Social Security Benefits are the government’s way of supplementing the income of citizens who need financial assistance. The benefits are, however, not available to everyone due to limited resources, and there is a strict application process which many fail to scale through.
Applying for social security benefits is a strenuous task which can cost you much time and yield nothing in the end. For this reason, we advise people to hire disability lawyers in SC who have experience applying for social security benefits and know how to present cases to the Social Security Administration to get the best results.
SSI and SSDI
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a program administered by Social Security which pays monthly benefits to people who have limited income, are disabled, blind, aged 65 or older. Children younger than eighteen (18) who are blind or disabled are also entitled to SSI benefits if they meet specific requirements. Children over 18 but below 22 may also qualify for SSI if they are still in school.
To qualify for Supplemental Security Income, a child must be disabled as defined by the SSA, and the disability must meet or “equal” a listing. The child must also be unmarried and must not be the head of a household. Further, the child and members of his family must not have an income exceeding a certain sum.
When a child who has benefitted from SSI turns 18 or 22, his or her disability will be reviewed, and he or she may qualify for SSDI.
Social Security Disability Insurance is a payroll tax-funded insurance program administered by Social Security. It is a disability benefit given to people who are disabled and have sufficient work credits. To benefit from SSDI, a person must have had qualifying employment for several years. Qualifying employment is any job which contributed to the payroll tax for SSDI.
A child (under 18 or 19 if he or she is a full-time student) can receive SSDI benefits based on the earnings of his or her parents. An adult can also benefit from SSDI through his or her parent’s work credits. To qualify to receive benefits under SSDI, one of his or her parents must:
- Have Social Security retirement or disability benefits or
- Have died and got enough work credits to qualify for Social Security.
As a dependent SSDI beneficiary, an adult child must:
- Be unmarried or married to someone who qualifies for and received SSDI benefits.
- Be disabled by the SSA’s adult standards
How Child Disability Lawyers Can Help You
To apply for SSDI benefits for your dependent adult child, you have to get in touch with the SSA via their toll-free number 1-800-772-1213, or in person at your local field office. You would need your child’s birth certificate and social security number as well as yours or the parent whose earnings the child is claiming under. To begin the process, fill out an Adult Disability Report online and authorize your doctors to disclose information to the SSA.
You would also need to provide:
- Proof of the worker’s marriage to the child’s natural or adoptive parent
- Proof that the child is a US citizen or lawful alien
- W-2 forms or self-employment tax returns if the child worked in the last year
- Proof of death, if the worker is deceased
You would also need to answer a myriad of questions listed on the SSA website. The questions can be tricky, and how you answer them would determine whether or not your child’s claim is approved. You need to be able to respond to the questions in a way that shows why your child should get SSDI benefits.
Hiring an experienced child disability lawyer will give you the insight you need to ensure your claim is approved. Your child disability lawyer has experience dealing with cases just like yours and knows how to present your case to the SSA to get the most favorable results. Your child disability lawyer would liaise with you and your doctors and other caregivers to ensure that all documents presented to the SSA present your child’s case in a way that meets SSA’s standards.
When to Get in Touch with Children Disability Lawyers
It would be best if you got in touch with a child disability lawyer once you decide to file for SSDI benefits. If you already filed and faced rejection, no need to fret; contact a child disability lawyer at J. Robert Surface today to help you prepare your next application.
