Can I add my custody niece and nephew (6&9) to my SSDI benefits after collecting since 2015?

Yes, it's absolutely possible! As their legal guardian, you CAN get auxiliary benefits for dependent children under your care. SSA doesn't require them to be your biological children - being their court-appointed guardian is enough. These benefits come from your earning record but don't reduce your SSDI payment. Each child could receive up to 50% of your disability benefit amount, though there is a family maximum that might apply. You should definitely contact SSA about this right away, as benefits can be retroactive but usually only for 6 months. Bring your guardianship papers and the children's birth certificates when you apply.

My sister did this with her grandkids! She got custody of them and SS gave her extra $ for them. They did make her bring the court papers to prove she had legal custody tho.

There's a lot of misunderstanding about this. These would be called "Child's Benefits" on your record. The key requirements are: 1) You must have court-ordered legal custody (which you do), 2) The biological parents cannot be providing significant support, and 3) You must be providing at least 50% of their support. The family maximum usually limits total benefits to 150-180% of your SSDI rate, so with two children, they might each receive somewhat less than the full 50% each. You'll need to file an application for each child separately using form SSA-4-BK. This won't affect your personal SSDI benefit amount at all.

BE CAREFUL!!!! I tried to do this with my grandson and they started investigating my whole case and ended up cutting my benefits saying I wasn't disabled enough anymore!!!! The system is RIGGED against us!!! They look for ANY excuse to cut people off!!!

I had a similar situation with my grandchildren and successfully got them auxiliary benefits. Getting through to SSA on the phone was impossible though - I spent days trying to reach someone. I eventually found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an agent within 20 minutes. There's a video explaining how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. Saved me so much frustration! For the actual application, make sure you have their birth certificates, your guardianship papers, and evidence that the biological parents aren't supporting them. You'll need to schedule a specific appointment for dependent benefits.

wait i'm confused... are SSDI and SSI different?? I thought they were the same thing??

You should definately apply! My cousin got benefits for his step kids after he got disability so it's definately possible. Just be prepared for SSA to ask for tons of paperwork and take forever to process it lol. But its worth it in the end!!

my kids got benefits on my record but they stoped when they turned 18 even tho they were still in school which i think is SO unfair

After reading through all these responses, I want to highlight something important: You mentioned you haven't applied because you thought you were at your "max amount" - but that's not how it works. Your personal SSDI benefit is fixed based on your earnings record. The children's benefits are additional and separate, though subject to the family maximum. So applying for them won't reduce your current payment at all. I really encourage you to move forward with this application as soon as possible since there's a limited retroactive period.

Just wanted to add that you should also consider keeping detailed records of all expenses related to the children's care (school supplies, medical bills, clothing, etc.) as SSA may ask for proof that you're providing their primary financial support. Also, if the biological parents ever start providing significant support in the future, you'll need to report that to SSA as it could affect the children's benefits. The good news is that once you get these benefits established, they should continue until each child turns 18 (or 19 if still in high school). Good luck with your application - it sounds like you're doing an amazing job caring for these kids!

As someone who went through a similar process with my foster children, I can confirm that legal guardianship absolutely qualifies you for auxiliary benefits! The key thing to remember is that you'll need to demonstrate that you're providing at least half of their financial support, which it sounds like you clearly are. One tip I wish I'd known earlier - when you apply, ask specifically about retroactive benefits. Since you've had guardianship for 2 years, you might be eligible for back payments for up to 6 months prior to your application date. Also, don't let the family maximum worry you too much - even if the benefits are slightly reduced due to the cap, you'll still likely receive substantial additional support. The process took about 3 months for me, but the monthly payments have been incredibly helpful for covering school expenses, medical costs, and daily needs. You're doing such an important thing for these children, and you deserve all the support available to help you provide for them!

