<p>I had an interesting thing happen Wednesday. Trying to refinance our mortgage to a great low rate. Rate lock expires in 15 days and, of course, the underwriter comes up with some as absurd document request at the last minute. Pls send a letter from Social Security verifying X about your monthly SSI payments. Are you kidding me??? The SSA is a huge bureaucracy!!! How are we going to get someone to “write” a letter?? Called 4 offices and there is an automated response"Sorry, all offices are closed and we cannot provide Customer Service". So in this case we were able to truly tell the bank"Sorry, SSA is closed and they cannot provide customer service" . you will have to proceed without it. Let’s see if they will continue to process the loan.</p>
<p>Hmmmm…since SS is direct deposit into your bank account, can you provide a bank record of the deposits?</p>
<p>Do you have the original award letter/or letter from the last time the award was reviewed & renewed?</p>
<p>Updated:
Coralbrook, see if this link will work for you – <a href=“http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/2240/~/proof-of-your-social-security-income-for-verification-or-tax-purposes[/url]”>http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/2240/~/proof-of-your-social-security-income-for-verification-or-tax-purposes</a></p>
<p>In case this URL doesn’t come through here, I found the link by typing SSI verification on the SSA.gov website. It was the first link that came up. </p>
<p>Have no idea if the system will allow you to log in right now, but once the shutdown is over, you can get an online letter. Maybe they will accept the SSA-1099 that was sent to you in January pending an official letter?</p>
<p>DH is supposed to travel overseas for work in two weeks. The gov’t credit card bill with the charge for said plane tickets showed up yesterday, though the reimbursement has not yet been processed. Guess we’ll be waiting to pay THAT one til this shutdown is over since we don’t know if he’ll be going.</p>
<p>Coralbrook – concerning your refi situation - I had experience last year with a particular lender acting in bad faith by telling me at the outset that the refi was approved, but then sending it to the never-never land of “underwriting” where there was a succession of ever more burdensome requests. So in that light I’m suspicion of the last-minute request you are now getting-- it may be your lender. I ended up doing some googling and I found that there were literally thousands of complaints against that lender, same story for everyone (Citimortgage). I think the lender is casting a very wide net but wants to pick and choose as to which loans to finance. </p>
<p>I ended up going with a private broker who closed my refi within 30 days of my app, at a better rate with lower closing costs. PM me if you want more info.</p>
<p>A tiny bit of good news for those currently furloughed, and those working without pay. There will be backpay for federal workers.</p>
<p>When H got credit cards on his govt account and couldn’t get them paid on time, we’ve had to pay many bills. MOST were fully reimbursed but irritatingly not all. H was concerned about bad consequences if the CCard wasn’t promptly paid. </p>
<p>If the .gov websites are running, you can often pull up your account and print things from it. I would think a letter from bank verifying amount of govt direct deposit may be helpful as confirmation. </p>
<p>Mostly, we were told that for sure no updates to govt websites during shutdown.</p>
<p>Lockheed Martin is going to furlough 3000 on Monday and Sikorsky 2000. </p>
<p><a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/news/fiscal-crisis/2013/10/04/lockheed-martin-furloughs-3000-workers/[/url]”>http://www.nytimes.com/news/fiscal-crisis/2013/10/04/lockheed-martin-furloughs-3000-workers/</a></p>
<p>Not affected yet. Although I wish they’d furloughed the roadwork crew which closed a lane only to open it again for 3 miles just so they could re-close it.</p>
<p>“Correct me if I am wrong, but I read the FAA inspectors furloughed are ones which inspect the planes when they are on the ground (or overseas where they are often sent to be be serviced.)”</p>
<p>The story I read quoted their union, who said about the aviation safety inspectors to be furloughed, “The inspectors check to make sure airlines are maintaining their planes safely, conduct inspections at airports of planes and pilots, and visit domestic and foreign repair stations where airlines send planes for major overhauls, among other safety jobs”. So assuming the union spokesperson was accurate, that would include both air and ground operations, of pilots and airplanes. </p>
