Age Requirements For SSD

Disability does not discriminate, as the Social Security Administration confirms. According to the SSA, thousands of young people become severely injured or lose their lives as a result of traumatic events each year. Moreover, young people are just as afflicted by cancer, mental illness and other preventable diseases as are elderly people. Per the SSA’s estimation, as many as one in four young people develop a disability before reaching retirement age. To ensure that any person who lives with a disability in Ohio has the resources necessary to maintain a comfortable existence, the government agency makes Social Security Disability benefits available to all age groups. Of course, there is one major exception.

According to the Social Security Disability Resource Center, the SSA does not offer child disability benefits. The minimum age for SSD benefits is 18. If a person files for SSD benefits at 18, he or she must have accrued enough available work credits to qualify for government assistance.

If an adult child needs assistance, he or she may qualify for SSD benefits so long as his or her parents acquired enough work credits throughout their lifetime. If the adult child’s parents are still living, the parents may be able to collect Social Security Disability or retirement benefits for their child. The child may be an adopted child, stepchild, grandchild or even step-grandchild. For parents to qualify for benefits for an adult child who lives with a disability, the child must have developed a disability before the age of 22 and not have a spouse.

There exists one other instance for which the SSA imposes an age requirement. If an individual wishes to file for widower’s benefits or on behalf of a disabled spouse, he or she must be at least 55 years old.