Income and resources that will not be deemed includes the following : Welfare payments Public Income Maintenance ( PIM ), including Temporary Assistance to Needy Families ( TANF ) and VA pension for veterans Food stamps Disaster assistance Foster care payments Tax refunds on real property ( property that includes land and / or buildings ) Home grown produce used for personal consumption The SSA also makes the following allowances for living expenses — meaning that the following will be deducted from the amount of income deemed to your child :
$ 365 a month for each additional child that you support . $ 710 a month for a single parent or $ 1,066 for two parents . It is important to note that this amount will not be subtracted for parents or children who already receive public assistance . Once your child turns 18 , SSI payments will be based on his or her own earnings record .
Medical Requirements In addition to the previously mentioned technical requirements , your child must also meet very specific medical requirements to qualify for disability benefits . The requirements can be found in a publication known as the , “ blue book ”. The SSA ’ s blue book contains listings for potentially disabling conditions as well as the specific medical criteria an applicant must meet to qualify under each condition .
The SSA has separate listings for adults and children . The specific medical requirement that your child will have to meet is dependent on his or her age . Your child will have to meet one or more of the following blue book listings to qualify for disability benefits . Section 12.05 — Mental Retardation ( Adult ) Section 112.05 – Mental retardation ( Child ) Section 110.08 B – Catastrophic Congenital Disorder ( Child ) You can access these specific listings on the SSA ’ s website .
Preparing for the Social Security Disability Application Process Even though your child qualifies for the Compassionate Allowances program , you will still have to provide thorough medical evidence that proves the extent of your child ’ s condition . Medical evidence should include records of your child ’ s diagnosis , treatments , response to treatments , hospitalization records , and medical test results . You should also collect statements from professional adults that interact with your child on a daily basis . This can include doctors , teachers , and therapists . These statements should provide details about your child ’ s limitations and abilities .
The SSA may also ask for evidence of the following : Your child ’ s inability to perform age appropriate functions IQ test results showing a marked developmental deficit , based on age Other developmental delays and impairments in physical and mental functioning , again based on age You should collect these documents prior to beginning the application process to prevent any delays in the processing of your child ’ s claim .
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