Qualifying as a Dependent for Social Security in Texas

 Posted on May 06, 2022 in Social Security Disability

Qualifying for Social Security benefits can be a long and complicated process, no matter what your specific situation may be. If you or a loved one is a dependent—either under 18 years old, under 22 years old and attending school, or require full-time care—the process is different than for independent adults. As a result, the application process is different and requires a different set of considerations.

Important Considerations for Minors Seeking SSI Benefits

For a child to qualify, according to the Social Security Administration, he or she must be either blind or disabled. The child can begin to receive Social Security Insurance (SSI) benefits as soon as he or she is born, and the child does not have to be of a certain age before he or she is able to begin receiving benefits. Once the child is 18, the SSA can reevaluate the circumstances to determine whether or not the child should continue to receive SSI benefits.

Disability Concerns

For a disability to qualify for SSI benefits, the impairment must be expected to last at least 12 months or have existed for 12 months. Unlike the standard requirement for SSI disability benefits, there is no duration requirement for SSI blindness. If the child lives at home with parents who do not receive SSI benefits for themselves, the parents’ income and finances are considered when determining whether or not the dependent will qualify for SSI. If the child lives away from home—at a special school, for example—the time that the child is home is considered differently, as the child will be subject to his parents’ finances during that time. The process of considering a parents’ income is called “deeming.”

Once the child is 18, according to the SSA, the Administration no longer “deems” the child’s eligibility for SSI. Deeming also does not apply if the child is eligible for Medicaid under Texas’s home care plan, or if he received a reduced SIS benefit while in a medical treatment facility.

Contact a Texas SSI Benefits Lawyer

If you or someone you know is considering applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits—or if your application has already been denied—your next step should be to seek the counsel of a Dallas Social Security attorney. Call 972-671-9922 to schedule a free, no-obligation case evaluation with a member of the team at The Law Offices of Coats & Todd today.

Source:

https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/disability/apply-child.html