Being disabled changes the course of life for you and your family. Recognizing the hardship faced by families dealing with permanent disability, the Social Security Administration (SSA) provides benefits to family members of individuals who qualify for Social Security Disability (SSD). You need to understand all benefits available to you — and your family — to navigate a future altered by disability.
When you qualify for SSD, you receive a monthly payment based on your average earnings over your working life. Certain family members and former family members may also be eligible for benefits under disability law. Family benefits under SSD include the following:
- Your spouse may qualify for benefits if he or she is 62 or older, or at a younger age if caring for a child of yours who is disabled or currently under the age of 16.
- An unmarried child under the age of 18 or age 19 and in high school can qualify for monthly payments on your disability record. This benefit is extended to adopted children and may apply to stepchildren or grandchildren. An unmarried child older than 18 who is disabled under the definition of the SSA may qualify for benefits as well.
- An ex-spouse who was married to you for 10 or more years may qualify for disability payments based on your record.
Facing disability at any point in life is difficult. When you file for SSD, make sure your application is correct and complete the first time. Most applications for SSD through the Division of Disability Determination are initially denied. Although you may file a disability appeal, having your application checked over by an experienced SSD attorney is your first step toward securing SSD benefits for you and your family.
It is important to note, too, that the way Social Security uses the word “family” is different from what you may expect. If a married couple are both insured and both receiving benefits, they will appear as two distinct families in the SSA’s records. If the wife is insured but the husband is not, his benefit will depend on her benefit — and will generally be about half of the benefit that the insured wife receives.
If a worker is disabled and has a spouse that is at least 62 years old, then the family may consist of the worker, the worker’s spouse, and one of more children under the age 16. If the child is disabled and is in the care of that disabled worker, the child may be older as well.
There are a number of variables in these considerations. As with any situation in which a breadwinner is no longer able to provide, the adjustments to the new living situation can be very difficult. Having a knowledgeable law firm at your side can help.