Legal divorce to be eligible for programs

amother

Sun, Sep 10 2023, 2:00 pm

amother Amaryllis wrote:

You would seriously commit fraud in order to come out ahead?

My question is not intended for you as you obviously don't understand.
The government is making it impossible to live.

amother

Sun, Sep 10 2023, 2:00 pm

amother Violet wrote:

It's illegal to apply for benefits claiming that he is not part of the household if he actually is. Whether or not you're married on paper.

Living in one house, doesn't automatically mean part of the household.

amother

Violet

Sun, Sep 10 2023, 2:01 pm

This is a site for frum women. You want to do something that halacha does not allow. Speak to a rav.

amother

Mint

Sun, Sep 10 2023, 2:01 pm

amother OP wrote:

My question is geared towards those that did this. I want to hear from them.

Many people have done it. But I don’t think you’ll get the right advice here.

Posters are afraid of their heads being chopped off so they remain quiet.

May you head choppers never know such desperation

amother

Cerulean

Sun, Sep 10 2023, 2:01 pm

2 things to consider:

1) What will you actually be getting. I’m divorced and get nothing, so what treasures did you find?

2) I heard of someone that did something similar. Then a few years later her marriage went sour. She really wanted to divorce and the process was terrible. She couldn’t get child support, agreement for children etc because officially she was divorced for years.

This is not a route I’d consider…

amother

Sun, Sep 10 2023, 2:01 pm

amother Violet wrote:

This is a site for frum women. You want to do something that halacha does not allow. Speak to a rav.

It's not against halacha. It can be done in a fully legal way.

amother

Pear

Sun, Sep 10 2023, 2:01 pm

Another thing to consider is the potential of being caught. A few years ago a lot of people were caught and it was very embarrassing.

amother

Sun, Sep 10 2023, 2:02 pm

amother Cerulean wrote:

Food stamps & medicaid. That's a real biggie.

amother

Amaryllis

Sun, Sep 10 2023, 2:02 pm

amother OP wrote:

It's not against halacha. It can be done in a fully legal way.

If you believe that it can be done legally, you're best off asking a lawyer to guide you.

amother

Sun, Sep 10 2023, 2:03 pm

amother Pear wrote:

Another thing to consider is the potential of being caught. A few years ago a lot of people were caught and it was very embarrassing.

Caught doing what? It can be done in a fully legal way.

amother

Sun, Sep 10 2023, 2:03 pm

amother Amaryllis wrote:

If you believe that it can be done legally, you're best off asking a lawyer to guide you.

We'll talk to our accountant. I just wanted to hear from people that personally did it.

amother

Bergamot

Sun, Sep 10 2023, 2:03 pm

I sympathize with your situation. Everything is so expensive. We’re making more than ever before and are much tighter than we ever were.

If you heard it’s really not illegal, why don’t you just ask the government programs straight up? I want to apply for these programs, in order to do that I would need to file for legal divorce and change my DH address. However we will still actually live together at the same address and have a religious marriage. Can we do that?

amother

Amaryllis

Sun, Sep 10 2023, 2:04 pm

amother Bergamot wrote:

This
if you're not comfortable doing that, ask yourself why...

esuss

Sun, Sep 10 2023, 2:05 pm

amother OP wrote:

Thousands of couples are legally divorced and live together. It's not illegal.

If they live together they share a household and his income has to be counted for all benefits like snap, etc
If you are legally divorce and you claim he lives separately he is required legally to pay child support this can even be garnished from his wages and this payment is counted towards benefits. So no matter which way you cut it it won’t work.

And it’s fraud.

amother

Crocus

Sun, Sep 10 2023, 2:05 pm

amother Amaryllis wrote:

You would seriously commit fraud in order to come out ahead?

Not condoning it, and I'm not the person to ask about clarifying the law.

But for many families these days, it's not about as you say "coming out ahead". It's about simple survival.

amother

Vermilion

Sun, Sep 10 2023, 2:05 pm

You won't get medicaid. The first thing they do is say why isn't the father paying insurance for the kids. If he makes above the limit it will be very hard for you to get it. They will also scrutinize everything. When I applied for medicaid, when we really needed it jointly, they asked us who physically lives in the house. If you lie and say your husband doesn't it's not legal. If your husband lives in the house and he makes enough to not qualify you aren't getting medicaid or food stamps regardless of what your paperwork says.

amother

Vermilion

Sun, Sep 10 2023, 2:07 pm

I get it, we are barely making it and we supposedly have a high income, we don't qualify for a single program. But this is risky and not worth it. You only have what to lose. And they scrutinize the frum communities more than other communities.

amother

Bergamot

Sun, Sep 10 2023, 2:07 pm

amother OP wrote:

Food stamps & medicaid. That's a real biggie.

Regarding insurance, have you looked into Refuah Healthshare? It’s much much cheaper than regular insurance though it’s not officially an insurance so you need to be aware of possible risks.

amother

Amethyst

Sun, Sep 10 2023, 2:09 pm

amother Vermilion wrote:

I don't think this is correct. We kids were on Medicaid even though my father had good insurance.

amother

Violet

Sun, Sep 10 2023, 2:10 pm

People have explained it very clearly. If your dh lives in your home and you are not reporting his income, you're commiting fraud. No one cares if you're married or not, they care about household income. Commiting fraud is not allowed legally and it's not allowed al pi halacha.

If you really need the programs it might be worth you or dh quitting work or getting a pay reduction so you qualify legally.