If you have a child at home that you need additional income to help provide better care for, you may be able to get financial help from the Social Security Administration (SSA). Several situations are available to enable caregivers to get more Social Security dependent benefits to help with daily finances.
Qualifying for Social Security Benefits
Getting benefits from the SSA may depend on the child, the parents, or both. Qualified children must be unmarried and younger than 18. This age is extended to between 18 and 19 if they are full-time students in grade 12 or lower. The Social Security payments may continue until two months after the child becomes 19.Children with a disability can get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) when they have a physical or mental condition or are blind, which results in serious limitations of their abilities. Other SSI rules include that the condition is expected to last a minimum of one year or will possibly bring about the child’s death. Also, the household must have limited income and resources. A child can also get disability benefits if they are older than 18 if they became disabled before they reached 22.
There are also some qualifications for the child’s parents. They can get benefits for the child if at least one parent has retired and is entitled to Social Security benefits. Or, if the parent has died, they must have worked long enough to have paid Social Security taxes.
Qualifications for Blind Children to Get SSI
Blind children, like others with disabilities, must have a medical condition that gives them severe limitations. They also cannot earn more than $2,460 a month (this figure changes annually).Some Qualifications May Make Child Immediately Eligible
According to the SSA, some disabled children may qualify for SSI benefits immediately. They include the following disabilities:- down syndrome
- cerebral palsy
- total blindness
- total deafness
- muscular dystrophy
- a severe intellectual disability (age 4 or older)
- asymptomatic HIV infection
- birth weight below two pounds and 10 ounces (reevaluated after age 3).
Caretakers of Children
Adults who care for children may also be able to get benefits from Social Security. Caregivers can get benefits for children until they turn 16, PocketSense says, but they must be the surviving spouse of someone who has paid into the Social Security system. The worker may also be disabled. The benefit equals 50 percent of what the worker would get at full benefit age.Surviving spouses may also get benefits if it is the deceased’s child and they are younger than 16. If the spouse remains unmarried, they can get 75 percent of the full benefit of the deceased. Divorced spouses may also be eligible.
Social Security Dependent Benefits
The actual amount given depends on the monthly income and their assets. When there is more than one child qualified for benefits, they will not each receive the full amount because of allowable total limits.The ‘Deeming’ Process
Children who may qualify for SSI who live with parents or a stepparent (or adoptive parent) who do not get any SSI benefits are evaluated financially to determine how much they can get. Income and resources are considered, and deductions are subtracted from the possible total amount of SSI benefits. The process is called “deeming.”The amount given each month after the “deeming” process will end under some circumstances. At that time, SSI might pay up to $30 in addition to any money from the state. Those circumstances include:
- when the child goes into a medical treatment facility (and insurance is paying for their care);
- when the child becomes eligible for Medicaid or other state plan for home care; or
- when deeming would cause the child to become ineligible for SSI benefits.
Children of Military Parents Living Overseas
Children of military parents living overseas are treated differently than others. Other children who leave the United States for 30 days or more no longer qualify for SSI. The SSA says that military children who are U.S. citizens can continue to get their benefits if they still live with that parent or parents when they are on a duty assignment at an overseas base.Benefits May Depend on Your Living Arrangements
If you have limited resources, which may not include all of them, you can get SSI in all 50 states. The limit of resources that the child can have is $2,000, and the couple’s resources must be less than $3,000. Some states will provide additional money to SSI.If you do not receive any other income and live alone, or at least pay for your food and housing, the SSA says the child could get $914 in 2023. The couple could get as much as $1,372 per month. When caretakers live in someone else’s household, the child can get $609.34 monthly, and the couple can receive up to $915.00.
How to Apply for Social Security Dependent Benefits
When you apply for the child’s Social Security benefits, you must bring several things. You need the child’s birth certificate or proof of adoption. Social Security numbers are also required.
If you are trying to get Social Security survivor benefits for a child, it will be necessary to bring proof of the parent’s death. When applying for Social Security disability benefits for dependents, evidence of the disability from a doctor or other medical professional will be needed.
The Epoch Times copyright © 2023. The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors. They are meant for general informational purposes only and should not be construed or interpreted as a recommendation or solicitation. The Epoch Times does not provide investment, tax, legal, financial planning, estate planning, or any other personal finance advice. The Epoch Times holds no liability for the accuracy or timeliness of the information provided.