I went through this exact situation with my nephew when I became his guardian after his parents couldn't care for him. You absolutely can and should apply for these benefits! Since you have legal guardianship, the children qualify for auxiliary benefits on your SSDI record. I was amazed at how much it helped - each child can receive up to 50% of your benefit amount (though the family maximum may reduce this slightly with two kids). The process took about 2-3 months for me, and I wish I had applied sooner. Make sure to bring all your guardianship documentation, their birth certificates, and any court orders showing the biological parents can't provide support. Don't worry about it affecting your own SSDI - these are completely separate benefits. The retroactive payments can go back up to 6 months from when you apply, so definitely don't delay any longer. Having that extra monthly support made such a difference in being able to provide better for him. You're doing an incredible thing taking care of those kids!

I work for a disability advocacy organization and want to emphasize how important it is that you apply for these benefits right away! You've already received excellent advice here, but I want to stress a few key points: 1) Legal guardianship absolutely qualifies the children for auxiliary benefits - SSA recognizes court-appointed guardians the same as adoptive parents for benefit purposes. 2) These benefits are entirely separate from your SSDI payment and won't reduce what you receive. 3) The retroactive period is crucial - you can potentially get up to 6 months of back payments, but only from your application date backward. Since you've had guardianship for 2 years, you're potentially missing out on significant support. When you call SSA, specifically ask to schedule an appointment for "auxiliary benefits for dependent children" and mention you have legal guardianship. Bring certified copies of the guardianship order, birth certificates, and any documentation showing the biological parents aren't providing support. The children could each receive several hundred dollars monthly, which adds up to thousands per year that could help with their education, healthcare, and daily needs. Don't let another month go by - these kids deserve every bit of support available to them!

I want to add some practical advice for when you do apply - make sure to ask the SSA representative about the specific documentation they'll need upfront. In my experience helping others with similar situations, having everything organized beforehand can speed up the process significantly. Create a file with: certified copies of the guardianship order, the children's birth certificates and Social Security cards, any court documents related to the parents losing custody, school enrollment records showing you as the guardian, and receipts/documentation showing you provide their primary support (housing, food, medical care, etc.). Also, when you call SSA, if the first representative seems unfamiliar with auxiliary benefits for guardian situations, don't hesitate to ask to speak with someone who specializes in dependent benefits - not all SSA employees are equally knowledgeable about every benefit type. The fact that you've been providing for these children for 2 years already shows your commitment, and they absolutely deserve this additional support through the system. You're doing an amazing job stepping up for them when they needed it most!

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has shared their experiences and advice in this thread! As someone new to this community, I'm amazed by how supportive and knowledgeable everyone is. Reading through all these responses has given me so much hope and practical information about auxiliary benefits for guardianship situations. I'm in a similar position with my nephew who I've had custody of for about 8 months, and I had no idea these benefits were even possible. The specific form numbers, documentation tips, and advice about calling SSA are incredibly valuable. It's especially encouraging to hear from people who have successfully gone through this process. This community is such a valuable resource for navigating these complex situations - thank you all for taking the time to help each other out!

I'm so glad you asked this question! As a newcomer to this community, I've been learning so much from everyone's experiences. I'm actually in a very similar situation - I recently became the legal guardian of my cousin's two children after she was unable to care for them due to addiction issues. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly enlightening! I had absolutely no idea that auxiliary benefits were even possible for children in our care through legal guardianship. Like you, I assumed there was some kind of maximum I was already receiving and didn't want to rock the boat with my existing SSDI benefits. The information everyone has shared here about the benefits being completely separate from our personal SSDI payments is such a relief to know. I'm definitely going to follow the advice here and call SSA tomorrow to start the application process for my cousin's kids too. Thank you for asking this question and to everyone who shared their knowledge - this could be life-changing for both of our families! It's amazing what a difference this community makes in helping us navigate these complex systems.

As a newcomer to this community, I'm amazed by how detailed and helpful all these responses are! I've been reading through this entire thread because I'm in a somewhat similar situation - I became the legal guardian of my sister's child about a year ago. I had no idea these auxiliary benefits even existed! The information about needing legal guardianship (which I have), the specific form numbers like SSA-4-BK, and the fact that these benefits don't reduce your own SSDI payment has been incredibly eye-opening. I'm particularly grateful for the practical tips about what documentation to bring and the advice about asking for someone who specializes in dependent benefits when calling SSA. Maxwell, I hope your application goes smoothly - it sounds like you're doing an incredible job providing for your niece and nephew. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences, especially those who mentioned the retroactive benefits possibility. This thread has motivated me to finally pursue this for my nephew too!

