Supporting a Family on Social Security Benefits

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    Supporting a Family on Social Security Benefits

    You have gone through a lot of preparation along with the help of your disability attorney to file for social security benefits. The process was long and very involved, but you were granted the benefits you deserve. Now you need to learn how to support your family on those benefits, and this reality can further complicate things. Here we will explore the ways that your family can get the support they will need so that you truly are supporting a family on Social Security.

    Learning how to live off of your social security benefits can be tricky. However, once you have been approved for Social Security disability benefits, those who depend on your income might also qualify to receive Social Security benefits, depending on the type you receive. There are two kinds of benefits, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Benefits (SSDI). Generally, SSDI can be passed down, but SSI cannot.

    If your spouse is taking caring care of your child who is either under the age of 16 or is disabled and under the age of 22, then he or she may be able to receive benefits. However, if they are also working, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will not give them the same amount as if they were not working. This benefit is often referred to as the “mother or father’s benefits.

    For spousal benefits, those who were married to a disabled person for at least one year may also receive benefits. Even divorced couples who have been married for at least ten years before the divorce may also stand to receive benefits. There are benefits available for the widows and widowers of disabled spouses who have died, and this is commonly known as the widow or widower’s benefit.

    Social Security automatically includes biological, adopted, and stepchildren to receive benefits in the event that their parent becomes disabled and therefore eligible for SSDI. Conditions for children include being under the age of 18 years old and being unmarried. Adult children (those age 18 or older) but be under 19 and enrolled in a secondary school (high school).

    Although there are a lot of stipulations that apply for your family to be eligible for social security benefits, it is not impossible. If you live in the Cleveland, Ohio area when inquiring about your family’s benefits, be sure to have a qualified disability attorney guide you through the process and help you get the tools you need to support your loved ones. Contact our office today.