If you have a disability and aren’t able to work, it can be challenging to take care of your spouse and children who need your support. Many times, those who are disabled might not apply for disability benefits in fear that they won’t be able to provide for their families. Fortunately, in some circumstances, your dependents and spouse can also receive disability benefits, helping to keep your family afloat and taking some stress off of you.

When you receive disability benefits, some members of your family might also qualify for benefits on your SSDI record. These benefits might extend to:

  • Your spouse
  • Divorced spouse: if they are unmarried, at least 62 years of age, and they must have been married to you for at least 10 years
  • Children: Biological, adopted, or step-children. Must be unmarried and under 18, though some exceptions are made for children in their freshman year of college. Normally benefits end when a child turns 18.
  • Disabled children under the age of 18, or adult children that became disable before the age of 22.

Each of the family members listed above might be eligible to receive up to 50% of your benefits per month. There is a cap on how much your dependents might receive, which is generally around 150-180% of your benefit amount.

Example: If you receive $500 a month for your disability, your family members can receive a total of $900 a month split between them, and only $250 per person.

The additional income that you or your dependents might receive can go a long way to helping your family pay for childcare and other important bills. Keep in mind though, it is often much more difficult to receive these benefits for your spouse or dependents than it is to receive SSDI for yourself. The Social Security Administration is more strict when it comes to extending benefits to the dependents of disabled people than it is for individual applicants. It is left up to you to prove that your family needs these additional benefits.

Working with an experienced Social Security attorney can help you navigate the application process and the best course of action for receiving SSDI income for your dependents. Anna Katherine Stone of Injury Florida Law Firm can help you get the benefits you need for your family. She has helped countless individuals in the Tampa area with their SSDI applications and appealing denials from the SSA. Contact Ms. Stone at [email protected] or call the offices to schedule a consultation. 833-LAW-STONE