There are many different types of Social Security disability claims. There are claims for adults and children, but also for what Social Security considers to be an adult child. These types of claims are for adults age 18 and older who have been found disabled prior to the age of 22. These types of claimants must also have either a deceased parent or a parent who is currently on Social Security benefits.
A claimant who medically qualifies as a Disabled Adult Child (DAC) will be eligible for benefits based on the earnings of their deceased parent or parent who is collecting Social Security benefits. These types of claims are a bit more confusing than the average disability claim. Below is a better description of a DAC claim from Social Security.
A child under age 18 may be disabled, but we don’t need to consider the child’s disability when deciding if he or she qualifies for benefits as your dependent. The child’s benefits normally stop at age 18 unless he or she is a full-time student in an elementary or high school (benefits can continue until age 19) or is disabled.
Adults Disabled Before Age 22
An adult disabled before age 22 may be eligible for child’s benefits if a parent is deceased or starts receiving retirement or disability benefits. We consider this a “child’s” benefit because it is paid on a parent’s Social Security earnings record.
The “adult child”—including an adopted child, or, in some cases, a stepchild, grandchild, or step grandchild—must be unmarried, age 18 or older, have a disability that started before age 22, and meet the definition of disability for adults.
It is not necessary that the adult child ever worked. Benefits are paid based on the parent’s earnings record.
- An adult child must not have substantial earnings. The amount of earnings we consider “substantial” increases each year. In 2020, this means working and earning more than $1,260 a month.
An adult child already receiving SSI benefits or disability benefits on his or her own record should still check to see if benefits may be payable on a parent’s earnings record. Higher benefits might be payable and entitlement to Medicare may be possible.
If a child is age 18 or older, we will evaluate his or her disability the same way we would evaluate the disability for any adult. We send the application to the Disability Determination Services in your state that completes the disability decision for us.
If he or she receives benefits as an adult disabled since childhood, the benefits generally end if he or she gets married. However, some marriages (for example, to another adult disabled child) are considered protected.
