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Art: Robin Mead

If yous first became disabled before the age of 22, you may be eligible for Disabled Adult Child Benefits. Even if yous are older than 22 now, you may yet qualify.

Disabled Developed Child Benefits are a different corporeality of coin for each person.

For some people, they can mean a muchhigher disability bank check, ameliorate health insurance, and less stressful financial rules to follow.

For other people, these benefits will brand petty or no difference in their circumstances.

Who Qualifies

You may be eligible for Disabled Adult Child benefits if:

🌷You starting time became disabled earlier the age of 22.

🌷 Social Security agrees that you starting time became disabled before the age of 22.

🌷 One of your parents has died, retired, or become disabled (if this hasn't happened yet, you lot can nevertheless get Adult Child benefits at some betoken in the future).

🌷 That parent was or is eligible for Social Security Benefits.

🌷 Notation: If your parent's Social Security cheque was very low, in some cases, y'all might non qualify. If your parent was on SSI (not SSDI), you lot might non qualify.

When did I become disabled?

When you think you became disabled may not be the same equally when Social Security thinks you became disabled.

To qualify for Adult Kid Benefits, you lot will demand Social Security to make up one's mind that you lot have a disability "onset engagement" earlier yous became 22.

Your onset date should be included in the accolade letter y'all get when y'all are canonical for disability. It will tell yous when Social Security decided you became medically disabled. If you don't take the letter and don't know what your onset date is, y'all can telephone call and see if someone tin can see it in the computer for you lot.

When Do My Benefits Kickoff?

Disabled Adult Kid Benefits don't always start right away. They beginning when one of your parents dies, retires or becomes disabled.

In the meantime, you tin collect SSI or SSDI, and then eventually switch to Adult Child Benefits when the time comes.

Case: Julie applies when she is 23. She is approved and given an onset date of 21. She begins collecting SSI. Later in life, when she is 32, her father retires. Considering her original onset engagement was age 21, she is at present eligible.

How Much Will My Check Be?

In that location a complicated formula, so nosotros can't answer this question. A common corporeality would exist:

Parent is still alive: 50% of whatever amount parent's check is. For case: Mom collects $2,000. You collect $ane,000. Your SSI check would go away.

Parent is passed away : 75% of whatever amount parent's bank check would be. For example: Mom would take gotten $2,000. You collect $1,500. Your SSI check would go abroad.

If in that location is another spouse or sibling also collecting off mom'due south record, the corporeality may be lower while mom is alive, but may be full amount when mom passes away.

Can I Get Off Both Parents?

No, information technology will be ane or the other. Or starting time with one and so switch.

Volition My Parent's Check Go Down?

No. This will accept no impact on your parent.

Once I'one thousand On Adult Kid Benefits, Do I Follow the Rules for SSI or SSDI?

Good question! Complicated question! To stay on Developed Child benefits you lot follow the rules for SSDI, and yous are free from all the pesky SSI rules.

Still… if you want to go on Medicaid… in some cases yous have to go on following the SSI rules. It depends what form of Medicaid yous are on. More details below.

Adult Kid benefits also has special rules for marriage that are unlike than both SSI and SSDI. See more below.

How to Utilise – If y'all are ALREADY on Disability

When one of your parents dies, retires or becomes disabled, contact Social Security and tell them you want to schedule an date to utilize for Developed Disabled Child Benefits. They may exist able to do information technology in a phone appointment.

The process is slightly different depending on your state of affairs:

If you were under age 22 when y'all first got approved for disability

You're good! You don't need to do annihilation but phone call or visit local office and put in the application.  They may look at your current medical records, and so it is important your contempo records are accurate. If your records state that your condition has improved this may crusade an effect.

Update: Some readers are reporting that Social Security has recently inverse the rules and is making it harder for the Social Security employees to process these cases. Some employees are dealing with this by telling you to collect medical records and proof from before age 22. You do not take to do this. Information technology is NOT your job to get medical records from the by. If they give you any problems, send them these rules for Collateral Estoppel, They are required to approve y'all, and if they have lost the quondam medical records, that is their problem and non your responsibility.

There is an exception, if you worked while y'all were age 22+ and you ever earned over SGA, so you might not be eligible for Collateral Estoppel. Yous might need to have more steps to prove that you were continuously disabled since before age 22.

If your onset appointment is listed equally earlier age 22

You lot're good! You don't need to do annihilation but call or visit local office and put in the application.  They may look at your current medical records, so it is important your recent records are accurate. If your records country that your status has improved this may crusade an effect.

