If you have an adult child who has a disability, then he or she may be able to get Social Security Disability benefits. The benefit amount is not going to be an exuberant amount. They are generally quite conservative, which may mean that you need to seek other funding to help with your child’s expenses. There is one option you have to get higher benefits that may work for your family.
The Social Security Administration explains that if your child became disabled before the age of 22 and you receive either SSDI or retirement benefits through the system, then your child may be able to collect benefits on your account. This could potentially allow him or her to get a higher benefit amount than what he or she can get on his or her own record.
However, before applying for benefits in this manner, you should know that there is a maximum family benefit amount. It usually ranges between 150% and 180% of the total disability benefit for everyone in the family. Your child could get up to 50% of your full benefit monthly. To calculate the maximum, the SSA counts everyone in your household who is receiving benefits.
You receive your full benefits on your record first, and everyone else claiming benefits on your record gets reduced benefits to bring it to the family limit. So, you may need to do some calculations to see if it is even worth your time to apply for your child’s benefits on your record. In some cases, he or she may end up getting less by doing this, but it is worth checking into if he or she meets the qualification to collect on your record.