Can my disabled child receive both Social Security survivor benefits and SSI at the same time?

Yes, your child can potentially receive both Social Security survivor benefits AND Supplemental Security Income (SSI) at the same time. These are two completely different programs: 1. Survivor benefits - This is based on your late husband's work record and isn't means-tested. 2. SSI - This is needs-based with strict income and resource limits ($2000 for an individual). However, the survivor benefits count as income for SSI purposes, which reduces the SSI payment dollar-for-dollar (after a small exclusion). So if your son's survivor benefit exceeds the maximum SSI payment (currently $943/month for 2025), he wouldn't receive any SSI payment even if he medically qualifies. I'd recommend applying now regardless, because: - It establishes a medical determination of disability - The application process can take many months - When your financial situation changes, you can update SSA rather than starting from scratch The home you live in and one vehicle are excluded from the resource limit. The second vehicle might count toward resources depending on its use and value.

I went through something similar with my daughter. The SSA will count YOUR income and resources when determining your child's SSI eligibility - it's called "deeming." With the life insurance and VA benefits, plus two cars, you're absolutely going to be denied for SSI right now. But here's the thing - once your child turns 18, they're considered an independent household for SSI purposes. So even if you're denied now, DEFINITELY apply again when he turns 18 because then only HIS income and resources count (not yours). And yes, apply now anyway. The disability determination is separate from the financial determination, and having that established will help later. The system is RIDICULOUS and designed to make people give up!!! They denied my daughter THREE TIMES before we finally got approved with a lawyer's help.

One thing no one's mentioned yet - if your son is approved for SSI disability, he would automatically qualify for Medicaid in most states. This is actually the biggest benefit for many families, especially if your child has significant medical needs. The cash payment from SSI might be reduced or eliminated because of the survivor benefits, but the Medicaid eligibility could be extremely valuable. Also, I'd recommend keeping detailed records of all your son's medical appointments, treatments, medications, and how his disabilities affect daily activities. This documentation will be crucial for the disability determination part of the SSI application.

your definitely going to get denied for SSI with those assets/income but you should apply anyway because otherwise your just delaying the inevitable process. it usually takes like 3 applications and appeals before they approve anyone these days lol. my sister has a disabled daughter and it took FOREVER! start the process now so when your finances change you'll be further along in the system.

I went through the EXACT same situation with my son when my husband died. He had muscular dystrophy and was getting survivor benefits. The trick is to apply for SSI now, get the medical approval, then when your finances change, you just update SSA. BTW - you mentioned multiple vehicles. If the second vehicle is used to transport your disabled child to medical appointments, you might be able to exclude it from the resource calculation! Not many people know about this exception. Ask specifically about this when you apply. SSA makes it so complicated on purpose. I spent HOURS on the phone trying to get straight answers. I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to a real person at SSA without waiting on hold forever. They have this service where they get you through the phone system and to an agent in minutes. Check out their demo video at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU - saved me so much frustration!

my cousin gets both survivor benefits and SSI for her kid but the SSI is only like $95 a month because the survivor benefit reduces it. but she says even that small amount is worth it because it automatically qualified her daughter for medicaid and a bunch of other services in our state. definitely worth applying!

Important to understand: SSI and Social Security survivor benefits are administered by the same agency (SSA) but are completely different programs with different eligibility rules. Considering your assets and income currently exceed SSI limits, here's what you should do: 1. Apply for SSI now - this creates a protective filing date 2. When denied for financial reasons, appeal and request just a medical determination 3. If approved medically but denied financially, you'll be in position to quickly activate benefits when your financial situation changes Also, be aware that when your child turns 18, survivor benefits typically end unless they're still in high school (then they continue until graduation or age 19, whichever comes first). However, if your child is determined disabled before age 22, they may qualify for Disabled Adult Child benefits on your husband's record, which can continue indefinitely. This is DIFFERENT from SSI. The complexity of coordinating these benefits is why consulting with a benefits specialist is often worth the time.