Update: Some readers are reporting that Social Security has recently changed the rules and is making information technology harder for the Social Security employees to process these cases. Some employees are dealing with this by telling y'all to collect medical records and proof from before age 22. You lot do not have to practice this. It is NOT your job to become medical records from the past. If they requite you any bug, transport them these rules for Collateral Estoppel, They are required to corroborate you, and if they take lost the old medical records, that is their problem and not your responsibility.

There is an exception, if yous worked while y'all were age 22+ and you lot e'er earned over SGA, then you might non be eligible for Collateral Estoppel. You might demand to take more steps to prove that yous were continuously disabled since before age 22.

If your onset engagement is listed as after historic period 22

This may exist more than difficult. You can choose to appeal this onset date and go back in time to testify it should take been earlier:How to Go Dorsum in Time. However, there are a few hitches. I: We practice not know if there is a deadline for this. Nosotros take non been able to find whatsoever rules addressing this (if you find whatsoever, please comment below and let us know). Two: appealing an onset appointment tin can reopen the original decision so it can be risky. Iii: If a lot of time has passed, it may exist difficult to go medical evidence that far back.

How to Utilise – If You APPLYING for Disability

If yous are under 22 right now

This part should be like shooting fish in a barrel, just go utilise disability. You do not have to do anything special. Just put in a regular application for SSI or SSDI, and brand certain to answer the questions asking if one of your parents is deceased, disabled or retired. Do everything yous can to become GREAT medical evidence dated before you turn 22.

If you are over 22 correct now

It is a chip more complicated. You can still put in a regular awarding for SSI or SSDI, simply if you want to get Adult Child Benefits, you would besides need to testify that you start became disabled before the historic period of 22. Here'due south how you lot do that:How to Go Back in Time. It is often worth making an actress endeavour to do this now, as it may make a big departure in your future.

Switch!

You tin can start out on ane parent'due south work record and and so switch to another one (if the second parent afterward retires or passes away).

Or you tin can start out with dependent's benefits and so switch to survivor's benefits when one parent dies (survivors benefits are ordinarily college).

Social Security should give you whatever do good is the highest, but they don't always exercise it, so it's good to proceed runway of and contact Social Security to brand the request when the fourth dimension comes.

Special Undercover Loophole for Keeping Medicaid

Many people who became disabled at a young age, start out on SSI (which comes with Medicaid). And then, quondam afterwards in life, they switch to Adult Disabled Child Benefits (which comes with Medicare).

But expect! Medicare can be expensive. What will happen to your Medicaid?

Luckily, there is a special underground rule that says you cannot lose your Medicaid by making this switch. Even if you have too much income for Medicaid now, you withal get to keep it! And yous go to keep the Medicare also! Good deal.

The combination of Medicaid and Medicare is actually first-class health insurance, as they embrace different thing. Medicaid will also pay all your Medicare co-pays and premiums.

Warning : Sometimes people at Medicaid make mistakes, and sometimes they don't know all the special secret rules. If you encounter any problems, show them this policy on Medicaid continuations.

Warning: Scout your avails. If you lot stay on Medicaid this fashion, you lot need to stay under the asset limit. In many states the asset limit for a disabled person is $2,000. They do not count one car, one firm, and ordinary household items. One affair that can assistance with staying under the asset limit is to open anABLE Account.

Warning: Scout your other income and savings. Income from Disabled Adult Child benefits won't affect your Medicaid, simply other kinds of income still will. Be careful. To stay on connected Medicaid, you will need to still go on the aforementioned income limits every bit if you were still on SSI. You practice not need to keep post-obit every SSI policy (like the rules for rent), but you demand to proceed to meet the basic criteria that would allow yous to be eligible for at least $1 in SSI.

If you lot go over the income and asset limit and go cutting off Medicaid, and so later your finances alter, tin can you get it back? Nosotros don't know. The policy in a higher place doesn't specify what happens in this situation, but the policy does that that this just applies to people who got cut off because of Adult Child Benefits, not people who got cutting off in other ways. If you know more near this rule, delight comment below.

Update: We have heard from multiple readers who were cut off medicaid in this situation, and had to advocate to get the problem fixed. Medicaid workers may not know these rules. You may demand to talk to supervisors or file complaints if they do not honor the policy.

