In re Lorraine Phillips.

Words cannot describe. While I go to court to beg for a few more dollars for Mom and a 24/7 caretaker son who are living below the poverty level (yes, the judge even looked it up right on her desk) Atty David Martin and his client are arguing that these two should not get another dime.

Estate bank account–$143k.  Income is now $25k per month, with $15k per month in expenses for a valuable piece of property in downtown Chicago.

Today the son told the court he qualified for food stamps.  Then we all asked him to decrease his monthly allotment from social security (he is under age 65) to get social security now for him and his mother.

Judge wouldn’t budge one dime.  The GAL said he agreed an increase was in order, but he didn’t know how much an upcoming balloon payment on the loan could be.

Can anyone explain to me how the probate court can artificially decrease the allowance to a family while taking in $25k per month so that the family get food stamps?  Isn’t that food stamp fraud?  Isn’t the welfare of the family the foremost concern of probate?

I am still dumbfounded.

So please send me your suggestions on how Tony and his mother can live below the poverty level.

I suggest, besides food stamps, that he donate plasma.  I know there are other ways the poor survive, please send the suggestions along.  I think food pantries are a necessity also.

I am still dumbfounded over this today.  I don’t get it.  Being greedy for an if and when windfall of money in my mind does not justify creating fraud on the public.

JoAnne