Thank you all so much for the helpful advice! I'm going to apply for SSI right away to get the disability determination process started, even though I know we'll be denied based on our current finances. I'll make sure to specifically ask about the vehicle exception and the Disabled Adult Child benefits too. I've started gathering all his medical records going back several years. His main conditions are autism (level 2), epilepsy, and a rare genetic disorder that affects his mobility. I'm hoping that with good documentation, the medical determination part will go smoothly. I really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences. It makes me feel less alone in navigating this complicated system.

Just to add some information that may be helpful - make sure when you apply that you also ask about CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program) or your state's equivalent if you don't already have this coverage. Even if you're denied SSI due to financial reasons, your child might still qualify for some health coverage programs based on his disabilities. Also, don't forget to look into state-specific disability programs. Many states have supplemental programs beyond what SSA offers. Your local Developmental Disabilities Administration or Community Services Board might have resources regardless of SSI eligibility. Lastly, document EVERYTHING about how his disabilities impact daily living - not just medical appointments, but things like: needs help with dressing, cannot be left unsupervised, requires assistance with meals, has difficulty following multi-step instructions, etc. These functional limitations are just as important as the medical diagnoses for SSA's disability determination.

I'm new to this community but wanted to share what I learned when my disabled nephew went through a similar situation. One thing that really helped us was getting a letter from his school documenting his need for special education services and accommodations. SSA considers educational records as part of their disability determination, especially for children. Also, I'd suggest contacting your local PACT (Protection and Advocacy for People with Disabilities) office. They often provide free advocacy services for SSI applications and can help you navigate the appeals process if needed. They know all the ins and outs of how these programs work together. Good luck with your application! It sounds like you're already getting great advice here about applying now to establish the protective filing date. The process is frustrating but definitely worth pursuing given your son's conditions.

I'm new to this community but have been through a similar situation with my daughter who has cerebral palsy. One thing I wanted to mention that I haven't seen addressed yet - when you apply for SSI, make sure to ask about the Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) program. Even though your son is only 14, this program can sometimes help with resource limits by allowing you to set aside money for disability-related expenses or future goals. Also, regarding the life insurance income - you mentioned it will run out in 18 months. Make sure you document the expected end date of this income source when you apply. SSA can sometimes consider temporary income differently than permanent income sources, and having a clear timeline might help your case when you appeal or reapply. One more tip from my experience - keep a detailed log of your son's daily care needs. Things like how many hours per day he requires supervision, assistance with basic activities, medication management, etc. This functional information is just as important as the medical diagnoses for proving disability. The SSA looks at how his conditions affect his ability to function in daily life, not just the diagnoses themselves. The process is definitely overwhelming, but you're asking all the right questions and getting good advice here. Having that survivor benefit as a foundation while you work through the SSI process is actually a blessing compared to families who have no income at all during the application process.

I'm new to this community but wanted to share something that helped us tremendously when we were in a similar situation with my son who has autism and intellectual disabilities. One thing I learned is that you can actually request what's called a "technical denial" for SSI - where they approve the medical disability determination but deny benefits due to income/resources. This creates an official record that your child is medically disabled, which can be incredibly valuable for other programs and services, even if you're not getting the SSI payment right now. Also, I'd strongly recommend contacting your state's Developmental Disabilities Administration or similar agency. Many states have waiting lists for services that you can get on regardless of your current income situation. Getting on these lists early is crucial because some have years-long waits, and your financial situation changing won't affect your place in line. Another resource that was invaluable to us was our local Parent Information Center (PIC). They often have staff who specialize in benefits counseling and can help you understand how all these different programs interact. They usually provide free services and really know the ins and outs of the system. The fact that you're thinking ahead and planning for when your financial situation changes shows you're already doing the right things. The system is complex, but with the right preparation, you'll be in a much better position when that life insurance income ends.

