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Getting disability benefits for your dependents

Getting disability benefits for your dependents

Bad news is, qualifying for social security disability insurance, SSDI in 2019 has become even harder.

Good news is, if you qualify for SSDI benefits, your dependents including children or a spouse may also get some benefits under your SSDI benefits program known as auxiliary benefits or dependents benefits.

Workers and employers who have paid the Federal Insurance Contributions Act, FICA taxes on their incomes for at least ten years of their work times are eligible for social security disability insurance, which also provides monthly benefits for the dependents of a disabled person with the qualified benefits. Many different family members can qualify as dependents depending on the situation for each person.

For instance, if one or more parent of an SSDI beneficiary is disabled then the whole family will receive some type of monthly benefits known as auxiliary benefits. Though family members who are receiving benefits under Supplemental Security Income, SSI may not qualify as dependents to receive the auxiliary benefits under SSDI, since these benefits are only based on the SSDI program.

Benefits of dependent children

Minor dependent children or children under 18 years old who are dependent on the disabled parent are eligible for the disability benefits known as auxiliary benefits. Other children such as grandchildren or adopted children who are dependent on the disabled person may also qualify for the auxiliary benefits in some cases. However, the children qualified to receive the auxiliary benefits would only continue to do so until they turn 18 or 19 in situations where they are studying as full-time students.

Moreover, if the child(ren) are disabled they would continue to receive the auxiliary benefits until they remain disabled. Also, child(ren) who developed the disability before the age of 22 may qualify for both auxiliary benefits under SSDI and benefits under supplemental security income, SSI.

Benefits of mother or father

Similar to the rules applied for auxiliary benefits for children, the mother or father i.e., the partner of the disabled person rather married or an ex-spouse will continue to receive the auxiliary benefits for the child until the child is disabled. However, in order for the to continue receiving benefits even after the child turns 22, the child's disability must have stricken before he/she turned 22.

Benefits of a spouse or ex-spouse

The married partner of a disabled person can qualify for the dependent's benefits if they are older than age 62 and can not apply for the benefits on their own accord. However, for an ex-spouse to qualify for the benefits they not only need to be over the age 62 but also provide proof that the marriage lasted for more than 10 years before divorce or separation – to be eligible for the auxiliary benefits, it is also imperative for a divorced spouse that the other partner has not claimed the same benefits of his/her own record.

Aggregate amount of benefits for family

Each dependent member of the family of a disabled person is entitled to receive equal to at least 50% of the total amount of the monthly benefits of the disabled person. However, the total auxiliary benefits receivable in each family may not be greater than 150% of the amount of the total monthly benefits of the disabled person.

Applying for dependent's benefits

Call the Social Security Administration (SSA) at (800) 772-1213 to apply for the family SSDI benefits. Or talk to a social security disability attorney for detailed guidance.

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Friday, 29 March 2024