Any tax experts: I have an important question about tax/medicare? PLEASE HELP!

Edited on Tue Oct-21-08 08:58 AM by amyrose2712
Please and thank you to anyone that replies in advance.


My mother is 65 yr old American born citizen, she got married at 18, pregnant with her first child. The second child came 10 months later. SO she was a housewife the 9 years that my parents were married. Divorced. Then I came along(a couple too many tries for reconciliation on the part on my mom) Anyway, my mother from that point had raise three little girls from 9-10 as my sister were and me from birth. Ok enough back story. Basically, she was on welfare for a while, which did not give her enough to truly survive, so she got a job on a farm under the table. Eventually, a mean spirited enemy of the family reported her to the Medicaid, and she had to pay everything back. SO, eventually she was able to stand on her own feet by starting to clean houses. First one, then another. She kept adding the through word of mouth and still continues to work for many of them to this day. Of course, over time she started making enough money so that she could pay her bills and still have some left over. After, years of doing this she looked into how much taxes she would have to pay. and she just simple wouldn't afford to pay her present bill and also pay taxes. He income is Approx. 14k yr. BAD PART is she won't be eligible for Medicare or SS. First , idea was to get a part-time job either cleaning in a facility, or a simple retail job. Although, she has never worked with people like that.
My question is (finally i know) should she try to get a job and get some hours in or just start paying taxes on what she is doing now, the house cleaning.
If it make her tight for bill I can help her out. Any input will be appreciated. I'm an idiot when it comes to finance and i want my mom to be ok when she can't work any more. Thanks Again especially if you made it this far.

I do taxes...

When she is working for herself, she will have to pay the full amount, 15.3%. She will be able to deduct 7.65% from taxable income. If this is just to qualify for Med, I would just get a part time job. I think, though, she has to work 8 quarters in order to be elligable.

If she paid back taxes from before, some of that may have been FICA and Med tax. She should call up and ask for a breakdown from the IRS.

for the same people for 25 years now. So, will she have to pay taxes on all of that? How long will she have to pay that to qualify for MED. That is all she really knows how to do. I would like to try and help her pay while doing the same job. I just want her covered. What will she ahve to do and for how long to be covered?

In order to recieve Med, she has to be eligable for SS.

Basically, SS benefits are based on a workers last 40 quarters of wages earned, that is 10 years. I'm not sure if there are any benefits available if someone has never paid into the system. It would certainly benefit your mother to get a job to pay into the system. I would suggest you go to the Social Security Administration website www.socialsecurity.gov to try to answer your questions.

wage, would hurt her financially . Plus she has no people skill AT ALL.(no offense mommy) Would it be worth it for her to start paying taxes on what she makes now? between 14-17? I know nothing of taxes and I am worried about my mom(and notto mention my schizophrenic sister that she takes care of. Im just gettting worried about my mommy.

I was a homemaker for most of my life and now collect half of what my husband gets for SS and also have medicare.

that you seek advice from an attorney that specializes in elder law. They will
know what your mom's rights are. Either she or the people she has worked for
may owe back taxes on her earnings. Also sometimes those who are not eligible
for Medicare through their earnings can buy into the program. Please seek
legal counsel in this matter for your mother. Find someone who will be her advocate
in this complicated matter.

I just spoke to SS in a social manor. That is another issue back taxes. Thank for the rely.