and ask what attempts have been made to collect from the father. Collection cannot be made from SSDA, but can from an inheritance. They should have a record of the checks issued to you at that time and Medicaid payments made. They will not try to collect any food stamps or WIC that you may have received. You probably can negotiate away the Medicaid payments. However child support arrearages seem to hold on forever. If you have the name and location of the father that is helpful, a social security number would be even better.
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Well. If I got a letter like that, and especially if I couldn't see where the sender was getting his figures from, the first thing I'd do is ring 'em up and ask.

Don't panic. Either there will be a sensible explanation, and given the length of time that's elapsed there should be plenty of room for negotiating a manageable repayment schedule; or there may have been a mistake which you and the office concerned will be able to iron out.

In any case, do not go straight to having a nervous breakdown and guessing and assuming the worst; and above all DO NOT IGNORE THIS.

I gather there are some administrative hitches going on in governmental circles, are there still? So you might need to be extra patient. Look at the letter for the right number to call, get on the phone and speak to an actual person. Have the letter with you so you can read out references and so on. Have paper and a pen to take notes, including the name of the person you're speaking to.

All will be well, the important thing is to tackle it as soon as you can.
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Platipus62 Jan 2019
Thank you Countrymouse...I have found out that Ct apparently does not have a statute of limitations on the collection of benefits collected in the past. I found an article in the Connecticut Mirror that speaks of even 50yrs later coming after people for benefits used in times of hardship. If they'd disclose this to people when signing them up perhaps when you do get employed or have money of some sort you'd chose to pay down the owed money. I know I would have if I had known that this even existed. One thing I was worried about was that I put on the court papers that I had an attorney and so far they have not contacted him concerning this and I found a statute in their bylaws that said that if they do not contact your attorney within 30 days of making acknowledgment of this that it voids and ends the process. The papers say I have 60 days to respond to ask for a hearing but I live far from there which was why I got an attorney as well as other threats against my life from other family members. I am terrified of going to the same state after being told "you'll get yours b___h" over and over by family and just because I got a lawyer not for saying or doing anything. Nothing has happened with the estate yet. There may be nothing left to get out of the estate with the way the rest of the family there is handling it. I'm afraid if I call them at the number, that I may not understand something I am saying or asking and the effect that may have on the whole process...I've been having memory problems for the past year and a half so I think that I should fax it to my attorney and email him to let him know the situation, so he can handle it the best way only I'm worried about needing a different kind of lawyer like an elder care attorney and not a probate attorney although I wouldn't know for certain unless I asked him directly but then I've had other attorney's who told me they could handle something as far as elder care and didn't handle it correctly and by the time I found out it was too late to change anything. What do you think about this? Thanks for your comments.
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Did you inherit anything? I think somehow they found out Dad died. If you were a child, I don't see how you could be held responsible. Since Dad may have left money, then they maybe entitled to it.

You need to set up an appointment to speak directly to Medicaid. Take all your health and income info.
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Platipus62 Jan 2019
No I've not inherited anything as of yet and I have no idea how this will end even. I do have an attorney who is listed on my probate paperwork as my representative since I do not live near there any longer. My Dad had no real money left except to live on but does have a home and property which is just now in the beginning phases of probate and there are other people as stated beneficiaries as well. No one will get anything until the home is sold and the property and who knows when or how that will happen. Thanks for commenting.
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What I think happened is that probate is a public process; your income over the years is not.
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Platipus62 Jan 2019
Most likely, I'm sure...except on the public papers for probate it is stated that I am being represented by an attorney because I do not live near there and am being threatened by my other family members so I do not understand why they have not contacted my attorney. His name appears before mine as my representative. I also wondered how do they know if I actually received the letters too? It would seem to me that they should have sent this to me certified or had it served to me somehow? I don't know but the whole thing is just so surprising to me. I mean I was so taken aback I had absolutely no reaction...it was sort of unreal and something I'd chosen not to think about and just went on with my life as best I could. Thanks for your comment!
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