Most people who have children dream of providing them with as many opportunities as possible. They work hard to support the entire family and give their children the resources they need to thrive. Unfortunately, some parents eventually experience medical issues that affect their ability to continue working.
People may develop disabling medical conditions due to injuries or progressive illnesses. They may have to cease working altogether in some cases. The parent with a disabling medical condition may qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. Such benefits can help cover the basic cost-of-living expenses for the adult no longer able to work.
Can the children who depend on that adult also qualify for benefits?
Some children may be eligible for dependent benefits
The Social Security Administration (SSA) oversees the distribution of several kinds of benefits. SSDI benefits are a form of earned benefit. Professionals become eligible because they make contributions to Social Security with each paycheck or each estimated quarterly tax payment they make. The amount they receive depends in part on how much they previously earned while working.
Children who do not yet work often do not qualify for SSDI benefits if they develop disabling medical conditions. However, they may qualify for supplemental benefits when the parents on whom they depend have to cease working due to medical challenges.
The rules typically allow children under the age of 18 to qualify when their parents start receiving SSDI benefits. Benefits usually end at age 18 unless the child is still a full-time secondary school student or they also have a disabling medical condition. Benefits either end when the child graduates or two months after they turn 19.
Benefits are subject to a maximum household benefit threshold. Regardless of how many children may depend on a parent, the SSA usually only provides between 150 and 180% of the parent’s maximum benefit amount. The benefits available for children can help families cover their basic expenses when a wage-earning parent can no longer continue working.
Pursuing supplemental disability benefits for minor children can help parents who cannot work better support their families. Those pursuing SSDI benefits may need help learning more about the program and optimizing the support they receive, and that’s okay.