In the United States, the Social Security Administration pays around 2.6 billion dollars every month to over 4 million children of disabled, retired, or deceased parents. These funds are meant to offer financial support to the children and their families for a period of time depending on their eligibility.
If you are disabled or retired and receiving Social Security benefits, your dependent child may also be able to receive auxiliary benefits based on the amount you receive.
Because these Social Security benefits help reduce financial insecurity in families, it is important that you know all the facts about your dependent’s eligibility for support. If you are still concerned about the details, you can discuss them with an agent at your local Social Security Administration office.
You may be eligible to receive benefits through Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) if you are unable to work due to a medical condition which a health care provider determines will last for at least 12 months or will result in death. Also, beneficiaries must have worked for at least five out of the previous ten years.
If you qualify for SSDI benefits, your dependent children may also receive benefits if they meet the SSA’s requirements. The children may be your biological or adopted children, stepchildren, or dependent grandchildren.
To qualify for this financial support, the child must be:
• Unmarried
• Under 18 years old
• 19 years old and a full-time high school student
• 18 or older with a disability that began before the age of 22
If you are receiving disability benefits and you have a child who is eligible for support, that child may get up to half the amount of what you receive as your benefits.
For children who receive survivor’s benefits, they may be eligible to get up to 75 percent of their deceased parent’s benefit amount.
For eligible families with multiple members who receive benefits, there is a maximum amount of money that Social Security allows. This amount may be between 150 and 180 percent of the main beneficiary’s full benefit amount.
If you are caring for a child, such as a dependent grandchild, that child may also receive auxiliary benefits. These benefits end when the child becomes 16 years old unless they have a disability. In this case, they continue to receive their benefits as long as you have parental control or provide personal care for the child who is physically incapable.
If you are a non-custodial parent who is paying child support when you begin receiving disability benefits, your dependents can receive auxiliary benefits through your Social Security Disability insurance. These benefits count towards your child support payments, but if they are less than the ordered amount, you must make up the difference from your private income. If the benefit amount exceeds your child support obligation, it is considered a gratuity. If you are responsible for paying child support, you are still lawfully obliged to do so even if you are receiving disability benefits.
Depending on where you live in the United States, your SSDI benefit may be used to calculate your monthly child support order. Be sure to get all the facts about your financial obligations from a local Social Security agent.
Having extra benefits for dependent children when a medical condition prevents you from working, is important for financial security. Make sure you get all the information you need from your local Social Security office, so you get your child support benefits as soon as possible.
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