How a Child in Foster Care Can Qualify for Social Security Benefits
If you are a foster parent, your foster child may be eligible to receive monthly benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA) depending on their specific situation. There are different ways in which a foster child may be eligible to receive funds from the Social Security Administration (SSA). Here is a rundown of how your foster child could be eligible to receive Social Security benefits.
First off, you should be aware of the different kinds of Social Security benefits that a child may be eligible to receive. There are some different ways that a child could be eligible to receive a monthly check from the SSA:
• SSI - Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a needs-based disability program that provides monthly benefits. To qualify, the child must have a disability that meets the specific medical criteria established by the SSA. In addition, strict income and resource requirements must be met to prove there is a financial need. The foster parents’ income will be taken into consideration because it is considered that the child will have access to a portion of that income.
• Survivors’ Benefits – If the child who is in foster care has a deceased biological parent, then that child may be able to receive survivors’ benefits. These benefits are based on the dead parent’s work history. Every family has a maximum payout, so the funds that are available are divided among all the decedent’s surviving spouse and surviving minor children.
• Auxiliary Benefits – If there is a biological parent of the foster child receiving disability benefits from the SSA, or Social Security retirement benefits, the child may be eligible for auxiliary benefits. The beneficiary’s children can receive as much as half of the parent’s benefit. There is a maximum family payout, so that amount is divided among all eligible dependents.
Please note that if you legally adopt a child that has been in foster care, he or she will become your dependent. In that case, the child will be eligible to draw auxiliary benefits from your account if you receive disability or retirement benefits from the SSA.
For a child to receive SSI benefits, the child will most likely have a developmental, genetic, or learning disability or disorder. You will need to provide supporting medical documents, including a list of all medical providers that the child has seen along with their contact details. The SSA medical guide, which is the Blue Book, has specific criteria that must be met for a claimant to qualify medically.
Applying for Social Security Benefits
If you have a foster child in your care, and you believe they qualify for disability benefits, you will need to contact your local Social Security office. There are 1,300 field offices located across the country. You can schedule an appointment at your local office by calling 1-800-772-1213. You will need to take the child’s identification along with documentation that indicates you are his or her foster parent.
Resources Found Via:
https://www.ssa.gov/planners/survivors/ifyou.html#h4
https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/handbook/handbook.05/handbook-0501.html
https://www.disabilitybenefitscenter.org/glossary/acceptable-medical-source
https://www.disabilitybenefitscenter.org/glossary/blue-book
This article was written by the Outreach Team at Disability Benefits Center. They provide information about disability benefits and the application process. To learn more, please visit their website at http://www.disabilitybenefitscenter.org or by contacting them at help@ssd-help.org.