Other options: You can as well look into other forms of Medicaid that are less restrictive, such as Medicaid for working disabled, or Medicaid waivers. As a disabled person, yous cannot authorize for Medicaid through the Healthcare Marketplace, then don't look at any of the income charts for the kind of Medicaid most people use.

How Much Volition Your Check Exist?

The corporeality of your Disabled Adult Child Benefits will depend on which parent, if they are passed abroad or disabled or retired, if anyone else is drawing off the earning record for this parent, and the amount of the parent's earning tape. You can collect off either your mother or male parent, not both.

If someone else is cartoon off that parents income record, this may cause your adult kid benefits to go down. For example, if you are collecting from your mom's record, and your dad is as well collecting spousal retirement benefits from your mom's tape, both benefits will be reduced. This is chosen Maximum Family Benefit. Withal, in this situation, if parents are divorced the Maximum Family Benefit might not apply.

Disabled Adult Kid benefits volition cause your SSI to reduce. If you are receiving another grade of Social Security, it may be replaced by Disabled Adult Kid benefits. Your monthly disability check will never lower because of the new benefits. Your total check will either stay the same or enhance up.

If you are also receiving veterans benefits, or if one of your parents was a veteran and you receive veterans dependent benefits, this will beaddedto your Social Security check. You will get both, so your check will definitely go up.

Low Check

If your Adult Child Benefits are lower then maximum SSI, you will get a combination of SSI and Developed Kid Benefits. This is not super exciting, but information technology is even so nice because you get an extra $20 per calendar month, plus improve health insurance.

High Check

If your Adult Child Benefits are college thanmaximum SSI, you won't go any SSI anymore. You'll simply go the Adult Child Benefits. This is super exciting, considering you lot will get improve health insurance, a college disability check (sometimes much higher), and something else really great…

You will no longer accept to follow any of the SSI financial rules. Y'all're free! It no longer matters how much rent you pay or how much income yous have or how much money is in your bank business relationship.

From now on, you can merely follow the rules for SSDI. (Hint: There are almost no financial rules for SSDI!) You lot will still take disability reviews, and you must follow the work rules if you lot work.

Do I Need to Go along Following the SSI Financial Rules?

Maybe. If your disabled adult kid benefits are loftier enough, your SSI volition stop. You won't need to follow all the rules anymore for SSI.

Just there's a problem. Medicaid. If you lot are getting connected Medicaid, you need to stay eligible for SSI in every other mode (they ignore the Disabled Adult Kid benefit check being too loftier).

It depends what form of Medicaid you are on. If y'all are on a Medicaid waiver or Medicaid for working disabled, this may non matter.

Working and Disability

Here's a few Special Notes for Disabled Adult Children Who are Working

Switching Benefits

If yous are already receiving Adult Disabled Child benefits, there are a few ways your cheque might go up:

Second parent – If yous are receiving from one parent'due south record, and then your other parent retires, dies, or becomes disabled, you can switch. Social Security may do this for you automatically, only information technology may help to double check. Yous can contact Social Security to enquire which parent has a college income record and brand sure y'all are collecting off that parent's record.

Survivor's benefits – If one of your parent's dies your cheque might get up. Survivors benefits are frequently a higher corporeality so benefits from a parent who is retired or disabled.  Social Security may do this for you lot automatically, simply information technology may help to double check.

Other dependents – If anyone else is drawing off your parent's income tape, this can brand your check get downward. For instance: Julie and her mom both collect off of dad's earning record. The benefits of $1,000 are split. Julie collects Developed Child Benefits of $500 and her mom collects spousal benefits of $500. These rules are called "Maximum family do good"

Bonus: If Your Parent Was a Veteran

Yous may be able to collect benefits from both Social Security and the Veterans Assistants. Here's where you tin find basic information, simply readers report that information technology's often amend to reach out to local counties or volunteer organizations for help: Veteran'southward Dependent Benefits.

Warning: Marriage

If you are married, or get married, you will lose your Adult Disabled Kid benefits. You may also lose Medicare and Medicaid. Y'all tin can still apply for SSI (or stay on SSI if y'all are already on it), but if you lot are married to someone with income, your SSI may be very low, or you may non qualify.

Exception

One exception to this rule is if ally someone else who is on Social Security. You volition not lose Disabled Adult Kid benefits. A few important points:

Y'all must already be receiving the Disabled Adult Child benefits. when the marriage occurs.

Your spouse must exist on Social Security. Alert: SSI does not count as Social Security. It must exist SSDI, or DAC, or some other form of Social Security. How to Tell What You're On

Alert: Fifty-fifty if your benefits go along, marriage could affect your Medicaid eligibility in some cases.

