Milan Mama ......
Well, my latest case study was an eye-opener ... I learned about a whole new way to "use" the system ... and you are going to love this!
Milan Mama is the mother of four beautiful children by three different fathers. She was married to two of the fathers which is pretty novel for the case studies I do. (They normally are not married to the dads. I digress....) Anyway, this lady is dynamic! She's smart, cute as a button and honestly, a very good mom. Her children are well behaved, respectful of her and looked healthy and happy. She was involved in this case study because she was seeking custody of her 20 month old "god child". The god child was the fifth child to a friend of hers. Her friend was losing all of her five children (by three different fathers) and Milan Mama was stepping up to take in the child and so now she will have five children.
Well, Milan Mama and I began talking and I learned that she had just completed LVN (Licensed Vocational Nursing) training through Milan Institute and all she lacked was taking the state certification exam. Wow! I offered .... this was great! And I confirmed with her that LVN's make about $40,000/year and this was wonderful. Well, while she agreed that this was great, she also explained that she really wanted to "do hair". And so she was now registered in the Milan Institute Cosmetology program. Hmmmm....I was thinking.
About that time her son ran in with the mail! He was so excited because he "knew" that one of the letters contained a check because he could see the "green paper"! "The case study interview had to stop", she explained because she needed to open the "green paper" envelope!! The whole family stood around her in anticipation. YES! It was a check!! A check for $4506!! I learned that while she is enrolled in the cosmetology program she receives approximately $12,000 in grants during the 12 months --- paid to her as she completes hours. She had just completed 900 hours of course work and thus the check had arrived! This is a grant -- free money to her-- paid by the government through Milan Institute to cover her living expenses while she is enrolled in the government-paid cosmetology program. Are you following me? Tax money is paying for her SECOND program at Milan (remember she just finished the LVN training) and paying her living expenses....all tax free!
So, this is how her finances sorted out for the 12 month period:
12 months of grant money (averaged over 12 months) $1,000/month
Head of Household tax credit (she said about $6000+/yr) $ 500/month
Child Support - court ordered from three fathers $ 562/month
Cash payments for "Hair Work" she does at home $ 700/month
SNAP - Food Stamps $ 862/month
Free Phone $ 50/month
Free Housing - 4 bedroom/2 bath townhome-Section 8 $1,200/month
Total cash and benefits per month $ 4,874/month
Now, don't forget the whole family is on Medicaid and her children get free breakfast and lunch at school as well.
WOW! I wouldn't take the exam for my LVN license either ..... this would mean she has to work for a living and make only $40,000/year and pay her own rent, pay for her own phone, pay for her own townhome .... she would be CRAZY to get a job!
Just more of our tax dollars at work.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Friday, December 7, 2012
The Ice Cream Cousin
Okay .... I find it difficult to put into words the cases I work on ... it's depressing, it's disheartening and it's just down-right wrong.... I did this home study last night for a mother and her five children. This lovely lady, and I mean that sincerely, she was a lovely person, is stepping up to take custody of two cousins ages 3 and 3 months whose mother has allowed her boyfriend to beat her children. So CPS has taken her cousin's children from her and they are currently in foster care.
I went through the normal paperwork with this nice lady and she indicated she had no income and no employment. So after much questioning, I finally learned that she, in fact, owns an ice cream truck. She told me that she makes about $1000/month from the ice cream truck. I asked her if she could confirm this income and she looked like a deer staring into a headlight. She had no idea what I was talking about. What did I mean "confirm her income". I asked if she possibly had her tax return from 2011. She said "oh no, the lady said I don't have to pay taxes." Well, needless to say I could never find out who "the lady" was and after trying to explain to her that yes, there are no sales taxes on food in Texas but there is an income tax on a sole-proprietor business and her ice cream truck business was a business. She didn't have a clue what I was talking about. Of course, all of her 'business' is on a cash basis. Therefore, when she files her return in January, she pays "negative taxes". She gets lots of money back as "Head of Household" with no income.
Okay, we get past that and I begin to question her about significant relationships. Her first three children are by one man (never married to him) and he is dodging child support so they never hear from him. Children #4 and #5 have a different daddy (never married to him either) and he does "voluntarily pay" $250/month she said.