As someone new to this community, I'm incredibly grateful for all the detailed information shared in this thread! I'm in a similar situation - I became the legal guardian of my brother's two children (ages 7 and 10) about 18 months ago after he was unable to care for them due to substance abuse issues. I've been receiving SSDI for chronic pain conditions since 2018, and like Maxwell, I had no idea that auxiliary benefits were even possible for children in my legal custody. Reading through everyone's experiences has been so enlightening! The clarification that these benefits are completely separate from our personal SSDI payments and won't reduce what we receive is such a relief. I was also hesitant to inquire about additional benefits for fear of triggering reviews or complications with my existing case. The specific advice about form SSA-4-BK, the importance of certified guardianship documents, and the potential for retroactive benefits has given me the confidence to move forward. Thank you Maxwell for asking this important question, and thank you to everyone who shared their knowledge and experiences. This thread might just change the trajectory for several families! I'm calling SSA tomorrow to start the process for my brother's children too.

As a newcomer to this community, I'm absolutely amazed by the wealth of knowledge and support shared in this thread! Reading through everyone's experiences has been incredibly educational. I'm currently in a similar situation - I became the legal guardian of my nephew (age 8) about 10 months ago after my brother was deemed unfit due to legal issues. I've been receiving SSDI since 2017 for a spinal injury, and like so many others here, I had absolutely no clue that auxiliary benefits were possible for children in our legal custody! The detailed explanations about form SSA-4-BK, the importance of having certified guardianship documents ready, and especially the clarification that these benefits don't affect our personal SSDI payments has been life-changing information. I'm particularly grateful for the practical tips about asking specifically for someone who specializes in dependent benefits when calling SSA. Maxwell, thank you for having the courage to ask this question - your post is going to help so many families! I'm definitely calling SSA this week to start the application process for my nephew. This community is truly a blessing for helping us navigate these complex systems and advocate for the children in our care.

As a newcomer to this community, I'm so grateful to have found this thread! I'm in a very similar situation - I became the legal guardian of my sister's daughter (age 9) about 14 months ago after she lost custody due to neglect issues. I've been receiving SSDI since 2019 for multiple sclerosis, and I honestly had no idea that auxiliary benefits were even a possibility for children in our legal care. Reading through everyone's detailed experiences and advice has been absolutely enlightening! The information about form SSA-4-BK, the importance of certified guardianship documents, and especially learning that these benefits are completely separate from our personal SSDI payments has given me so much hope. Like many others here, I was worried about potentially affecting my existing benefits by asking questions. The practical tips about asking specifically for a dependent benefits specialist when calling SSA and the potential for retroactive payments are incredibly valuable. Maxwell, thank you for being brave enough to ask this question - you've inadvertently helped so many families discover support they didn't know existed! I'm calling SSA first thing Monday morning to start the application process for my niece. This community is truly amazing at helping each other navigate these complex systems!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm absolutely blown away by the incredible support and detailed information shared in this thread! Reading through everyone's experiences has been so educational and encouraging. I'm in a somewhat similar situation - I recently became the legal guardian of my cousin's two children (ages 5 and 12) about 6 months ago after their parents were unable to provide proper care due to addiction issues. I've been receiving SSDI since 2020 for severe depression and anxiety disorders, and like so many others here, I had absolutely no idea that auxiliary benefits were possible for children in our legal custody! The detailed explanations about the application process, form SSA-4-BK, and especially the clarification that these benefits won't affect our personal SSDI payments has been incredibly reassuring. I was also hesitant to inquire about any additional benefits for fear of complications with my existing case. The practical advice about gathering certified guardianship documents, asking specifically for a dependent benefits specialist when calling SSA, and the potential for retroactive benefits has given me the confidence I needed to move forward. Maxwell, thank you so much for asking this important question - you've helped discover a resource that could truly make a difference for so many families caring for children! This community's willingness to share experiences and knowledge is truly remarkable. I'm definitely calling SSA this week to start the application process for my cousin's children too.