My child has a disability. How much money can we get?

Social Security income and SSDI benefits for children are available for those children with disabilities that severely affect their ability to perform the daily tasks required in living a normal life on a level commensurate with non-disabled children of the same age.  In order to be eligible for Social Security benefits the parents of the child must have the required amount of work credits paid into the Social Security system.  The benefit amounts the may be available to the disabled child would be dependent on the amount of work credits that the parent has to his or her earning credit in the Social Security Disability Insurance system.  Not every disabled child would receive the same benefit amounts because the benefit amount determination would be made through calculations based on the earning credits of that child’s parents.

Work Credits

When parents work, even self employed parents, they earn credits toward Social Security benefits.  Parents must earn a certain number of credits to even be eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits for a disable child.  A maximum of four work credits may be earned each year. Benefit amounts are then calculated by the total amount of work credits one or both parents has earned in the Social Security system during the total working years.   

Getting Legal Help   

Figuring out work credit amounts can be confusing and the information may not be readily available to those claimants trying to effect "do-it-yourself" benefit amount prognostications.  Consult with a disability attorney in order to access an accurate estimate of the benefit amounts that may be available to your disabled child in view of your specific work credit record.