Supplemental Security Income for children
If you are the parent of a mentally or physically disabled child, you know the time, effort and financial demands that are placed on you to take care of your child. Supplemental Security Income is a financial resource that is available if you meet the income eligibility requirements.
How Can I Find Out if My Child Qualifies for SSI?
In order for your child to be eligible for social security income, the Social Security Administration must agree that your child meets the following requirements:
- The mental or physical disability severely limits the activities of the child
- The household asset and income eligibility specifications and limits are met
- The condition that the child suffers from will last or has lasted more than 12 months in a row
It is not always an easy process to apply for SSA disability benefits for your child. Working with an experienced social security attorney is advisable, especially if your request for benefits is denied and you need to file an appeal.
How Can an Attorney Help With My Child’s Claim?
Forms and Tests
There is so much paperwork associated with filing an SSA claim for your child. Hiring an attorney to take care of all the forms can relieve you of the stress of worrying whether or not you have done everything correctly. A considerable amount of evidence is required by SSA in order to be approved for the benefits. SSA may even require more testing to determine if your child is qualified. An attorney can handle many of these additional tasks, which can be overwhelming and very time-consuming for a caregiver already totally involved in caring for the child on a day-to-day basis.
Physical Disabilities
There are many reasons a child could receive SSA disability benefits. Examples include:
- Asthma
- Cystic fibrosis
- Spine disorders
- Hearing and visual loss
- Impairments to their growth
- HIV
- Chronic liver disease
- Cancer
- Heart transplants
- Burns
- Kidney disorders
There are detailed, usually difficult criteria that must be met to be able to collect disability payments. A disability lawyer knows the medical information that is acceptable to SSA and can assist you in getting together the details and records from doctors and hospitals necessary to submit to SSA. Your attorney can review this information and make sure everything is complete before presenting the package to SSA on your behalf.
Mental Impairments and Disabilities
If your child suffers from severe learning disabilities, has a low IQ, or other mental impairments such as a dependency on drugs, autism, or depression, they can possibly qualify for SSA disability benefits. There are a lot of tests that the SSA requires to be administered in order to prove that your child qualifies for the benefits. Having an experienced social security attorney working for you can ensure that the correct tests are performed and all the proper forms and paperwork are submitted that supports your claim.
Hiring a social security lawyer may not speed up the process of getting approved for SSA disability benefits for your child. However, the primary reason claims are delayed or denied initially is not enough information was presented that supported the disability. An experienced social security lawyer in Memphis, TN can work with you to confirm that the right information and evidence is submitted, thus increasing the odds that the claim you file for your child can receive approval at the earliest stages possible after submittal.
Thanks to Darrell Castle & Associates, PLLC for their insight into social security law and benefits for minor children.