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Understanding Supplemental Security Income
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WHO IS A "CHILD" FOR SSI?A person who is neither married (as determined by Social Security) nor head of a household and:
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HOW DOES THE SSI DISABILITY PROGRAM WORK FOR A |
A child may be eligible for SSI disability benefits beginning as early as the date of birth; there is no minimum age requirement. | |
A child may be eligible for SSI disability benefits until attainment of age 18 (see definition of disability for children). | |
When the child turns age 18, we evaluate impairments based on the definition of disability for adults (see definition of disability for adults). | |
A child with a visual impairment may be eligible for SSI blindness benefits if the impairment meets the definition of blindness (see the discussion of statutory blindness). |
WHAT ARE THE CRITERIA FOR A “DISABLED” OR “BLIND” |
If under age 18, whether or not married or head of household, the child has a physical or mental condition or conditions that can be medically proven and which result in marked and severe functional limitations; and | |
The condition(s) must have lasted or be expected to last at least 12 months or end in death; or | |
If the child is blind, the same definition of blind applies as for adults. See WHAT IS "BLINDNESS" FOR AN ADULT OR CHILD?. |
HOW DOES DEEMING WORK FOR A CHILD?If a child is under age 18, not married, and lives at home with parents who do not receive SSI benefits, we may consider a portion of the parents' income and resources as if they were available to the child. We also do this when a child, temporarily away at school, returns home during weekends, holidays or during the summers, and remains subject to parental control. We call this process, deeming. We make deductions from deemed income for parents and for other children living in the home. After we subtract these deductions, we use the remaining amount to decide if the child meets the SSI income and resource requirements for a monthly benefit.
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WHEN DOES DEEMING NOT APPLY?Deeming from the parent stops when a child reaches age 18, marries, or no longer lives with a parent. Deeming does not apply, and we may pay up to $30 plus the applicable State supplement when:
Also, we do not consider the income of a parent for deeming purposes if the parent receives a Public Income Maintenance (PIM) payment such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and their other income was used to compute the PIM payment.
If either child or parent is temporarily absent from the household (less than 60 days), the rules about deemed income still apply. |
CAN A CHILD GET MEDICAID?In most States, a child who gets SSI benefits can get Medicaid to help pay medical bills. In some cases, a child may be eligible for Medicaid while in an institution, but not be eligible when living at home either because of the parents' income and resources or because of other income. At the State's option, children under age 18 who need institutional–level care and live at home may keep Medicaid eligibility while getting home care, if that care is less costly to the government. Even if the child is not eligible for SSI benefits, the child still may be eligible for Medicaid under other State rules. Always check on Medicaid eligibility with the State. For more information about Medicaid, you can look on the Internet on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services webpage at http://cms.hhs.gov/medicaidgeninfo/ or call toll–free, 1–877–267–2323. In addition, other State services may also be available. If you have children or grandchildren under age 19 who are not covered by health insurance, there is a Children's Health Insurance Program that may help. To find out more, you can look on the Internet at http://www.insurekidsnow.gov or call, toll–free, 1–877–KIDS–NOW (1–877–543–7669). The number connects you to your State program. |
CHILDREN OF ARMED FORCES PERSONNEL LIVING OVERSEASChildren living with a parent in the military service overseas may receive SSI benefits, but they are not eligible for Medicaid.
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WHAT IS A DEDICATED ACCOUNT?When an eligible child under age 18, who has a representative payee, is eligible for certain large past–due payments covering more than six months of benefits, these payments must be paid directly into a separate account in a financial institution. We call this separate account a dedicated account because the representative payee, or later the child, may use the funds in this account only for certain expenses, primarily those related to the child's disability. You must maintain the dedicated account separately from any other savings or checking account set up for the child. Each year, we will monitor how you spend the funds in the dedicated account.
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DEEMING ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINESThe Deeming Eligibility Chart for Children, see below, gives the highest amount of gross monthly income for this year (before taxes are withheld) that a parent(s) can earn or receive and still have a child qualify for SSI benefits. Note that we do not count some types of income that a parent may receive. For example, we do not count money received for providing foster care to an ineligible child.
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DEEMING ELIGIBILITY CHART FOR CHILDREN FOR 2008CAUTION:Before using this chart, see SSI FOR CHILDREN. If there is any doubt about whether a child is eligible, please contact us for help.
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The Deeming Eligibility Chart for Children does not apply when:
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Use the Deeming Eligibility Chart for Children in the following States or territory, which do not supplement the Federal benefit:
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If you live in one of the States listed below, Social Security administers the State supplement for children. Call us for deeming eligibility information.
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If you live in one of the States listed below, your State administers the State supplement for children. Contact the State for information.
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THIS INFORMATION IS GENERAL. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), OR CONTACT YOUR LOCAL SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE. |
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