Can My Children Get Benefits If I Am Found Disabled?

YES!  When person qualifies for Social Security disability benefits under title II of the Social Security Act, the disabled person’s children may also qualify to receive benefits on the disabled person’s record.  It is very important to know that an eligible child can be a disabled person’s biological child, adopted child or stepchild.  A dependent grandchild may also qualify.

To receive benefits, the child must be unmarried; and

But, these benefits do not normally continue a child reaches the age of 18 unless the child is disabled. However, if the child is still a full-time student at a secondary (or elementary) school at age 18, benefits for that child will continue until the child graduates or until two months after the child becomes age 19, whichever is first.

Within a disabled person’s family, each qualified child may receive a monthly payment up to one-half of disabled person’s full disability benefit amount.  However, there is a limit to the amount that Social Security will pay a disabled person’s family members.  The total depends on the disabled person’s benefit amount and the number of family members who also qualify on the person’s record. The total varies, but generally the total amount a person’s family can receive is about 50 to 80 percent of disabled person’s disability benefit.   This is sometimes called the called the family maximum benefit.

Please be aware, however, that a similar benefit is not available to the children of persons who are eligible solely for Supplemental Security Income, more commonly known as SSI.  Under SSI’s rules, only the disabled person can receive a benefit.