So, now we've gone from no income per month to $1250/income per month. Well, because she reports no income she lives in the 4 bedroom, 2 bath home for $44/month. Yes, you read that right, $44/month section 8 housing. And she receives $970/month SNAP (food stamps). She and her children are on Medicaid. And her children get free breakfast and free lunch at school.
The 10 year old, 8 year old, mother and living room all have 4' Big Screen TV's in them. They pay $130/month for cable. The 10 year old needs his TV for his XBox 360.
As I mentioned above, this really is a nice lady. Her children were adorable. They were well behaved, clean and well-fed. The mother is at home all day with her one year old as her father drives the truck for her and she pays him per hour. As a matter of fact, she doesn't even have a driver's license.
So, there we go America --- you and I are doing a good job of supporting this nice mother and her five children ---- can't even add it all up......
SNAP (Food Stamps) $950/month
Section 8 Housing (our share)$800/month
Medicaid - 6 persons ????
Free Bfast/Lunches for 4 ????
Head of Household Tax Credit $thousands
And I'm sure they are signed up with Elf Louise for Christmas. It's a good life if you can get it. Merry Christmas!
I went through the normal paperwork with this nice lady and she indicated she had no income and no employment. So after much questioning, I finally learned that she, in fact, owns an ice cream truck. She told me that she makes about $1000/month from the ice cream truck. I asked her if she could confirm this income and she looked like a deer staring into a headlight. She had no idea what I was talking about. What did I mean "confirm her income". I asked if she possibly had her tax return from 2011. She said "oh no, the lady said I don't have to pay taxes." Well, needless to say I could never find out who "the lady" was and after trying to explain to her that yes, there are no sales taxes on food in Texas but there is an income tax on a sole-proprietor business and her ice cream truck business was a business. She didn't have a clue what I was talking about. Of course, all of her 'business' is on a cash basis. Therefore, when she files her return in January, she pays "negative taxes". She gets lots of money back as "Head of Household" with no income.
Okay, we get past that and I begin to question her about significant relationships. Her first three children are by one man (never married to him) and he is dodging child support so they never hear from him. Children #4 and #5 have a different daddy (never married to him either) and he does "voluntarily pay" $250/month she said.
So, now we've gone from no income per month to $1250/income per month. Well, because she reports no income she lives in the 4 bedroom, 2 bath home for $44/month. Yes, you read that right, $44/month section 8 housing. And she receives $970/month SNAP (food stamps). She and her children are on Medicaid. And her children get free breakfast and free lunch at school.
The 10 year old, 8 year old, mother and living room all have 4' Big Screen TV's in them. They pay $130/month for cable. The 10 year old needs his TV for his XBox 360.
As I mentioned above, this really is a nice lady. Her children were adorable. They were well behaved, clean and well-fed. The mother is at home all day with her one year old as her father drives the truck for her and she pays him per hour. As a matter of fact, she doesn't even have a driver's license.
So, there we go America --- you and I are doing a good job of supporting this nice mother and her five children ---- can't even add it all up......
SNAP (Food Stamps) $950/month
Section 8 Housing (our share)$800/month
Medicaid - 6 persons ????
Free Bfast/Lunches for 4 ????
Head of Household Tax Credit $thousands
And I'm sure they are signed up with Elf Louise for Christmas. It's a good life if you can get it. Merry Christmas!
Monday, October 1, 2012
Case #1 The Affable Aunt
Case #1 -- The Affable Aunt
This is the study of a lovely great-aunt who is hoping to gain custody of her great-nephew. This would be her brother's daughter's son. (Yes, sometimes it gets very confusing and I have to draw out a family tree in my notes.)
Affable Aunt lives in a small 3-bedroom, 1-bath home that she rents. Interestingly enough she is not in Section 8 housing, but I understand they are not taking applications right now. So she pays full rent of about $700/month. Definitely not a fancy home, but on a larger lot than most homes in new neighborhoods these days. Affable Aunt does not work. She is mid-50's and has one biological son living with her who is in elementary school. She has a high school education and certificates in child care. She actually has three biological children and three adopted children. The oldest two biological children and all three adopted childen live out of the home.
