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SSI PAYMENTS FOR DEPENDENTS

If the wage earner in a family becomes disabled and qualifies for Social Security disability (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, dependents may also be eligible for SSI payments.  Here are the basic requirements for dependents to receive SSI benefits:

  • The Household must meet strict income/resource limits.
  • Dependents must be under the age of 18 OR age 18 or 19 if full-time students in the 12th grade or below (cannot be college students).
  • A disabled dependent age 18 or overwho is disabled but not a full-time student, may qualify as an adult claimant, but not as a dependent.  (He/She would need to file his/her own claim as an adult).
Supplemental Security Income is a program designed to help individuals and families with very low income and resources to meet basic necessities of living.  

Social Security disability (SSD) is a separate program which does not limit an individual's or family's income or assets in order to receive benefits.  Under SSD (Title II), workers have paid into Social Security through FICA taxes deducted from their payroll earnings, and these taxes were matched by their employers.  However, under SSI (Title XVI), applicant's have paid no tax into the program and are "entitled" to benefits only if they have limited resources and income. Thus, SSI and SSD are 2 very different programs, although both are administered by the Social Security Administration.

In many cases, individuals can receive both SSD and SSI benefits.  This typically occurs when the claimant lives in a low income household, as worked enough to be covered by SSD but the SSD monthly benefit is below the $710 federal maxium benefit for SSI.

For example, Mr. Claimant has worked enough to be insured under SSD and he lives in a low income household. He receives $521 per month in disability benefits.  He may also qualify for up to $189 per month in SSI benefits.  That would bring Mr. Claimant's total combined monthly benefits to $710 per month.  As we have said, not all claimants will qualify for SSI because of the household assets and/or income.

Another advantage of receiving some SSI benefit is that it may qualify the person for Medicaid insurance.

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