Mixed Blessing · 5:14am May 1st
8+ years ago I had to take Early Retirement. This incurs a financial penalty. They deduct a maximum of 25% from your SSI payment.
December 31, 2020 I got hit by a car. I have a bonechip in 1 knee. This is not life threatening so the soi-dissant US Healthcare System will NOT help me for free. I can pay $10,000+ for the operation +$ for the subsequent hospital stay or I can limp until the day I can no longer get out of bed. At least 22 other countries would give me the treatment for free but, hey, at least we don't have Socialized Medicine!
The Good News is that, as I am no longer physically able to work, I can switch to SSDI & get 100% of my SS, no discount!
I did not know this. NO ONE in 2 hospitals (Emergency Room & Extended Care) bothered to tell me this. Nor did my insurance company.
The Bad News is
1) I get to screw around with the Social Security Administration to get it. + It's been 4+ years so I've shifted my Obamacare Health Provider since then. Good luck getting my medical records.
2) This increased income shifts me from the 0% tax bracket (you needn't file a tax return) to the 10% bracket. (Ask Hunter Biden what happens if you DON'T file.)
I start My Life On Hold tomorrow, May 1. (Their busiest day.) Thank God the GOP kept the Democrats from hiring more government workers to sit around & do stuff like answer the -ING phone & other inimical things.