Hopefully this wont start a debate, but here I go

That sounds about right. We do not help people in America when they have jobs. Some of my friends have WIC, food stamps, etc. and most of them have more money in thier pockets right now than me and my wife will have all month. That's just the way it is.

It sucks, but there has to be a cutoff point somewhere. My mother applied when we were little and was like $5 over and couldn't get it. I almost didn't get it because dh was in the military, we were living in base housing, but they put the bah (housing allowance) amount on our paycheck and they counted that. I finally got a LES without the bah being shown on it and it cleared it up. My friends hubby also has child support taken out of their paycheck. I know it's against the rules, but I'd give them all my peanut butter and cereal. I never ate it when I was nursing and my hubby was deployed. So it was just sitting there when she had a little girl to feed. She was worse off than me because of that child support taken out of their income.

My husband has just recently switched jobs, it's much better hours, and the income will improve, but right now we make about 400 dollars less a month, and we weren't really that well off before. We applied for wic, because my youngest has been weaning, and there was no way we could afford the formula, and thankfully we qualified. As soon as the hubby's income starts increasing, we'll get off. During the summer, he makes less, then during the school year (he's a sales rep for Frito Lay, and His route is based around the college, so he has a down time in the summer) HE just started, so we don't have a whole lot of savings to fall back on. But next year, we plan on not having to rely on wic, because we'll put our entire tax return into savings for next summer. I think some people would rather just be irresponsible though, and rely on the government. I think that's sad. Also, his mother, needed it for a few months when she had her last child 12 years ago, and they denied her, because she was married, white and her husband and her both worked. They said, sorry, you fall through the loop hole. THere's nothing we can do for you. Even though, they could tell by her income that she couldn't afford to pay for her bills. If your not a minority, and a single mother, it's just that much more difficult to get these things. WHich is sad. Of course, this was 12 years ago, hopefully things have changed since then. (:

Yes, it is really an unfair system, as are all of our public assistance programs in the United States. I have personally heard mothers say things along the lines of 'time to have another kid,I can't make ends meet.' It really bothers me that we enable those who won't work at all, and chastise those who are trying to work and can't seem to earn enough. At least they are working!! It is the same with the free health care. My neighbor has totally free healthcare for her 5 children, while I work and my deductibles are sky high and then I always owe more even after the insurance 'pays.' She and her husband are both totally capable of working, yet they have learned how to live off the system. GRRRRRR

Yeah, it is unfair because even though he has other children to provide income for, you and the children are first in his life now. The ex's funding should be excluded in all matters of the current family. As a source of providing needs to the marriage and children, the government should look at each "situation," and not the overall income. I've been in the same boat; I, luckily, did receive help from WIC. I hope your future problems are resolved more easily for you.

It is totally unfair. I have felt this way for a long time. What I can't stand are some of the agencies that go my your gross income before taxes are taken out. It's not fair, you never even get that money that was taken out for taxes yet they count it anyways. Not right if you ask me. Then of course some people will say that they count it because you get it back when you file your income tax return. Well not everyone does so how can they say that its fair. By the way Nice subject to bring up.

It does seem unfair. I think that when the money you make decides the guideline then there should also be consideration for the bills you pay. I know that there are things that could be cut back on, but there are other things (like child support) that should be take in consideration.

It's hard to say, sometimes it seems fair and at other times, like in your situation it seems unfair. My son went through a tough time when he got laid off work, and then found another job, but yet they weren't able to make ends meet, when they applied for foodstamps to help them get by, they were denied. They were told he made too much money, and that if he missed 1 day at work, then they would qualify? Well he is back on his feet, and doing well now. Thank God! There are a lot of people who abuse the system also and that is what is really bad and unfair to us who may need the help at times.

That just doesn't seem right ! That $1200 shouldn't be counted as part of your income. If they're going to be such sticklers at least they could do case by case and do a sliding scale or something.

Yes, it seems real unfair, but that is the way the government works. They will look for any reason NOT to help you out when you really need it. I tried to get food stamps awhile back, but my husband makes too much money also. I guess that the harder you have to work to gain something(like formuala for instance) the more you will appreciate that it came out of your money, not from the government.