<p>It is logical that if they were going to furlough that many people, it would be in several categories. But furloughing 3,000 people doesn’t mean all of them, and they may recall them as needed.</p>
<p>“I did not know safety inspectors flew with pilots to monitor them. I have never seen them going in or out of the cabin. Busdriver, is that a frequent thing and I just didn’t notice, or is it a random selection deal?”</p>
<p>It’s a random selection sort of thing. Generally, certain routes are checked far more often. Not usually going to see an inspector on an ugly all nighter. If an airline has had serious safety issues, or a crash, they ramp up the inspections. The few inspectors I’ve met have all been great guys, very professional. Quite often, the inspectors are “FAA designees” who are check pilots at that specific airline. It’s not a huge deal, but it does take the fun out of going to work that day.</p>
<p>Well you didn’t put my mind at rest, Busdriver, since it does appear ground safety inspectors are shut down. I usually fly 50,000 miles a year on average, and I’ve never become comfortable with the feeling. Now I’m doubly concerned!</p>
<p>My dh has been furloughed. I guess I’m lucky because I still have a job that’s paying, but I am a teacher so he makes a lot more than me.</p>
<p>We don’t have consumer debt except our car and house payments, but the tuition payment is a killer. </p>
<p>And my understanding that back pay isn’t a done deal. There is a vote tomorrow…</p>
<p>Our son is a federal employee who has to go in and work through the shutdown. I asked him how he’s doing, but all I got in return was an 11pm email saying that he was leaving work and too tired to talk. He said he’d call this weekend - if he has time. To think he might not get paid for this just makes me really mad.</p>
<p>Our S has been working at his Fed job thru the shutdown. He’s pretty philosophical and just does his work. All travel for his job has been suspended, which means he’s in Arlington, rather than on site at the 3projects he’s supervising, FL and CA.</p>
<p>For everyone working in the life sciences field -Medline not being updated as fast as it used to be!</p>
<p>“PubMed is open, however it is being maintained with minimal staffing due to the lapse in government funding. Information will be updated to the extent possible, and the agency will attempt to respond to urgent operational inquiries. For updates regarding government operating status see USA.gov.”</p>
<p>We have the award letter and sent it in with the original application. We also have bank records showing payments over last two years. They actually asked us to get a letter from the Social Security Administration where they would ‘guarantee’ that his payments will continue for at least 3 more years. Are you kidding me!! How are we going to find anyone at the SSA to even 1) answer the phone, 2) transfer us to the right department, 3) agree that they will ‘guarantee’ and finally 4) actually write a letter with a signature.</p>
<p>It is absurd! I think we might be in the same case as other poster above, being led on… Round Point Mortgage. But, I had a discussion with the loan rep today and she says we might be able to circumvent with a letter from our doctor verifying permanent disability. We’ll see.</p>
<p>Um…why would your SS change in the next three years…unless you were planning to die 
?</p>
<p>In defense of the mortgage lender, it is standard operating procedure when someone is receiving disability income to ask for verification that it will continue for at least 3 years. And this can be difficult to obtain, which means the disability income cannot always be used. That is a Fannie Mae guideline - the lender is not making up random requirements.</p>
<p>The problem with the award letter and the bank statements is that those documents only show the disability income is currently being received. It does nothing to show whether it will continue in the future. Is he close to retirement age? If so, you can make an argument that the SS disability income will convert to SS retirement income, which is generally understood to last until death. I know some of these mortgage rules seem asinine, but it is what it is. Of course, SSA being closed just complicates the situation further.</p>
<p>Lenders cannot do the SS number verification which is a Federal government requirement, nor can we obtain IRS tax transcripts, so mortgage lending is about to grind to a complete halt.</p>
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<p>Hmm, this could be a problem for me. I accepted a new contract this week with a company I have not worked with before. Wonder if this will cause an issue… :(</p>
<p>I called SSA yesterday and got right through after a 3 minute hold. Have those of you who say they are closed actually tried to call?</p>