Can my child receive benefits under my Social Security if I'm disabled?
What Are Auxiliary Benefits?
Auxiliary benefits are paid to dependent spouses and children of individuals receiving Social Security. However, it depends on whether you are receiving Social Security Disability Insurance benefits (SSDI), or Supplemental Security Income benefits (SSI).
Who is Eligible for Auxiliary Social Security Benefits?
Auxiliary benefits are only available for individuals receiving SSDI, not SSI. This is a major difference. So if you are only receiving SSI, your children are not eligible for auxiliary benefits.
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For a dependent spouse to receive auxiliary benefits, the spouse must be at least 62 years of age, OR have a child who is either under the age of 16 or disabled.
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For a child to receive auxiliary benefits, they must be a minor (under 18), be found completely disabled before turning 22, OR be a high school student under the age of 19.
Auxiliary benefits helps the family as it provides additional benefits to those that are or were dependent on your income. It’s important to remember that these benefits can be changed if your family grows. For instance, if you have another child, your newborn child can also receive auxiliary benefits. If your child leaves for college or is no longer a minor, then you will likely lose your auxiliary benefits for that child.
How Much Will You Receive in Auxiliary Benefits?
An eligible dependent can receive up to 50% of the disabled person’s benefits. For instance, if a father was granted SSDI at a rate of $1,000 per month, his dependent child could receive up to $500 per month. Now, there is a cap on how much a family can receive though. SSA refers to this as a FAMILY MAXIMUM. The family maximum for the family of a disabled worker is 85 percent of the worker’s Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME). However, it cannot be less than the worker’s PIA (primary insurance amount) nor more than 150 percent of the PIA.
