Help! I have been making calls, getting nowhere with my question. I have been the victim of domestic violence and financial abuse. The abuser is gone now. I receive disability for myself and I receive a survivors benefit amount of money too for my minor child. I have two bank accounts, one for myself and one for him. There was much financial abuse that happened. One account is negative 400 dollars, my son's account is negative 344 dollars. When our money comes in, we will be left with about five hundred dollars. We live in public housing. I was a social worker all my life; 23 years before I got sick and went on this public welfare system. I can't even pay our rent this month; a total of $438 and if you do not pay in public housing, you are evicted. It is very strict. I am planning to try to have an indoor/outdoor sale of everything that I own to come up with rent. My abuser is nowhere to be found. Here is my question (I apologize, I just wanted to explain the circumstances): My question is: Is there an emergency way to have your social security disability fund and your child's survivor fund being STOPPED immediately from going into the bank accounts that they are directly deposited into? I thought of having a rep payee, Ive called domestic violence hotlines; nobody has an answer for me. Social Security has given me an appointment on the 18th of this month and I am suppose to bring my rep payee with me; which would be my mother by choice; but she is 3 hours away and I havent told her about this abuse, she just had two major heart attacks. I told my local social security admin just a little bit about domestic violence and feeling incompetant needing a rep payee with hope that they can stop payments into these bank accounts immediately. I think I made a mistake even saying that to them. The person from social security admin told me it can take up to two months for the money to go somewhere else, even to a rep payee. Is there NO emergency situation that can stop your disability and your child's survivors benefit from going into two accounts that are going to take it? I would be happy to set up payment plans with the banks. I realize that I allowed myself to be abused; he scared me so much and now I don't know where to turn too. Writing posts online... I don't do that. And I think everyone will scold me for allowing this to happen with a special needs son. Domestic violence never just happens, it happens over time. Please, if you know what I can do legally to at least protect my son, please let me know. I am already wracked with guilt, I don't know where to start on getting my apartment set up for a total inhouse sale; but I am going too. I am sick right now and I just beg someone to tell me if there is any way to get help. Guidance. I already know how horrible of a parent I am for letting this happen. Thank you for reading.

Hi,

I'm sorry to hear about the problems you're having.

I'm not sure what the point would be to stopping your benefits, but in any case I know of no way for you to do it immediately. If you have a representative payee, that means Social Security has judged you based on a doctor's statement to be incapable of handling your benefits in your best interest. As a result, it would be up to your payee to determine where your benefits should be deposited.

You could ask to become your own payee, but you would have to convince your doctor and Social Security that you are now capable of handling your own benefits. Or, you could request to have a new payee appointed if you don't feel that your mother is the best choice.

Best, Jerry