If you’ve managed to successfully obtain Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits, you already know how stressful and frustrating the process can be. Given the lengthy decision times faced by both first-time applicants and claimants in the appeals process, it’s also likely that you’ve dealt with some serious financial hardship in the months leading up to your approval.

So if you are a SSDI recipient with one or more children, it’s important for you to know that the Social Security Administration offers dependents’ benefits—or disability auxiliary benefits—to members of your family who are dependent on you for income.

Does my child qualify for disability dependents’ benefits?

Qualifying children can be biological, adopted, or dependent stepchildren. In order for your child to qualify for this option, they must meet the following criteria:

• Younger than 18 years of age.
• Unmarried.

Special circumstances

Sometimes, a child will continue to qualify as your dependent after he has reached 18 years of age. Primarily, these children will fit into two categories:

• A full-time student in high school who is under 19 years of age. The school they are attending must qualify as a high school, ending its curriculum at the 12th grade level. Children enrolled in college cannot qualify.
• A child with disabilities, when you are able to provide sound evidence that the disabilities occurred before 22 years of age.

If you are living in California with disabilities and have any concerns about obtaining Social Security auxiliary benefits for qualifying dependents, review your case with a North Valley disability benefits attorney as soon as you can. Call 888-761-7383 to learn more.