SSI for Children
The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program makes monthly payments for children younger than age 18 with disabilities. To receive these payments, they must meet the SSA's definition of disability for children and the household income and resources must fall within eligibility requirements.
SSA's Definition of Disability for Children
In order to be eligible to collect SSI disability for children, your child must meet all of the following SSA requirements:
- Your child must not be working and earning more than a set amount each month. (SSI typically changes this amount every year.)
- Your child must have a physical or mental condition (or a combination) that results in "marked and severe functional limitations."
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Your child's condition(s) must be expected to last, or must already have lasted, at least 12 months; or must be expected to result in death.
SSI Income and Resource Eligibility
When deciding if your child can receive SSI for children with disabilities, the SSA considers the child's income and resources as well as the income and resources of family members living in their household. If your child's income and resources, or the income and resources of family members living in their household, are more than the amount allowed, they will be denied SSI for children. These income and resource limits also apply if your child is away at school but returns home from time to time and is subject to your control. If your child is in a medical facility where health insurance pays for their care, SSI benefits are limited to a month.
SSI for Children with Autism
In order to receive SSI for Children with autism, your child must demonstrate all of the following:
- Marked deficits in verbal and nonverbal communication and in imaginative activity
- Marked deficits in the development of reciprocal social interaction
- Markedly restricted range of activities and interests
- A marked lack of age-appropriate level of functioning in some or all of the following areas:
- gross or fine motor development
- cognitive/communicative
- social skills
- personal skills
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maintaining concentration, persistence, or pace
SSI for Children with ADHD
In order to receive SSI for children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), your child must possess marked (clear and obvious) impulsiveness, marked hyperactivity, and marked inattention. In addition, they must demonstrate at least two of the three following conditions due to ADHD:
- Marked impairment in personal functioning for their age-level
- Marked impairment in social functioning for their age-level
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Marked impairment in cognitive/communication function for their age-level
Filing for SSI for Your Child
People applying for SSI for a disabled child often consult a lawyer or specialized advocate. Applying for Social Security Disability or SSI for your child can take a great deal of time - something you may not have when caring for a disabled child. At Binder & Binder® we have the capacity to help you file for SSI for children - no matter where you live. If your child has a disability, call Binder & Binder® now at 1-800-66-BINDER or contact us online for a free initial consultation.
