Politics and Money

[ergo sum]

Certain members of your family may qualify for benefits
based on your work. They include:
• Your spouse, if he or she is age 62 or older;
• Your spouse at any age, if he or she is caring for a child of
yours who is younger than age 16 or disabled;
• Your unmarried child, including an adopted child, or, in
some cases, a stepchild or grandchild. The child must
be younger than age 18 (or younger than 19 if still in
high school);
• Your unmarried child, age 18 or older, if he or she has a
disability that started before age 22. The child’s disability
must also meet the definition of disability for adults.

https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10029.pdf


Child Disability Starter Kit - Fact Sheet

What You Should Know Before You Apply For SSI Disability Benefits For A Child

Children from birth up to age 18 may get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. They must be disabled and they must have little or no income and resources. Here are answers to some questions people ask about applying for SSI for children.

How Does Social Security Decide If A Child Is Disabled?

Social Security has a strict definition of disability for children.

The child must have a physical or mental condition(s) that very seriously limits his or her activities; and
The condition(s) must have lasted, or be expected to last, at least 1 year or result in death.
A state agency makes the disability decision. They review the information you give us. They will also ask for information from medical and school sources and other people who know about the child.

If the state agency needs more information, they will arrange an examination or test for the child, which we will pay for.

How Does Social Security Decide If A Child Can Get SSI?

Children can get SSI if they meet Social Security’s definition of disability for children and if they have little or no income and resources. We also consider the family’s household income, resources and other personal information.

https://www.ssa.gov/disability/disability_starter_kits_child_factsheet.htm

About 4.3 million children receive benefits
from the nearly $2.6 billion Social Security
distributes each month because one or both of
their parents are disabled, retired, or deceased.
Those dollars help to provide the necessities
of life for family members and help make it
possible for those children to complete high
school. When a parent becomes disabled or
dies, Social Security benefits help stabilize the
family’s financial future.
NOTE: Disabled children whose parents have
little income or resources may be eligible for
Supplemental Security Income benefits. Read
the publication, Benefits for Children With
Disabilities (Publication No. 05-10026).

https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10085.pdf