How to Calculate a Child's Social Security Disability Benefits

Disabled and blind youngsters are eligible for Social Security edges underneath the Supplemental Security Income program. In order to qualify, the child's disability should satisfy the definition of disability established through the Social Security Administration and also the income from the child's folks should be inside permissible limits. The quantity of edges offered depends upon the SSI federal profit rate, any adjustments created onto the rate inside the state wherein the kid resides, and family income. Although the SSA provides guidelines concerning the offered edges, calculating the monthly profit quantity is advanced. Submitting an SSI application is that the best approach to affect the offered edges. 

Step 1
Locate the SSA's current "Deeming Eligibility Chart" to see the maximum gross monthly income in which folks may receive whilst still being have their disabled kid qualify for SSI. The SSA website provides a chart in which applies practically in most things and shows, as an example, in which a one parent which has a gross monthly income of $2, 821 could receive SSI edges for any disabled kid. 

Step 2
Locate the current federal profit rate for SSI recipients. This rate is that the maximum monthly SSI payment offered. The rate is adjusted periodically for cost-of-living will increase. In 2010, the federal profit rate for a personal, that includes a disabled kid, is $674.

Step 3

Locate information for the state in which the child resides regarding its policy on supplementing the federal benefit rate for SSI recipients. States that supplement the federal benefit rate in 2010 include California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont, as well as the District of Columbia. For example, in California, the monthly SSI payment for a disabled child in 2010 is $737.40.

Step 4

Deduct from the maximum benefit amount located for the disabled child the portion of the family income and resources that are deemed available for the child's care. This is by far the most complex part of calculating the SSI benefits available to a disabled child because of the number of factors that affect the calculations, including the differing rules among the states that supplement SSI benefits. In general, if one of the child's parents has earned income from working, a portion of this income is likely to be deemed available to the child and therefore reduce the monthlybenefit amount.

Tips and Warnings

• Once a disabled kid reaches age 18, the deeming rules concerning parental income now not tie in with a calculation of SSI edges. Also, extra edges might be accessible below the Social Security Disability Insurance program thus long like the SSA's adult disability requirements are met, one amongst the child's folks uses a qualified work history for Social Security edges and also the parent is retired, disabled or deceased.

• Because a few states, like California, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, pay supplemental   

   edges, it's important to contact the SSA or perhaps the state agency administering edges to  

   work out the maximum gross income for SSI eligibility in these states.