You may be able to get up to $943 a month for your children living in the United States through the Social Security Administration (SSA). This money comes from the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, which helps disabled kids whose families don’t have a lot of money or other means.
About a million kids get help from this program every month. It’s meant to help with basic things like food, shelter, clothes, and medicine. The exact amount a child can get depends on how much money the family makes and what their situation is.
It is important to remember that even though the highest payment for 2024 is $943 a month, this number could be less if certain things are true, like the parents’ or guardians’ income.
Who can receive Social Security payments?
The Social Security program has a list of requirements that children must meet in order to get this help. There are two major groups of these requirements: medical requirements and non-medical requirements. What you need to know to figure out if your child might be qualified for this financial help is written below.
Non-medical requirements for SSI
One of the first things the Social Security Administration does to decide if a child can get SSI is to look at how much money and resources the family has. When they do this, they look at the assets and income of both the child and the parents, as well as any stepparents or guardians who live with the kid.
The parents’ income and resources are taken into account when choosing if the child is eligible for SSI payments. This is called “deeming.” But the wealth of family members who aren’t parents or direct guardians isn’t looked at.
What income and resources are considered?
The SSA reviews several factors to determine a child’s eligibility, including:
- Parental earnings or work-related income
- Other sources of income, such as pensions or received benefits
- Family assets, such as property or savings
The child can move on to the next step of the application process, which is reviewing the medical standards, if the family’s income and resources are within the limits set by the SSA.
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Medical requirements for a child to receive SSI
A kid must have a disability that meets certain medical standards in order to be eligible for SSI. The Social Security Administration says that a child under 18 must have a medical problem that makes it impossible for them to do certain things. The condition must also meet at least one of the following conditions:
- It is expected to last for at least 12 months, or
- It is a condition that could lead to death
What are “marked and severe functional limitations”?
The phrase “marked and severe functional limitations” means that the child has a disability that makes it hard for them to do everyday things.
The SSA has a list of situations that immediately meet this requirement. This makes the process easier for the most obvious situations. This list has a lot of dangerous illnesses on it, like some types of cancer and severe genetic disorders.
Compassionate allowances: a faster path to assistance
The SSA can sometimes quickly find people with serious illnesses who clearly meet the requirements for getting SSI. Children with certain medical problems can get money faster through this sped-up process, which is called a compassionate allowance.
This fast-track choice is especially helpful for families whose children have serious or terminal illnesses because it cuts down on the time they have to wait to get the money they need.
How to apply for Social Security for minors
Making an application to the Social Security Administration is the first thing you should do if you think your child might be eligible for SSI. As part of this process, you will need to give thorough information about your family’s income, resources, and the child’s health. All of these things will be looked at by the SSA before a choice is made.
You will need to send in the following paperwork along with the medical records that prove the child is disabled:
- Proof of income for parents or guardians
- Documentation of family assets, such as bank statements
- Medical certificates outlining the child’s disability and its severity
There are times when the application process can take weeks or even months. If the application is accepted, payments are regular. In some cases, funds may go back to the date the application was first sent in.
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