Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) For Children

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Jump to topics on this page:

• What is Social Security Disability Insurance?
• What Are Social Security Disability Benefits for Children?
• SSDI and SSI
• Who Can Get SSDI?
• How Does SSDI Work?
• How to Apply for Social Security Disability
• Suggested Links to Additional Resources
   

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What is Social Security Disability Insurance?

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is a federal program run by the Social Security Administration. It provides monthly payments to people with disabilities or special health care needs. 

SSDI benefits may also be provided to children of people who have worked and paid enough in Social Security taxes to qualify.

What Are Social Security Disability Benefits for Children?

Minor children (age 17 and younger) can qualify for SSDI based on their parents’ income. 

Adult children (age 18 and older) with disabilities or special health care needs can qualify for SSDI in two ways:  

1. The first is based on their own employment record and if they are approved for these benefits. 
2. The second is by collecting child’s benefits. This is when an adult child gets benefits through their parent’s Social Security retirement and disability earnings.

In both cases, your child can get Medicare health insurance after receiving SSDI benefits for 24 months.

SSDI and SSI

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and SSDI are not the same. They have different rules and requirements. Getting one of them sometimes affects how much you can get from the other. 

Some people can get SSI, SSDI and Medicaid at the same time. It’s best to check with the Social Security Administration before applying for SSDI if your child already gets another benefit. Attorneys or case workers can also help you navigate the benefits programs.

Who Can Get SSDI?

For adult benefits, any worker who has a disability that keeps them from working like they used to may be able to get SSDI. This includes adults with disabilities or special health care needs.

An adult applying for SSDI must have earned a minimum amount of money in a specific number of quarters. A quarter is defined as three months. You can find these amounts on the Social Security Administration’s Benefits Planner page.

Your child must also have a disability or special health care need that prevents them from working. The Social Security Administration defines the disability requirements for SSDI. This “Listing of Impairments” includes hundreds of medical conditions such as epilepsy, cerebral palsy and diabetes.

The Social Security Administration considers your child’s situation before approving or denying SSDI benefits. The decision is largely based on whether the following three statements are true:

• Your child cannot do the work they did before due to an injury, a disability, an illness or other medical condition.
• Your child cannot adjust to other work because of their medical conditions.
• Your child’s disability has lasted or is expected to last at least one year or is life-threatening.

How Does SSDI Work?

SSDI generally pays monthly benefits to people who can't work for one year or more because of a disability. Once the payments start, the Social Security Administration keeps the payments going until a “redetermination” review to see if your child still needs the benefits.

Each person gets a different amount based on their “work credits” and total yearly income.

Worker’s compensation and other public disability benefits can impact your child’s SSDI benefits. However, lawsuit settlement payments from a private insurance company do not.

How Does the SSDI Child’s Benefit Work?

Using the SSDI benefit, a child can receive up to half of their parent’s full retirement or disability benefits or 75% of their deceased parent’s basic Social Security benefit. The actual amount your child receives will depend on:

• The parent’s Social Security earnings record.
• Whether or not other family members are applying for Social Security retirement benefits based on the same parent’s work record.
• The number of years a parent paid taxes to the Social Security Administration.

A child’s benefit payments begin only after the parent starts collecting disability or retirement benefits or is deceased and worked long enough to draw Social Security. If a parent dies before collecting retirement or disability benefits, their child can’t get SSDI based on the parent’s earning record.

Can My Child Lose SSDI Benefits?

Your child can lose SSDI benefits if they:

• Start working.
• Have a change in their medical condition that allows them to work.
• Don’t follow doctor-recommended treatments that would help them gain the ability to work. For example, if they decide not to go to recommended physical therapy.
• Move and don’t update their address with the Social Security Administration.
• Are convicted of a crime and spend more than 30 days in a row in prison.

How to Apply for Social Security Disability

Whether your child applies on their work record or yours, start by downloading and reviewing the Adult Disability Starter Kit. You or your child can also visit a Social Security office to get forms or ask questions. Find the one closest to you using the Social Security Office Locator.

An SSDI application requires certain documents. The Social Security Administration Adult Disability Starter Kit page has a document checklist. Here are some examples:

• Your child’s birth certificate and Social Security number.
• Your child’s doctor’s address and phone number.
• Original copies of your child’s medical records.
• Copies of your or your child’s W-2 (tax) forms.
• Award letters, pay stubs, settlement agreements, or other proof of any temporary or permanent workers’ compensation-type benefits your child has received.  It’s important to report all earned income.

To apply in person at your local Social Security office:

• Call the Social Security Administration at 800-772-1213 to set up a time to come in. If you are deaf or hearing impaired, call 800-325-0778.
• The Social Security Administration recommends filling out the entire Adult Disability Report before applying in person.

If your child is applying for adult SSDI benefits, they can do so online. It should take one to two hours to apply. At this time, you cannot apply for SSDI child’s benefits online.

Get Help Applying for SSDI

• Find an advocacy workshop in your area. See our Services, Groups, and Events page for ideas.
• Connect with other parents who have children collecting disability benefits.
• Hire a lawyer who specializes in disability benefits. This is useful in determining if more than one program meets your needs. Lawyers working for nonprofit organizations can help low-income families navigate Social Security benefits at a lower cost.
• SSA.gov has a Disability Benefits booklet that offers guidance on disability benefits. It includes answers to common questions.
• Ask your child’s caseworker for help.
• Make an appointment with an agent at your local Social Security Administration office to talk through your child’s benefits and application. You can use the Social Security Office Locator to find your local Social Security Administration office.

Once your child has applied, they should expect a letter in the mail to let them know if they were approved.