If you are considering applying for Social Security disability benefits, you may be wondering if your family members might be eligible for additional benefits on top of your monthly Social Security benefits.
My name is Kaitlin Wildoner and I’m an attorney who helps disabled clients obtain their disability benefits as quickly as possible so they can focus on getting better.
Today we’re going to answer a common question, are my family members eligible for benefits based on my SSDI eligibility? The general answer is yes, family members may be eligible for benefits based on your SSDI eligibility. These benefits are known as auxiliary benefits and the family members who may be eligible for auxiliary benefits include your spouse, certain children, and, in some cases, your ex-spouse.
To be eligible for auxiliary benefits, your family members must meet certain criteria. For example, your spouse must be at least 62 years old, caring for a child under the age of 16, or disabled. Your children may also be eligible for auxiliary benefits if they are under the age of 18, if they are between the ages of 18 and 19 and still in high school, or if your child is disabled.
The amount of auxiliary benefits that your family members may be eligible for depends on your work history and the amount of your SSDI benefit. In general, the total amount of auxiliary benefits that your family members can receive is limited to somewhere between 50 and 80 percent of your SSDI benefit amount. It’s also important to note that if your family members are interested in auxiliary benefits, they usually must apply separate from your application. If you are approved for SSDI benefits, Social Security will then review the eligibility of your family members for the auxiliary benefits.
To conclude, family members may be eligible for auxiliary benefits based on your SSDI eligibility. Your spouse, children, and in some cases, your ex-spouse, may be eligible for these benefits if they meet certain criteria. The amount of auxiliary benefits that are available depend on your work history and the amount of your Social Security disability benefit.
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