FAFSA confusion: Is child's benefit from parent's SSDI considered SSI income?

No, SSDI and SSI are completely different programs! SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) is based on work credits and is NOT the same as SSI (Supplemental Security Income) which is needs-based. Your son's dependent benefits from your husband's SSDI would be reported as "Social Security benefits" on the FAFSA, NOT as SSI. There's a specific question that asks about Social Security benefits received that were not taxed. It's important to report it correctly because it affects your SAI calculation.

i had the exact same question last yr when doing my daughters fafsa!! the benefits your son got are defintely NOT SSI. they're social security benefits for a dependent of someone on disability. report them under social security benefits question. dont stress out too much tho, my daughter still got decent aid even with reporting those

This is a common point of confusion for many families. To be clear: - SSI = Supplemental Security Income (needs-based program) - SSDI = Social Security Disability Insurance (work-credit based) The dependent benefits your son received are definitely NOT SSI. They should be reported on the FAFSA under question #92h on the 2025-2026 FAFSA which asks for "Social Security benefits received that were not taxed." These benefits fall under untaxed income and must be reported. You should be able to find the total amount on your son's SSA-1099 form, or you can request a benefit verification letter from the Social Security Administration that shows the exact amounts received.

My kid got the same thing when I went on disability. The financial aid office at his college told us to report it under Social Security benefits NOT as SSI. They're totally different things. SSI is for low income/resources while SSDI is based on work history. Make sure you only report the amount YOUR SON received as his dependent benefit, not your husband's full SSDI amount.

UGH the fafsa form is SO CONFUSING!!!! I spent HOURS last year trying to figure out where to put different income. Call your son's school financial aid office - they were super helpful for me when i was confused about disability benefits. Also the fafsa hotline is useless, I was on hold for like 2 hours and then they hung up on me.

This stuff gets so technical! From personal experience (my mom was on disability), the Social Security Administration considers these payments as "auxiliary benefits" or "dependent benefits" - NOT SSI. On the FAFSA, you'll report them as untaxed Social Security benefits. Just make sure you're only reporting what your SON received, not your husband's benefits. Also, be prepared that this income WILL impact your SAI calculation because it counts as untaxed income for your son.

My neighbor's kid got these benefits too when her husband got disabled last year. Said it's def not SSI! SSI is completely different. The FAFSA is so freaking confusing with this stuff, i swear they make it complicated on purpose lol

Thank you all for the helpful responses! I'm going to report it as untaxed Social Security benefits on question #92h as advised. I'll also call SSA tomorrow to see if I can get documentation specifically showing my son's portion of the benefits in case we get selected for verification. Really appreciate everyone clarifying the difference between SSI and SSDI dependent benefits - the terms are so similar it's easy to get confused!

Just wanted to add that you can also check your Social Security account online at ssa.gov to see the benefit history for your son. When you log in, there's a section that shows all benefits paid to dependents under your husband's record. This might be easier than calling and waiting on hold. Also, if you do get selected for verification later, having that online statement printed out usually satisfies the financial aid office's documentation requirements. The online records are super detailed and show exactly what was paid and when.

I went through this exact same situation two years ago when my daughter was applying for college! The confusion between SSDI dependent benefits and SSI is so common - even some financial aid counselors get it mixed up sometimes. Just to reinforce what others have said: your son's benefits are definitely NOT SSI. They're auxiliary/dependent benefits from SSDI and should be reported under the Social Security benefits section (question 92h). One thing I learned the hard way is to keep good records of exactly when the benefits started and stopped, since your son aged out at 18. The financial aid office might ask for those specific dates during verification. Also, don't panic about the impact on aid - $1,400 spread over the year isn't going to devastate your Expected Family Contribution. Most schools understand these situations and work with families accordingly.

I work at a college financial aid office and deal with this confusion all the time! You're absolutely right to distinguish between SSI and SSDI - they're completely different programs. Your son's dependent benefits from your husband's SSDI are NOT SSI and should be reported as untaxed Social Security benefits on question 92h of the FAFSA. A few practical tips from what I see students struggle with: 1) If you can't find a separate SSA-1099 for your son, you can create a my Social Security account online and view the benefit verification letter there - it's usually faster than calling, 2) When reporting, only include the months your son actually received benefits (sounds like about 4 months before he turned 18), and 3) Keep documentation handy since SSDI dependent benefits do sometimes trigger verification requests. The $1,400 total won't significantly impact his aid eligibility, so don't stress too much about it affecting his financial aid package!

As someone who just went through this process with my own family, I can confirm what everyone else is saying - those dependent benefits from your husband's SSDI are definitely NOT SSI! I made the same mistake initially and almost reported it in the wrong section. The key thing to remember is that SSI is needs-based assistance while SSDI is earned through work credits. Your son's benefits are considered "auxiliary benefits" under your husband's SSDI claim. Make sure to report them under the Social Security benefits question (92h) and only include the exact amount your son received, not your husband's portion. The online SSA portal is definitely the way to go for documentation - much faster than calling. Also, don't let the $1,400 worry you too much about his aid eligibility. My daughter still qualified for good aid even with similar dependent benefits on her FAFSA. You're doing great by double-checking this stuff!

I'm new to this community but have been lurking and reading posts about FAFSA questions since my daughter will be applying next year. This thread has been incredibly educational! I had no idea there was such an important distinction between SSI and SSDI dependent benefits. My husband is currently going through the SSDI application process, and if approved, our daughter might receive similar dependent benefits. It's so helpful to see the specific FAFSA question number (92h) mentioned multiple times and to know about the online SSA portal for documentation. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - this gives me a roadmap for when we're in the same situation. Maya, I hope your son's financial aid application goes smoothly!