How to claim disability for an adult disabled child

Jan 10 2015

Persons who qualify may be able to apply to receive Social Security Disability benefits to help adult disabled children.

According to information provided by the Disability Planning Data website, over 10 percent of people in the state of Colorado from 16 to 64 years of age are considered to be disabled. This categorization can include a wide range of disabilities with some being mild to moderate and others being quite severe. The nature of each disability can directly affect the person’s ability to earn a living.

Disability benefits can be made available to some people who are disabled to the point of not being able to work or otherwise earn a living wage. These type of benefits can also be available to individuals with adult children who are disabled as one means of providing care for their children.

How many disabled Colorado residents are employed?

Of the total number of people in Colorado from 16 to 64 years old that are disabled, a total of 52.2 percent are classified as being in the labor force and more than 45 percent are employed. That leaves a group of 7.2 percent of disabled Colorado residents between the ages of 16 and 64 as unemployed.

How can parents claim disability for an adult disabled child?

The eligibility requirements for claiming SSDI benefits for an adult child are laid out by the Social Security Administration. These requirements include the following:

  • The parent applying for benefits must have accrued benefits for himself or herself.
  • The adult disabled child must be a legal adult by age.
  • The child’s disability must have been diagnosed by a medical professional before the child’s twenty-second birthday.
  • The adult disabled child is allowed to be married so long as the spouse has a disability considered to be equal or more severe than the child for whom disability benefits are being sought.
  • An adult disabled child for whom SSDI benefits are paid is allowed to maintain employment so long as any income earned from a job does not exceed the amount of benefits received.

When calculating income from a job some expenses such as bus fare that contribute to facilitating the employment and transportation to and from it can be deducted from the total amount earned.

Documentation, including medical records, is required as part of the process for filing to receive benefits for a disabled child.

What can parents do?

Talking to an attorney is a must when filing for disability benefits. The process can be complex, especially when a claim is made for another person and getting help from a professional can make a difference.

Keywords: Social Security, disability, benefits