That IS unfair that they (WIC) count the child support your husband is paying out. It would be a different story if the child support was coming IN, rather than going OUT, then that would make sense. The government makes it difficult for the honest folks that need a little help, yet there are people that know how to mooch the system and make more than most people do working a full time job. My husband and I were on WIC for about 5 months when we had financial difficulties. I was pregnant with my second son and they put us on. I hated feeling like we were watched by the government and we got off as soon as we could.

it was unfair, since the 1200 went to take care of other children. Your children should have been allowed the same benifits as if the 1200 didn't exist.

I think that's it's really unfair. While I understand any system needing a cut off point (income) or they would end up helping everyone, it seems that more help is given to those refusing to work then those really trying. I applied for food stamps a few years ago - before I got married & had a good job. I got denied. I was $150 over the household income limit. They flat out told me that if I found a way to decrease my hours and income that they would help me with $400 food stamps. I bet that sounds good to some people - work less - lose only $150 a month but actually make out better by getting $400 in food. I refused. In fact, I went off. I asked how can they even try to encourage me to take a step backward? Good thing I didn't. I was finally able to move ahead and even make more money and I didn't end up needing help. It's like the system wants you to fail. Help should be given to those trying to better their lives - not to those who refuse to work.

I think that is very unfair! $1200 is a lot of money for them to figure in unfairly. Unfortunatly no matter hwo unfair it is the government is allowed to do whatever they want, and not care who it effects. I am glad to hear you made it without WIC. It is a great program if your allowed to use it. I have never had to use it but I have had a couple friends who were young single mothers and I don't think they could have taken care of their baby without it!

Yeah, that stinks. Unfortunately here, that is just another reason that those of us who work can sometimes barely get by. All they see is your NET pay...regardless of what you take home or what your monthly expenses are. Like someone else said, it seems like people who DON'T work end up with more money in their pockets at the end of the day than those of us who DO work. It's obvious that this blanket type reasoning doesn't work. WOW, I can't believe you guys were spitting out that much in child support but they still counted it as your income! That is a great example of how twisted the bureaucracy can make things!

I do think that it is unfair too. I have a friend that her husband works for the same company that mine does, and they make the same amount of money. They are on AHCCCS, WIC, and food stamps. On their tax return they received $7000.00 for two kids. They spent all their money on a vacation, new couches, a bass guitar, and several other things instead of saving it to pay their bills. The only reason that I am on WIC is because my son was a preemie and we still have a huge hospital bill. It makes me mad that there are people out there who are sucking from the government just because they can when there are people out there who really need it. I think that they should take time to look at where the people live, what they have been able to buy and other factors to decide on who should get WIC instead of just looking at income.

And not to mention that we who do without assistance still manage to squeak by. I had to go on medicaid while pregnant due to complicaitons, and WIC because I was unable to work and living with my fiance, where we weren't married, they didn't count his income for either, until after the babies were born, then we ended up paying the state, and are still paying. And when they calculated how much he had to repay the state, they based it on what he could potentially earn, didn't count any child support that he was paying or any of the bills we had.

I think that that is unfair that they would take the child support in when they count your income. This is very weird to me because when my kids were younger I qualified for WIC and didn't think I would. I was a substitute teacher and my husband had a full time job. I don't remember the exact amount that we were making. Someone told me to apply for WIC as I was saying that we had to scrimp and scrap for formula and groceries ect. I went and was approved. I felt like I shouldn't have been eligible and then to hear that you weren't because of child support, that isn't right. They really should reevaluate this system.

i think the system needs to be revised...the amount of child support paid out shouldnt count as income..it doesnt for food stamps...and if you receive child support it shouldnt be counted either since so often you dont even get it...my ex owes me over 29,000 dollars...they need to look at the amount of bills people owe to..and what happened to put them into this circumstnce of needing help....they could set aside a certain amount of coupons for emergency help too...

No idea, really cant say or comment!