Parents with limited resources can apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for their disabled children in Arkansas.
As a parent, your income, assets, and resources will affect your child’s eligibility for SSI as long as they are under 18. Supplemental Security Income is for people with extremely limited resources. However, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will take additional dependents into account when determining eligibility, meaning your child may qualify for benefits even if you are working and earning an income. Once a disabled child reaches adulthood, they will go through an age-18 redetermination process, during which the SSA will decide if they meet the definition of disability for adults and if they can support themselves by earning a livable income. While your income still affects your child’s eligibility, report it and any changes to the SSA.
For a free and confidential case review from our Arkansas disability lawyers, call (479) 316-0438.
Will My Income Affect My Child’s Eligibility for SSI in Arkansas?
If you are seeking Supplemental Security Income benefits for your disabled dependent child, then yes, the SSA will consider your income and assets when determining their eligibility.
SSI is specifically for disabled individuals with limited resources and income. Regarding eligibility for children, the SSA will consider a parent’s income and the amount available to the child. This is done through the process of “deeming,” which applies to cases involving disabled children under 18 who live at home or are otherwise subject to parental control. The SSA may consider a parent’s other expenses during this process, such as other dependent children in the household, which can lower the income deemed available for the SSI applicant’s needs, making them eligible for financial support.
Because SSI is for those with limited resources, the SSA restricts how much parents may earn each month and still have their disabled children qualify for benefits. These limits depend on whether a household has one or two parents and how many additional dependents they are responsible for. Our Arkansas disability lawyers can compare your household’s income to the SSA’s deeming eligibility chart to see if your case can even go through the deeming process.
Suppose your income is already low enough for your child to qualify for SSI, meaning you earn below $1,971 per month, or you and your spouse earn below $2,915 collectively, and your child meets the SSA’s definition of disability for minors. In that case, you might not have to go through the deeming process to get your child’s claim approved. The SSA also considers an applicant’s assets, meaning yours may be of interest to the SSA if you apply for support on your child’s behalf.
Certain income sources, assets, and resources are not considered when assessing financial need. Common examples include retirement and pension accounts, the beneficiary’s home, foster care payments for another dependent child, one vehicle used for transportation, and tax income refunds.
When Will My Income Stop Affecting My Child’s SSI Eligibility in Arkansas?
A parent’s income will not affect their child’s SSI eligibility for the rest of their life and will stop the month after they turn 18. Children who were previously ineligible for SSI because of their parent’s income and assets may qualify for financial support based on their own finances upon reaching adulthood.
Deeming will stop applying to a child’s SSI benefits after turning 18, at which point the SSA will reassess their eligibility for SSI based on its criteria for adults. This is known as an age-18 redetermination review, and the SSA may ask for updated information about prescription medications, hospital and doctor visits, counseling, and work activity. Those seeking continued SSI benefits after turning 18 must report all earnings to the SSA, which will then evaluate whether or not they may be able to engage in substantial gainful activity in their adulthood.
Our lawyers can help ensure this redetermination process goes smoothly by helping children and their parents organize the appropriate information to show continued SSI eligibility after reaching legal adulthood.
Those newly eligible for SSI because their parents’ incomes no longer affect eligibility should apply for benefits soon after turning 18 so that they can get the financial support they need.
Reporting Your Income to the SSA While Your Child Gets SSI in Arkansas
Parents who apply for SSI on a child’s behalf must report their incomes even after the claim is approved, as the SSA periodically reassesses recipients’ eligibility.
For as long as your child gets SSI and is under 18, the SSA will be concerned about your finances and assets. Furthermore, if your child gains any work experience at all while on SSI, you must report those earnings to the SSA, no matter how small. The SSA will refer to this information during a child’s age-18 redetermination evaluation. A child’s wages will also affect their SSI eligibility, though income earned through an SSI work program won’t be counted against them.
For example, we can help families write a Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS), enabling disabled children to set aside income and resources to achieve a specific work goal. If the SSA approves a PASS, those funds and assets will not affect SSI eligibility. Children may do this with their own incomes if they work part-time jobs while getting SSI or with some of their parent’s income or assets.
Parents must report any changes to their wages to the SSA and any substantial changes to their financial situations, like new asset acquisitions or additional dependents, as these things might impact a child’s continued eligibility.
The SSA might inquire about a parent’s income during a periodic continuing disability review, which may happen every three years or less frequently if your child’s condition is not expected to improve, and our lawyers can help families prepare for these reviews by organizing the appropriate medical and financial information.
Call Our Lawyers for Help with Your Case Today
For a free case evaluation from our Alma, AR disability lawyers, call (479) 316-0438.