Applying for Disability Benefits or Supplemental Security Income for Children with Disabilities

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Jump to topics on this page:

• What Are SSI Benefits for Children?
• Who Can Get SSI?
• How Does SSI Work?
• Can My Child Lose SSI?
• How to Apply for SSI For a Child
• Finding Records and Documents
• Suggested Links to Additional Resources
   

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Supplemental Security Income (SSI) can help people with disabilities or special health care needs pay for personal and medical expenses. They’re sometimes called “disability benefits.” Adult children with disabilities might be able to get SSI themselves. If they’re 17 or younger, your family might be able to get SSI to help your child.

What Are SSI Benefits for Children?

SSI or disability benefits come from a federal program paid for by taxes. SSI provides monthly payments to help pay for basic needs like medical care, food, clothing and shelter. You must be approved to get SSI. The amount of money a person gets each month depends on their living situation and income.

To decide a monthly amount, the SSI program looks at the money a person makes, their benefits and whether someone else helps pay for their living expenses.

To get SSI, you or your adult child must have no more than $2,000 in cash or belongings. Couples may be able to get SSI if they have cash or belongings worth $3,000 or less.

Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) are completely different benefits. Learn more on our SSDI page.

Also, your child can get Medicaid health insurance if they’re receiving SSI.

Who Can Get SSI?

Here are five things to consider for SSI approval:

• Your family — the people living in your home who are on the SSI application — must have a limited income and limited resources. This includes financial benefits and the things you own. It’s all based on a special SSI formula. Only certain parts of your earnings count as income.
• Use the Benefit Eligibility Screening Tool to see what you may be able to get.
• Only your child’s income and resources are considered once they turn 18. If your family’s income was too high before they were 18, your child might be able to get it as an adult.
• Your child must have a physical or mental disability or a special health care need that significantly restricts their daily activities. Children 17 and under must have what the Social Security Administration (SSA) calls "marked and severe functional limitations." At age 18, this definition changes to "an inability to do any substantial gainful activity." Holding a job is an example of gainful activity.
• Your child's disability must have lasted or be expected to last for at least 12 months. If your child has a life-threatening condition, you can still apply for help. Infants with certain disabilities or special health care needs can get SSI payments right away, even before they are fully approved for SSI benefits.

How Does SSI Work?

Once your child is approved to get SSI, you or your adult child will get a monthly payment. SSI income is not taxed. Remember, the amount depends on your income and resources. For example, the 2022 base pay for SSI was $841 a month for a child 17 or younger. This amount can change each year. The highest SSI payment is the same for both children and adults. 

The funds may be spent on food, housing, medical or dental care not covered by health insurance, and personal needs like clothing. Money left over should be put in savings, such as a Texas Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) account.  However, having more than $2,000 in savings could cause problems with your child’s SSI benefits. 

See more about how to apply and the application process below. 

A lot of parents find the SSI application process to be complicated. It’s important to stay strong and learn to rely on the folks at your local SSI office.

Can My Child Lose SSI?

Once your child starts getting monthly payments, the Social Security Administration (SSA) reviews your family or child's financial and living situation every one to six years. This process is called a redetermination. 

However, if the SSA believes your income or your child's income has changed, they can decide to review it every year. That’s why families must report their income monthly.

There are also times when the SSA may stop payments because your child no longer meets their definition of disability. Timelines for these reviews vary. Here are some review guidelines:

• If your child's condition is expected to improve, a review will be done every three years.
• Babies born with a low birth weight will be reviewed again at 1 year old.
• As part of the review process, you might have to give proof that your child’s medical treatments are medically necessary.

As long as your child remains approved to get SSI, they’ll receive payments until age 18.

At age 18, your child must reapply for SSI. They might have to show proof again of their disability or special health care need. But the biggest change is that only your adult child’s income, savings and certain belongings are factored in the application. Your family's income and savings are no longer factored.

How to Apply for SSI For a Child

Start by reading about SSI online or visit your nearest Social Security Administration office. Gather forms, ask questions and get ready to apply. You can find the office using the Social Security Office Locator.

If your child is 17 or younger:

• Download or ask for the Child Disability Starter Kit.
• Once you have read through the starter kit, fill out the Child Disability Report.
• Next, gather the school and medical forms listed in the starter kit, as well as other important documents. (See the list on this page.)
• Call the Social Security Administration at 800-772-1213 (or 800-325-0778 if you are deaf or hard of hearing) and make an appointment for an interview in your local office. You’ll be asked for proof and paperwork. Then you’ll answer questions about your child, including questions that are in the Child Disability Report.

If your child is 18 or older:

• Gather the documents and proof listed below.
• Apply for SSI online or call the Social Security Administration at 800-772-1213 (or 800-325-0778 if you are deaf or hard of hearing) and make an appointment for an interview in your local office.

After you apply:

• Expect to wait five or six months for an answer. Some children and infants get SSI payments during the waiting period, including those with total blindness and certain intellectual disabilities.
• The Texas Health and Human Services Commission completes disability determination for people applying for SSI in Texas. However, the SSA makes the final decision on who gets SSI benefits.
• If your child is approved for SSI, their health insurance or Medicaid coverage might change.

Finding Records and Documents

You’ll want important documents handy during the SSI application process. It’s crucial to keep your child's medical and education records organized in a notebook. The SSA asks for a lot of this paperwork. And they accept original documents only.

Here are some of the documents you should gather: 

• Identification and proof of age: Your child's birth record or certificate and their Social Security card or number. You’ll have to apply for these if you don't already have them.
• Proof of income: Payroll stubs, tax returns and checking account statements for the family or for your adult child.
• Proof of living arrangements: Rent receipt, deed or property tax bill for the family.
• Medical records: Names of all your child's medications, a list of their doctors and other medical providers, and medical reports.
• Education documents: A copy of your child's Individualized Education Program (IEP), and names and addresses of all your child’s teachers, caregivers and school therapists.

Read the full list of required documents on the SSI website.

Once your child is approved for SSI, they’ll begin getting monthly payments. This includes back pay for the waiting period. If you want to learn more about the process and your rights, visit this Social Security Administration resource.

Disability benefits vary by state. If you’re thinking about moving to Texas, learn more about the benefits here. Compare them to your current services.