Disability tidbit

[Mamacass]

Thought this was kind of neat.  As a stepmom sometimes I feel like a glorified babysitter.  I called SSI the other day, because now that we have custody of SS we want to make sure that his mom isn't misusing the check she gets for him.  She is on disability and as you know, she gets a check for her and one for SS.  

Anyways,  I wasn't sure if she needed to let them know that she is no longer taking care of ss (she gets 6 weeks of visitation a year), or if this was something we could do.  I'm pretty sure that if we wait on her, it'll never happen.  Well the lady I spoke with said all my husband needs to do is bring the custody papers down there and apply to be SS's designated payee.  And she suggested that if I'm the one who handles our paperwork and affairs that I be listed as the designated payee.  

This kind of caught me off guard, because as a step-parent to actually be in charge of anything for SS is unheard of.   I filled out all of SS paperwork for school and soccer, but I couldn't sign any of it.  In fact there's a spot for Dad's info and a spot for Mom's info, but no spot for me.  I'm just the emergency pick-up person.  

It's nice that SSI will actually recognize me as someone who takes care of SS.  But you want to know something weird- even though it makes sense for me to be the designated payee, I'm not sure that I'm comfortable with it.  I'm afraid it will look like I'm trying to get his money.  and I guess years of not being able to sign anything for my SS, a part of me feels like that lady couldn't have been right.  Didn't SSI get the memo that apparently everyone else got? the one that tells them to treat step parents like babysitters? Sure, we can take care of the child, but don't let us actually make any parental decisons.  

Sorry, I guess this kind of turned into a vent.  I just meant to put some info out there about disability since I saw a few posts about it.  Hope you guys don't mind.

[ocean]

Your DH is really signing over his right to you. He can do that for school stuff too!
Wait until BM finds out that you already called and are having it switched. It is great. The girls payments gets directly deposited into their account on the same day each month. Good for you!