Social Security Disability Benefits Available to Children

Your child may qualify for Social Security Disability benefits if he or she is severely mentally or physical disabled, according to the Social Security Administration’s definition of disability. If your child under the age of 18 is disabled, it may be beneficial to you to apply for disability benefits for the child. Doing so can help ensure your child receives the level of care he or she needs by helping to meet your financial goals. Even if you have an income, if your child fits the qualifications, your family may benefit from the additional financial support. The key is to know what to expect and when to apply.

Who Should Apply For Childhood Disability Benefits?

There are very specific guidelines in place for those who are disabled in terms of who can apply and receive these benefits. The following are some of those requirements for your child.

• In addition, the child must have some type of physical or mental condition or a combination of both that leads to the child having marked and severe functional limitations. In other words, the child’s health condition must be significant enough that the child has serious limits on his or her activities.
• The child’s condition also is considered carefully. It must be something that has lasted or is expected to last at least 12 months, or the condition must be one that is expected to result in the child’s death.

Receiving the disabled label is difficult under the Social Security Administration’s disability benefits guidelines. In many cases, you must provide enough information and support to back up this disability claim. A doctor claiming that the child is disabled is not enough for the Social Security Administration. In fact, you must show that the child’s condition meets the Listing of Impairments, a thorough resource that outlines most types of major bodily systems and the limitations recognized. If you cannot meet those specific listings, you must otherwise prove the limitations on the child. Being able to receive disability benefits is critical in many families, but the condition must be limiting enough under these rules.

What Will We Receive If We Qualify For Our Child's Social Security Disability Benefits?

The Social Security Administration provides payments to those people who are low income or have limited resources who are disabled. If your child is under the age of 18, and has some type of disability as described, he may qualify to receive disability payments on a monthly basis from the Administration. The amount of that payment will differ from one person to another. Your income as the parent or care giver and other factors play a role in how much he or she will receive. In addition, some states also add to the Social Security Disability benefit payment you receive. In order to find out what your specific payment amount will be, you need to discuss your case with your local Social Security office or meet with a disability attorney who can help you to apply for Social Security Disability benefit.

• There are a few things to keep in mind in regards to children receiving disability benefit:
• The child must live in your household, or a child living at school but returns home from time to time is also acceptable.
• The child must be subject to your control in order for the child to receive disability insurance.
• If the child is hospitalized and has health insurance that pays for his or her care during that period, the Social Security Disability benefit pays a flat, minimal cost during that time. The health insurance is likely to pay for most of the child’s other needs.

There may be additional qualifications and stipulations. Discuss these options with an attorney or the Social Security office before applying.

How to Apply For Social Security Disability Benefits Available to Children

When you are ready to file for disability benefit for your child, you will need to provide a great deal of information about your child’s medical condition. You will also need to provide information about how the condition limits or otherwise affects the child’s ability to function on a daily basis. In addition to providing this information, you will need to give the Social Security Administration access to your child’s doctors, therapists, teachers or other care providers to verify the information you provide. In many cases, the child’s medical records and school records are a good way of proving your child’s condition.

The process of obtaining Social Security Disability benefits for your child is dependent on the child being disabled under the Administration’s guidelines. The good news is that you have to go through this lengthily process just one time in most cases.