In an unsettling bureaucratic mishap, Kenshay Watkins of Memphis found herself in a nightmarish predicament: legally declared dead by the Social Security Administration (SSA), effectively stripping her of access to her finances and health insurance. Despite being very much alive, Watkins has faced significant challenges as she tries to correct this grave error.
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In January, Watkins, a 35-year-old Memphis resident, applied for Social Security benefits to assist her after being hospitalized for seizures that made it difficult for her to work and drive. Unfortunately, her benefits were denied. During a visit to the SSA office to appeal this claim, the staff told her that she had been marked deceased on January 10, 2024. This error plunged her life into chaos for more than six months.
"Because I'm labeled deceased, I'm not who they say I am," Watkins told Fox 13 News. This simple yet devastating mistake disrupted every aspect of her life. Newly married, her situation was akin to vanishing into thin air. "Not literally, but tangibly, you've lost your wife and you're a widow," Watkins explained.
Letters addressed to "Kenshay Watkins Estate" began to arrive, and debt collectors, banks, and the IRS were informed that she was deceased. Her bank accounts were canceled, debt collectors began seeking repayment, and even her tax return wasn't processed due to her supposed death.
This entire ordeal went beyond just financial troubles, though. "They can't find my social security number, so they can't add me (to health insurance)," Watkins stated. She couldn’t drive, vote, or work. "Nobody can pay me. They can't deduct taxes. And it's illegal to pay me under the table, or we're both going to jail," she said.
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After trying several times to fix the error, including many in-person trips to the Social Security office, Watkins was left feeling frustrated. "It's one of the most frustrating, most disheartening, most complicated, but so uncomplicated because a simple error has caused so much chaos," she sighed. Even though the SSA admitted their mistake in March, it took until mid-July to restore her living status. And this only occurred after Fox 13 contacted Congressman Steve Cohen's office for intervention.
Fox 13 spoke to the Social Security Administration about this mishap and discovered a disturbing statistic: out of approximately 3.1 million annual death reports to the SSA, less than one-third of a percent are incorrect. That percentage may seem small, but it equates to about 10,000 people each year facing the same situation as Watkins.
The whole situation has taken a profound emotional and mental toll on Watkins and her family. "I'm living with a ghost. Literally, paranormal activity," said her wife. Watkins' life is gradually returning to normal, but after the catastrophic effect of one simple bureaucratic error, the path to restoring all of her accounts remains long and arduous.
As Watkins continues to navigate the aftermath of this error, her story serves as a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance and advocacy in dealing with bureaucratic systems. For personalized assistance in navigating such challenges, consulting a financial advisor can be invaluable in ensuring your financial and legal matters are accurately managed and protected.
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