However, the third adopted child is actually the biological of the her oldest adopted child .... and he now lives with his biological mother because Affable Aunt determined that his mother had mended her ways and it was best for the child to live with his mother.
So, how does Affable Aunt survive with no job:
SNAP Benefits $ 200/month
Spendable Income $1797/month
Now, adopted children #2 and #3 are on Medicaid to cover their medical expenses. And biological child #3 receives free breakfast and free lunch during the week at school, in addition to free after-school care which includes a snack. I am not sure what the financial value of all of these benefits is worth but you get the idea.
Now, is Affable Aunt able to work? I coudn't say for sure. She looks like she is able to work and she is caring for a five-month old infant full time --- the child in question for the home study (who has already been placed in her home pending temporarily pending the home study). Oh! Don't forget the WIC benefits for that child too. SNAP (Food stamps) and WIC and SSI all go on her government issued debit cards so she doesn't have to maintain an address or checking account. And I almost forgot her government-issued Ensure cell phone with its 250 minutes/month free. Silly me!
I asked Affable Aunt if she was willing to adopt the infant should the biological parent's have their parental rights terminated and her response was "of course!". I then asked if she would return this child to the biological mother should she deem she was making better choices (as she had adopted child #3) and she said "yes, I would do the same thing.". Of course, I am only assuming she would continue to collect the adoption subsidy for this child just as she is for adopted child #3. (Just a note -- children adopted through CPS are also given free college education in any state school up through a Bachelor's Degree).
This is the study of a lovely great-aunt who is hoping to gain custody of her great-nephew. This would be her brother's daughter's son. (Yes, sometimes it gets very confusing and I have to draw out a family tree in my notes.)
Affable Aunt lives in a small 3-bedroom, 1-bath home that she rents. Interestingly enough she is not in Section 8 housing, but I understand they are not taking applications right now. So she pays full rent of about $700/month. Definitely not a fancy home, but on a larger lot than most homes in new neighborhoods these days. Affable Aunt does not work. She is mid-50's and has one biological son living with her who is in elementary school. She has a high school education and certificates in child care. She actually has three biological children and three adopted children. The oldest two biological children and all three adopted childen live out of the home.
However, the third adopted child is actually the biological of the her oldest adopted child .... and he now lives with his biological mother because Affable Aunt determined that his mother had mended her ways and it was best for the child to live with his mother.
So, how does Affable Aunt survive with no job:
- Child Support from the father of biological child #3 $282/month
- CPS Adoption Support for adopted child #3 $400/month
- who now lives with his biological mother
- SSI income for biological child #3 who is diagnosed ADHD $674/month
- Veteran's Benefits for biological child #3 from his father $ 71/month
- Aunt works giving rides to another child to school for cash $170/month
SNAP Benefits $ 200/month
Spendable Income $1797/month
Now, adopted children #2 and #3 are on Medicaid to cover their medical expenses. And biological child #3 receives free breakfast and free lunch during the week at school, in addition to free after-school care which includes a snack. I am not sure what the financial value of all of these benefits is worth but you get the idea.
Now, is Affable Aunt able to work? I coudn't say for sure. She looks like she is able to work and she is caring for a five-month old infant full time --- the child in question for the home study (who has already been placed in her home pending temporarily pending the home study). Oh! Don't forget the WIC benefits for that child too. SNAP (Food stamps) and WIC and SSI all go on her government issued debit cards so she doesn't have to maintain an address or checking account. And I almost forgot her government-issued Ensure cell phone with its 250 minutes/month free. Silly me!
I asked Affable Aunt if she was willing to adopt the infant should the biological parent's have their parental rights terminated and her response was "of course!". I then asked if she would return this child to the biological mother should she deem she was making better choices (as she had adopted child #3) and she said "yes, I would do the same thing.". Of course, I am only assuming she would continue to collect the adoption subsidy for this child just as she is for adopted child #3. (Just a note -- children adopted through CPS are also given free college education in any state school up through a Bachelor's Degree).
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