While the most popular federal disability benefits programs are Social Security Disability Insurance (“SSDI”) and Supplemental Security Income (“SSI”) (SSI is for low income individuals in particular), there are other, lesser known programs and exceptions to which Americans in need may be able to turn.
One such disability benefits program is for young Americans who become disabled and are unable to work before the age of 22. The Social Security Administration (“SSA”) refers to adults in this situation as the “adult child,” because he or she may be able to receive disability benefits taken from his or her parent’s Social Security payment record.
Some of the requirements include the following:
- The young person must be unmarried and over the age of 18
- He or she can be a biological child as well as an adopted child, stepchild, grandchild or a step grandchild
- The disability that the young person suffered must have occurred before the age of 22
- The person’s parents must be deceased or currently receiving retirement or disability benefits
- The SSA makes the disability determination the normal way it considers applicants for SSDI benefits
- Applicants cannot be making more than $1,000 a month.
The benefit of this program is that young Americans can receive financial assistance even if they have never worked before. Even for young Americans already receiving disability benefits, it may make more sense for them to have the benefits come from their parents’ account, as they may be able to receive more financial support.
These benefits come from the payments that children’s parents have been paying into Social Security their entire lives. When disability leads to mounting medical bills and a lack of work, Americans have the right to seek support from the programs they have been supporting.
Troutman & Troutman, P.C. – Tulsa Social Security Disability lawyers