Will My Children Receive Benefits?
Disabilities Affect The Whole Family, So Can Benefits.
If you are unable to work, then you may be unable to support your family. This reality is often more difficult to endure than one’s initial disability. Yet in many cases, the Social Security Administration is able to provide support.
Individuals receive Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits based on the number of years they worked and the amount of money they paid into the Social Security system. Under certain circumstances, the disabled individual’s family members — spouses, children and other dependents — can receive benefits as well. Yet obtaining SSD benefits is an arduous process. It requires gathering excessive amounts of documentation and waiting, sometimes interminably, for government approval.
We can help simplify the process. Drawing on more than 60 years of combined experience, the attorneys at Cutter Hall Karlock, LLC, are skilled in providing assistance to individuals and their family members seeking relief through the SSD program. We understand the laws. We understand the complexities involved in applying. We can help guide you through your matter, and avoid the most common setbacks and mistakes.
Your Children May Receive Benefits
If you collect SSD benefits, your children are likely eligible for benefits as well. The government offers support to:
Biological children
Adopted children
Dependent stepchildren
Typically, children no longer receive benefits after their 18th birthday. There are exceptions, however. Namely, if your child is a full-time student, he or she can continue to obtain support until shortly after his or her 19th birthday. Likewise, your child can continue to receive benefits if he or she is disabled, and the disability occurred prior to the child’s 22nd birthday.
Under Certain Conditions, Spouses Might Also Receive Benefits
Spouses are also able to receive supplementary SSD benefits in the event of a disability. Their ability to collect is, however, somewhat narrower than that of children. Namely, spouses can receive benefits only if they are 62 or older, or if they are caring for a benefit-eligible child aged 16 or younger.
In some sharply defined scenarios, one’s ex-spouse, grandchildren and/or parents are also able to receive dependent benefits.
Is There A Limit?
A dependent can receive up to 50 percent of the benefits received by the disabled individual. However, the Social Security Administration does limit how much support a family can receive. Specifically, the government will pay no more than 180 percent of the disabled individual’s benefits to an entire family. (So, in a family with four children, each child would likely receive 20 percent, rather than 50 percent, of the disabled parent’s benefits.)
We Understand The Significance Of Your Claim
Based in Columbus, and serving throughout central Ohio, our lawyers are dedicated to SSD matters — it’s what we do. If you would like to discuss your case with an attorney, reach out to us, and we will provide you with a free consultation, during which we will assess your situation and inform you of your options.
To get started, call us or arrange your appointment online.