If you have a child suffering from a disability, they may be eligible to receive benefits under the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA). The SSI is a needs-based program that provides benefits to adults and children suffering from a disability and having limited income and resources.
However, after deciding the question of your child’s disability, the SSA considers their household income to determine qualification for SSI benefits and eligibility to receive monthly benefits. Parental income may also play a role in determining eligibility for child SSI benefits. An accomplished and knowledgeable SSI benefits lawyer at a Law firm can help you understand how much money you can make for your child to get SSI benefits.
What Is Deeming in SSI Benefits?
Since parents have a legal duty towards maintaining their children, the SSA considers parental income while determining income and resource limitations for child SSI benefits. The attribution of some of a parent’s income for determining SSI benefits is called “deeming”.
Kind Of Income Counted for Deeming
To determine a disabled child’s eligibility for SSI benefits, the SSA considers the following types of income earned by the parent or stepparent:
- Earned income (wages)
- Unearned income (benefits); and
- Other resources (assets).
Earned income is money received in the form of income at a job or through self-employment. On the other hand, unearned income is money not “earned” and includes other sources of income such as Social Security benefits, Workers’ compensation, pensions, and unemployment benefits. The SSA considers both earned and unearned income when computing parental income for deeming under the SSI program.
Which Income Is Exempted from Deeming
The SSA does not consider all a parent’s income and other financial assets for deeming purposes. It does not consider income earned as assistance from federal programs for this purpose. This is called “general income exclusion.”
As for earned income, the SSA excludes the first $65 a month and one-half of the remaining earned income. These exemptions account for that part of the income a parent needs for their own upkeep and maintenance.
When Does the SSI Use “Deeming”
The SSA uses “deeming” if the following conditions are met:
- The claimant is under the age of 18 years.
- The claimant is unmarried; and
- The claimant lives with parent(s) who are not receiving SSI benefits.
When Will “Deeming” Stop
The SSA will stop deeming parents’ income if any one of the following conditions is satisfied:
- The child turns 18 years of age.
- The child gets married to someone; or
- The child stops living with its parent(s).
How Much Should a Parent Make For Their Child To Get SSI?
Depending on the number of children eligible for SSI in a household, the claimant can qualify for SSD benefits according to the different limits prescribed by the Social Security Administration. In 2022, a child can qualify for SSI benefits in a single-parent household when the parent makes $3,489 per month. In a two-parent household, the child claimant can qualify if earned income is $4,329 per month or less. These numbers are adjusted for multiple children eligible for SSI in the household.
Free Consultation and Claim Review
If you believe your child can qualify for SSI benefits, you must speak with an experienced and knowledgeable SSI benefits lawyer.
Francis Babet loves pursuing excellence through writing and has a passion for Legal. He currently writes for The Law Firm, a USA Based Law Firm that provides SSD, SSI, SSDI, Personal Injury, and Drugs and Devices. His work has been published on various sites related to Social Security Disability, Supplemental Security Income, and more.
