Social Security Disability

• Social Security disability benefits are available to individuals who meet the Social Security Administration's, or SSA's, definition of disabled and who have enough qualifying work credits. In order to be considered disabled, you must have a medical condition that prevents you from doing the work you used to do and that prevents you from adjusting to other work. The medical condition must have lasted, or be expected to last, for a year or more or be expected to result in death. The amount of work credits you need depends on your age when you apply. Usually, you need 40 work credits and 20 of those must have been earned in the last 10 years. As of publication, a worker earns one work credit for every $1,120 earned up to a maximum of four credits a year. Your monthly benefit amount will depend on your previous earnings.
  
  

Supplemental Security Income

• The SSI program also provides benefits to disabled individuals. The SSI program uses the same definition of disabled as the Social Security disability program. Unlike the Social Security disability program, however, you do not need to have work credits to qualify. The SSI program provides benefits to low-income disabled individuals. In order to qualify, you must have limited income and resources as well as meet the SSA definition of disabled. Monthly SSI benefits are usually less than Social Security disability benefits. As of publication, the maximum monthly SSI benefit for an individual is $674.
  
  

Family Benefits

• Your child may be entitled to benefits if you are receiving Social Security disability benefits. Family benefits are not available for recipients of SSI benefits. Your son may receive a check based on your Social Security disability benefits if he is under the age of 18 and unmarried, or up to age 19 if he is still in high school. There is no age limit if your son also has a disability that began before he was 22 years old. The amount of a child's benefit will depend on the amount of your benefit as well as how many family members are receiving benefits based on your benefits. As a general rule, the total amount that all family members may receive is between 50 and 80 percent of your benefit amount.
  
  

How to Apply

• The SSA provides a benefit eligibility tool that can help you determine if you, or your son, might be eligible for benefits (see Resources). In addition, you may apply for Social Security disability benefits online through the Social Security online website (see Resources), over the telephone or at a local SSA office. You may apply for SSI benefits over the telephone or at a local SSA office (see Resources).