Policy: https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0410115050

Alarm: Living Together

Many of our readers wonder if living together without getting married will crusade a trouble for their benefits. The answer is: we don't know. The rules in this area are complex and unclear. We have never heard from a reader on Disabled Adult Kid benefits that has had a trouble in this area, however there are a few policies information technology might do good yous to be aware of.

The get-go rule is "mutual law spousal relationship".  Social Security has a policy that if your state recognizes mutual police force marriage, you may be considered married in the eyes of Social Security – fifty-fifty if you are non legally married. Hither is where yous can find this policy: Social Security mutual police force union policy.

The second rule is chosen "holding out as married". This rule is quite tricky, because if y'all read the policy, you will see that information technology very clearly states this rule but applies to SSI. We take not institute whatsoever policies that indicate this should be applied to Disabled Adult Children benefits. Yet, nosotros have heard reports that some Social Security workers are applying this dominion to disabled adult children benefits. Probably the best thing yous tin can do is take a await yourself at the Social Security property out as married policy.

Divorce or Widow

If y'all are married and then get divorced or widowed, you cannot go your original benefits back. But wait there are some loopholes!

LOOPHOLE # 1

If your wedlock is annulled or voided (non divorce or widow) benefits may return.

Policy: "A child whose entitlement to child's benefits ended… may be re-entitled on the aforementioned earnings tape upon filing a new application without re-establishing dependency if he or she: has not married since he or she last became entitled to benefits, unless the matrimony was void or annulled." – Policy on Re-entitlement for Child Benefits

LOOPHOLE # 2

If you were collecting off of one parent's tape earlier marriage, then you get divorced, you lot may exist able to collect off your other parent's tape after union.

Policy:"A marriage that concluded by death or divorce precludes re-entitlement on the aforementioned parent's earnings record. However, a child whose marriage precludes re-entitlement on the same parent's earnings record may establish initial entitlement on their other parent's earnings" – Policy on Re-entitlement for Child Benefits

LOOPHOLE # 3

If you never practical for Disabled Developed Child benefits earlier, and you are non marriedin this momentyou may be able to utilise even if y'all were married and divorced in the past.

Policy: "Definition of single: A kid who has been married is considered unmarried at the time of filing an application for initial entitlement to child's benefits if: at that time, the matrimony has been terminated by annulment, divorce, or death." – Policy on Wedlock Definitions For Initial Entitlement

Other Options

You tin still utilize for SSI. Still, this selection is less ideal: SSI is often a lower monthly check, you will not get Medicare, and a new SSI application may take several years to get approved.

If the person you are married is likewise on SSDI or Disabled Developed Child benefits, your benefits will not end. (SSDI but, not SSI)

Important

Don't expect that anyone yous talk to at Social Security volition know all these rules and loopholes. Impress and testify it to them. Write downward the exact language from policy on your application when you use.  If you demand to, keep appealing.

Smart Tip from a Reader

"I found out a Social Security loophole:

"When someone starts receiving Disabled Adult Kid benefits, it is possible for their parent to first receiving Social Security early or take their benefits increment. It is called a Kid-In-Care Spousal Benefit. That parent must be:

  • a parent of the DAC recipient
  • the spouse (or ex-spouse) of the person whose work record the DAC is receiving benefits off of and
  • providing parental responsibilities and/or personal services to the DAC recipient. (Annotation: This usually includes living together, but not always.)

"Under these circumstances, that parent is eligible to receive up to 50% of the other parent'due south total social security benefit corporeality. This corporeality can increase to 75% if their spouse (or ex-spouse) dies.

"Caution: A parent receiving this do good can be subject to an earnings limit. So be careful well-nigh claiming this do good if the parent is working or already existence paid as a home assistance.

"Besides: all the social security benefit recipients would be subject to the Family Maximum Benefit rule, which might cause a subtract in the DAC's do good corporeality if the spousal benefit is also being collected.

"Hope this information helps someone get some actress money."

Policies

Excellent detailed overview of Disabled Adult Kid Benefits policies .

Official Social Security policy manual. Disabled Adult Child benefits are called "Babyhood Disability Benefits?" https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0411020000

What Practise Yous Think?

🌷 This page is part of the free online guide: The Sleepy Girl Guide to Social Security Inability  Fine art on this folio by Robin Mead  and Elizabeth D'Angelo. Page Updated: vii/1/xix

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