Can I receive SSDI benefits for grandchildren in my custody without adoption? Parents still alive

In my experience working with clients in similar situations, you'll need to understand a few key points about dependent benefits on your SSDI record. Generally, grandchildren can qualify for benefits on your record, but there are specific requirements: 1. The children must be legally dependent on you 2. They must have begun living with you before age 18 3. They must have received at least half their support from you for the year before they became eligible for benefits Having legal custody is helpful, but adoption often makes the process much clearer. Without adoption, you'll need to provide documentation proving their dependency on you. I'd recommend scheduling an appointment with SSA to discuss your specific situation.

I went threw something similar with my grandkids last year!!! SSA made it SO COMPLICATED for me. Kept asking for more and more papers and saying different things each time I called. The most important thing is can you prove they live with you and that your supporting them more than 50%? That's what they kept asking me over and over. It took almost 5 months to get approved and they wanted school records, doctors notes, everything!!!

The system is deliberately designed to make this difficult. SSA doesn't WANT to pay benefits they could avoid paying. My sister tried to get benefits for her grandkids and they denied her TWICE before finally approving. She had to provide rental agreement showing the kids lived there, school records, medical authorizations, AND proof that the parents weren't providing support. It's ridiculous how much they make you jump through hoops when you're just trying to care for children who need help!

For grandchildren to receive auxiliary benefits on your SSDI record, you'll need to prove: - The children's parents are deceased, disabled, or not supporting the children - The children began living with you before they turned 18 - They received at least half their support from you for the year before applying Since you just got custody last month, you may need to wait until you've provided support for a longer period. Adoption isn't strictly required, but it simplifies the process considerably. You'll need Form SSA-4-BK (Application for Child's Benefits) and documentation of your relationship and support. In the meantime, you might consider applying for other programs like SNAP or TANF to help with immediate expenses.

my daughter gets survivor benefits for my granddaughter but thats different cause her father passed. i think its harder when parents are alive but not contributing. bring all ur court papers and bills showing ur supporting them when u go to ssa.

After spending 6 weeks trying to get through to someone at SSA about a similar situation with my nephew, I finally found a service called Claimyr that got me connected to an actual SSA representative in under 10 minutes. I was at my wit's end after dozens of disconnected calls and hours on hold. The SSA agent was able to schedule me for an in-person appointment where I got everything sorted out. Check out their video to see how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU or visit claimyr.com. Seriously saved my sanity during a stressful time.

To answer your question about exceptions to the one-year support requirement: Yes, there are some situations where SSA might waive this, particularly if the change in living situation was sudden due to abandonment or other urgent circumstances. This is something you should specifically discuss during your appointment. Bring as much documentation as possible showing: 1. Your custody agreement 2. Proof of residence (school enrollment, medical authorizations) 3. Financial support evidence (receipts, bank statements showing expenses) 4. Any documentation about why the parents aren't providing support The more evidence you have of the children's dependency on you, the stronger your case will be.

One more thing I forgot to mention!!! You should also apply for SSI for the kids seperately from your SSDI. Theres income limits but if your only on SSDI you might qualify. My grandson got approved for SSI while we were waiting for the other benefits to start and it helped ALOT with groceries and stuff.

One clarification I want to make - there's often confusion between dependency benefits on your SSDI record versus SSI for the children. These are separate programs: - Auxiliary benefits on your SSDI: Based on your work record, no income limits for you, but has relationship and dependency requirements - SSI for the children: Need-based program with strict income and resource limits, considers your income as the custodial grandparent It's worth exploring both options. And regarding the one-year support requirement, as someone mentioned, there are exceptions particularly in cases of parental abandonment, incarceration, or sudden changes in living arrangements. Document everything carefully, and don't get discouraged if you receive conflicting information from different SSA representatives - unfortunately that happens frequently with these complex cases.

I'm in a somewhat similar situation - I have legal guardianship of my teenage niece after her parents couldn't care for her anymore. From what I learned during my process, the key thing that helped me was documenting EVERYTHING from day one. I kept receipts for food, clothing, school supplies, medical expenses - basically any money I spent on her care. The SSA worker told me that even though there's typically a one-year support requirement, they can make exceptions when the change in custody is due to emergency circumstances like abandonment, incarceration, or unsafe living conditions. Since you mentioned "difficult family circumstances," this might apply to your situation too. Also, don't give up on calling SSA - I know it's frustrating with the disconnections. Try calling right when they open at 8am local time, or ask a local legal aid organization if they can help you navigate the process. Some have advocates who specifically help with SSA issues. You're doing a wonderful thing taking care of your grandchildren, and there are people and programs out there to help support you through this.

I'm new to this community and just wanted to say how grateful I am for all the detailed advice everyone has shared here. I'm in the early stages of a similar situation - recently gained custody of my teenage nephew - and reading through these responses has been incredibly educational. The recurring themes I'm seeing are really helpful: document everything from day one, apply for multiple programs simultaneously rather than waiting, and don't underestimate the value of local advocacy organizations and community support networks. I had no idea about things like kinship care programs, 211 services, or that faith-based organizations often help regardless of religious affiliation. Diego, I hope you're able to get connected with SSA soon using some of the strategies people have mentioned (like that Claimyr service or calling right at 8am). Your situation with the emergency custody change sounds like it should qualify for exceptions to some of the typical requirements based on what others have shared. One question for the group - has anyone had success with getting their state representatives' offices involved when dealing with particularly difficult SSA cases? I've heard that sometimes contacting your congressman's office can help cut through bureaucratic delays, but I'm not sure if that actually works in practice. Thank you all for creating such a supportive and informative discussion. It's reassuring to know there are communities like this where people share practical advice and encouragement for navigating these complex systems!

I'm new to this community but wanted to share something that might help with the documentation process while you're waiting to get through to SSA. When I was preparing for my own kinship care situation, I created a simple daily log that included not just expenses, but also notes about the children's daily needs - things like "took grandson to doctor appointment," "bought school supplies," "helped with homework for 2 hours." This kind of detailed daily record really helped demonstrate the full scope of care I was providing, beyond just the financial support. The SSA representative told me later that seeing this comprehensive picture of dependency made my case much stronger. Also, I wanted to mention that some local libraries have social services navigators who can help you understand what programs are available in your area and even assist with applications. I had no idea this service existed until a librarian mentioned it when she saw me struggling with paperwork at a computer terminal. Diego, I hope you're able to get through soon using some of the calling strategies people have shared. The Tuesday/Wednesday morning approach has worked well for others, and that Claimyr service several people mentioned might be worth trying if you continue having trouble. Your dedication to these children is admirable, and this community is clearly behind you!