Q. If President Roosevelt was alive, do you think he would allow alcoholics and addicts to get benefits? Or allow direct deposit so they could work two jobs off the books completely avoiding responsibility to pay taxes? I am truly disabled, unable to seek gainful employment and resent these abusers.
A. Alcoholics and addicts whose disability is based wholly or in part on their addiction are ineligible for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits. Benefits can be paid to those whose physical disabilities are disabling without considering the addiction.
Disabled individuals with addictions who apply for Supplementary Security Income (SSI) must take part in rehabilitation in order to receive benefits. The benefit must be paid to a representative payee rather than to the addicted individual.
Social Security fraud such as engaging in substantial gainful employment while receiving Disability Insurance or SSI should be reported. The Social Security toll-free Fraud Hotline phone number is 1-800-269-0271. It operates between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Fraud also can be reported on line at http://oig.ssa.gov/report or by writing to:
Social Security Fraud Hotline, Post Office Box 17785, Baltimore, Maryland 21235
Provide as much information as you can to help the Social Security Administration identify the abuser.