It is not unusual for residents of Massachusetts or any other state to become involved in a dispute with the Social Security Administration over benefits. The dispute may concern many things including, a delay of benefits to which one is entitled, the amount of the benefits, or whether the benefits were illegally obtained. In regards to the latter, readers of this blog may find a case involving the governor of Arizona and Social Security Disability benefits of interest.

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer was reportedly under investigation by federal authorities to determine if she had improperly received about $75,000 in benefits on behalf of her son. Apparently, that investigation was deferred to federal prosecutors, who declined to pursue the matter. But that has not stopped many from raising questions.

In this particular case, Brewer was appointed as her son's representative payee by a court commissioner in 1989. Her son had begun receiving Social Security survivor benefits when his birth father died in 1969. The boy was a minor at that time. Such benefits typically expire when the child hits adulthood. In his case, however, the son continued to receive Social Security disability benefits due to mental illness.

In 1989, Brewer's son was charged with sexual assault and kidnapping. A court found him not guilty by reason of insanity. He was institutionalized as a result and Brewer began receiving disability benefits on behalf of her son, with the responsibility of putting the money toward his care. Then, a change in Social Security law in 1995 barred anyone from receiving Social Security benefits after being institutionalized for crimes for which they had been found not guilty of by reason of insanity.

At question here is what happened in 1995. Some are saying that Brewer continued to receive the benefits even though she should not have. She has denied this. Still, there is some speculation that the SSA may be trying to recover some of the distribution.

As noted earlier, disputes with the SSA are not uncommon. Such battles can be hard fought. Massachusetts residents in similar circumstances may wish to consider retaining legal counsel in order to fight for the benefits they believe they are entitled to.

Source: USA Today, "Feds probed Ariz. governor's role in son's Social Security," Michael Kiefer, Yvonne Wingett Sanchez, Dec. 8, 2011