I'm new to this community but wanted to add something that helped us when we went through this process with my daughter who has multiple disabilities. One thing I wish I had known earlier is that you can actually call SSA and request a pre-application interview before you officially apply. During this call, they'll go over your specific situation and help you understand exactly what documentation you'll need and what to expect. This can save you time and help ensure your application is as complete as possible from the start. Also, regarding the vehicle exception that someone mentioned - make sure you get a letter from your son's doctor stating that the second vehicle is medically necessary for his transportation to appointments. We had to provide this documentation, and it made all the difference in getting that vehicle excluded from our resource calculation. One more tip: when you're gathering those medical records, don't forget about any therapists he's worked with - speech, occupational, physical therapy, etc. SSA considers input from all treating sources, not just doctors. These therapy notes often contain really detailed information about functional limitations that can be crucial for the disability determination. The advice you're getting here about applying now to establish that protective filing date is spot on. Even though the financial denial is almost certain given your current situation, having that medical determination in place will put you way ahead of the game when your circumstances change.

I'm new to this community but wanted to share something that might help based on my experience with my son who has severe autism and seizure disorder. One thing I learned that hasn't been mentioned yet is to make sure you apply online if possible rather than by phone or in-person. The online SSI application allows you to save your progress and come back to it, which is really helpful when you're gathering all that documentation. Plus, you get an immediate confirmation with a receipt number that you can reference. Also, when documenting your son's daily care needs, include specific examples of safety concerns. SSA pays close attention to supervision requirements - things like "cannot be left alone due to seizure risk" or "requires constant monitoring to prevent elopement" carry a lot of weight in their determinations. Another tip: if your son receives any special education services through an IEP (Individualized Education Program), make sure to include that documentation. The school district's assessment of his functional limitations and need for accommodations provides another professional perspective that SSA considers. The medical determination process typically takes 3-6 months, so starting now even with the expected financial denial makes perfect sense. You'll have that crucial piece in place when your situation changes. Best of luck navigating this - the community here has given you excellent guidance!

I'm new to this community but wanted to share some advice based on my experience helping my sister navigate this exact situation with her disabled son. One thing that really helped us was creating what I call a "disability portfolio" - a comprehensive binder with tabs for medical records, therapy notes, school documentation (IEP), daily care logs, and medication lists. Having everything organized this way made it much easier when SSA requested additional documentation during the review process. Also, I'd suggest asking your son's doctors to be very specific in their reports about functional limitations rather than just listing diagnoses. For example, instead of just "autism spectrum disorder," ask them to document things like "requires verbal prompting for all self-care activities" or "unable to safely cross streets independently." SSA focuses heavily on how conditions impact daily functioning. One last tip - consider reaching out to your local disability advocacy organization. Many have benefits counselors who can walk through your entire situation and help you understand not just SSI, but all the programs your son might be eligible for now or in the future. They often know about state and local programs that individual families might miss. You're being really smart to start this process now even knowing you'll likely be denied initially. Having that medical determination established will save you months when your financial situation changes. Good luck with the application!

I'm new to this community but wanted to share something that helped us when we went through a similar situation with my daughter who has intellectual disabilities and seizure disorder. One thing I learned that might be helpful is to document not just your son's medical appointments, but also any emergency room visits, hospitalizations, or urgent care visits related to his disabilities. SSA considers these as evidence of the severity and ongoing nature of his conditions. Even if they seem minor to you, they paint a picture of the unpredictable nature of his care needs. Also, if your son takes any medications for his disabilities, keep a detailed list including dosages, side effects he experiences, and how they impact his daily functioning. Sometimes the side effects of necessary medications can be just as limiting as the underlying conditions themselves. Another resource that was invaluable to us was connecting with other families through local support groups or online communities specific to your son's conditions (autism, epilepsy, etc.). These families often have insights about the SSI process that are specific to those diagnoses and can share what documentation was most important for their successful applications. The advice you're getting here about applying now is absolutely correct. Even if the financial denial is certain, establishing that medical determination and protective filing date will be crucial when your circumstances change. The system is frustrating, but you're asking all the right questions and clearly advocating well for your son.

