AFTER grueling 16 years of living on Washington, D.C. streets, an 80-year-old homeless woman has finally received the $100,000 she insisted she was owed all along by Social Security.
Wanda Witter was branded ‘crazy’ by many who heard her story, but her persistence has now paid off, bringing an end to the years battle.
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For almost two decades, Witter made her home on the streets near a McDonald’s.
The woman lived with just three suitcases containing all her belongings and important documents.
She told anyone who would listen about her missing Social Security payments, but many dismissed her claims as tall tales.
“They kept thinking I was crazy, telling me to get rid of the suitcases,” Witter told The Washington Post.
Luckily for Ms. Witter, a breakthrough came when social worker Julie Turner decided to believe her story.
Turner connected Witter with Legal Counsel for the Elderly, where attorney Daniela de la Piedra confirmed what Witter knew all along.
The woman had been right about her claims.
A DECADE FIGHT
Witter’s journey into homelessness began after she lost her job as a machinist in Corning and moved to Colorado to live with her daughter.
Hoping for a fresh start, she enrolled in paralegal classes and graduated three years later.
When she moved to Washington, D.C., to look for paralegal work, things took a turn.
Between 2006 and 2008, the Social Security checks she received were for inconsistent and incorrect amounts.
Witter returned the checks marked “void” and began a tireless fight to have the errors corrected.
As her funds dwindled, Witter ended up homeless and refused assistance from her family.
The woman remained convinced that her situation would be resolved once the Social Security Administration acknowledged its mistake.
Instead, she was sent to mental health counselors, with all of her claims dismissed as delusions.
TIME FOR CHANGE
Back in May 2016, Turner took Witter to Legal Counsel for the Elderly, where her lawyer confirmed her claims were valid.
In June of that year, Witter received a check for $999, the maximum amount Social Security could issue immediately.
But even after this victory, her struggles continued.
While waiting for the remainder of her payments, Witter was attacked by a homeless man.
Now, Witter’s full payments are reportedly being processed, and she has moved into her own apartment, where she pays $500 per month.
“She needed economic help, not mental help,” Turner said.
“That’s part of the problem with homelessness in D.C. So many cases are written off as being about mental illness. A lot of times, homelessness really is simply about economics.”
Witter’s story highlights the struggles often faced when systems fail.
It also speaks to the transformative power of persistence and not backing down.
Now vindicated, making it off the streets and in a new apartment, we hope that these issues are fully rectified for Ms. Witter.
HOW TO SUPPLEMENT YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY
Here’s how to supplement your Social Security:
Given the uncertainty surrounding Social Security’s long-term future, it’s essential for workers to consider ways to supplement their retirement income.
Senior Citizens League executive director, Shannon Benton recommends starting early with savings and investing in retirement accounts like 401(k)s or IRAs.
- 401(k) Plans
- A 401(k) is a retirement account offered through employers, where contributions are tax-deferred.
- Many employers also match employee contributions, typically between 2% and 4% of salary, making it a valuable tool for building retirement savings.
- Maxing out your 401(k) contributions, especially if your employer offers a match, should be a priority.
- IRAs
- An Individual Retirement Account (IRA) offers another avenue for retirement savings.
- Unlike a 401(k), an IRA isn’t tied to your employer, giving you more flexibility in your investment choices.
- Contributions to traditional IRAs are tax-deductible, and the funds grow tax-free until they are withdrawn, at which point they are taxed as income.
