Experiencing a disability that prevents you from working? This can be financially difficult on you but also on your family. Fortunately, if you have children, they may also qualify to receive disability benefits on your record. However, you might be wondering whether your children will still be eligible for Social Security disability payments if they are adopted. The following is everything you need to know about disability benefits for adopted children.

General Eligibility Requirements

For a child to receive disability payments based on your record, their eligibility must begin before they turn 16. Payments for your child will stop once they turn 18. If still in high school, they can receive benefits until two months after their 19th birthday or until they graduate, whichever comes first.

Disability Benefits for Adopted Children

If your children meet the requirements to receive benefits, then it doesn’t matter if you adopted them. Every child in your family that qualifies, whether adopted or biological, can receive payments. These payments can be upwards of 50 percent of your full disability amount every month.

Keep in mind that this does not mean that if you have six adopted children that you can collect disability payments for all of them. There is a limit to how much Social Security will pay your family. This limit varies- around 150 to 180 percent of your disability benefit.

If you pass away, then your adopted children may qualify for survivors benefits, in which they could receive up to 75 percent of your entitled benefit amount. If the total family benefit is more than 150 to 180 percent of your entitled benefit, then your adopted children will receive less.

Adopted Children With Disabilities

If your adopted child has as a qualifying disability, they may qualify for permanent benefits. To qualify, they must not be in a marriage, and their disability must last longer than a year or be terminal. Also, the disability must prevent your child from being able to work. The disability must occur before your adopted child reaches the age of 22.

Your adopted child may also qualify for SSI (Supplemental Security Income) payments if disabled. If your adopted child has a medical condition that meets the SSI’s definition of disability, is unmarried and is not considered the head of your household, then they can receive SSI benefits from birth through the age of 18 (or through the age of 22, if they are still in school).

Can Adopted Grandchildren Receive Benefits?

If you are raising your grandchildren or your step-grandchildren, then they will be able to qualify for the same Social Security disability benefits as your biological or adopted children.

If your grandchildren’s biological parents receive benefits, they could too. They can also collect if you are providing regular support for them or at least half of their financial support. They could receive payments if they lived with you for at least a year before their eligibility began. Finally, if under 12 months old, they may be eligible if they lived with you for most of their life.

These are some things you should know about your adopted children or grandchildren’s eligibility for disability payments. If you have any other questions concerning disability benefits for adopted children, contact us by calling 602-952-3200 or by using our LiveChat feature for a free consultation.

This is attorney advertising. SSDA, LLC is a group of attorneys that pursues claims for Social Security Disability benefits on behalf of its clients against the Social Security Administration. SSDA, LLC is in no way a part of the Social Security Administration. Further, the information on this blog is for general information purposes only. Nothing herein should be taken as legal advice. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, a representative-client relationship.