Especially in this economy, it is tough to get ahead financially. Residents of Georgia and other states are constantly struggling to keep their heads above water, seemingly never having enough money to pay bills and put food on the table. But imagine this struggle if you were disabled and didn’t have a job. This is what people on Social Security Disability benefits face every day, even if the economy is in good shape.
With the average Social Security Disability monthly benefit being just more than $1,000, it can seem like there is little that be done beyond paying rent and getting some basic necessities. And the fact that some people in politics and the media want to demonize these beneficiaries as lazy is beyond appalling.
Luckily for one man, his luck changed for the better. A man who had to quit his job as a prison guard because of his health recently hit the winning numbers on the Mega Millions lottery for a $1 million prize.
After taxes, the man will take home approximately $700,000. He said he plans to make some improvements to his house and learn about how to invest the rest. The man said that he had been barely making ends meet, living off of Social Security Disability benefit checks.
And while this appears to be a case of someone desperately in need actually winning the money, people should remember that this is not a guaranteed plan of success. It doesn’t hurt to put in a few dollars a week on lottery picks, but that will not get every disabled beneficiary the help he or she needs. Instead, politicians need to figure out to help the disabled better.
Source: Associated Press, “Ex-prison guard in Neb. claims $1M lottery prize,” August 7, 2012
If you are too disabled to work and need help making ends meet, consider reaching out to an attorney for help in applying for Social Security Disability benefits.