I'm new to this community, but I wanted to share some insights from my experience helping my brother navigate this exact situation when his disabled son was receiving survivor benefits. One thing that really made a difference for us was understanding the concept of "conditional payments" that SSA sometimes offers. Even when you're initially denied SSI due to income/resources, if your child is approved medically and SSA determines that your financial situation will likely change in the near future (like your life insurance running out), they may sometimes approve conditional SSI payments that begin when the disqualifying income stops. It's worth asking about this specifically when you apply. Also, I'd recommend documenting your son's need for assistive technology or adaptive equipment. Things like communication devices, mobility aids, sensory tools, etc. These expenses can sometimes be factored into resource calculations or used to demonstrate the extent of his disabilities. Even if insurance covers some of these items, the ongoing need for specialized equipment helps paint a fuller picture of his functional limitations. Another tip - make sure to ask about your state's "buy-in" programs for Medicaid. Some states allow families with slightly higher incomes to "buy into" Medicaid coverage for disabled children by paying a premium. This could potentially provide health coverage even if SSI cash benefits aren't available right now. You're definitely on the right track applying now to establish that protective filing date. The process is complicated, but this community has given you excellent guidance. Having that survivor benefit as a foundation while working through SSI is actually a blessing compared to starting with no income at all.

I'm new to this community, but I wanted to share something that helped us when we were in a very similar situation with my nephew who has autism and epilepsy. One thing I learned that hasn't been mentioned yet is the importance of requesting a "protective filing" statement when you apply. This creates an official record of when you first contacted SSA about benefits, which can be crucial for backdating payments if you're eventually approved. Make sure you get this in writing or save any confirmation numbers from online applications. Also, since your son has epilepsy, make sure his neurologist documents not just the frequency of seizures, but also any "aura" periods, postictal confusion, or activity restrictions due to seizure risk. SSA has specific criteria for evaluating epilepsy, and detailed documentation of how seizures impact his ability to engage in age-appropriate activities is crucial. Another resource that was incredibly helpful was contacting our state's PASS (Protection and Advocacy System) office. They provide free legal advocacy for disability benefits and can even represent you at hearings if needed. They know exactly what SSA looks for in applications for children with multiple disabilities like your son has. The fact that you have survivor benefits providing some financial stability while navigating this process is actually advantageous - many families are doing this with no income at all. You're being really smart to start the process now even knowing about the likely financial denial. Having that medical determination established will save you significant time when your life insurance income ends.

I'm new to this community but wanted to share something that might be helpful based on my experience with my daughter who has cerebral palsy and seizure disorder. One thing I learned that could be valuable for your situation is to ask about "presumptive disability" when you apply. For certain conditions, SSA can sometimes start SSI payments immediately while they complete the full medical review, even if there are financial issues to sort out later. Given your son's combination of autism, epilepsy, and genetic disorder, he might qualify for this expedited process. Also, I'd strongly recommend getting a letter from your son's school documenting any behavioral interventions or crisis management protocols they have in place for him. This type of documentation really helps SSA understand the level of supervision and specialized care he requires throughout the day, not just at home. One more tip that saved us a lot of headaches - when you're organizing all those medical records, create a simple timeline document that lists major medical events, hospitalizations, medication changes, and therapy starts/stops. SSA reviewers often have to piece together information from dozens of different sources, and having a clear timeline helps them see the full picture of his condition progression. You're definitely making the right choice to apply now. Even with the expected financial denial, having that medical determination and protective filing date established will put you in a much stronger position when your circumstances change. The process is frustrating, but you clearly have a good support system here to help guide you through it!

I'm new to this community, but I wanted to share some advice based on my experience helping my cousin navigate a very similar situation with her son who has multiple disabilities. One thing that really helped us was understanding that you can actually request what's called a "disability-only determination" when you apply for SSI. This allows SSA to make the medical disability decision separate from the financial eligibility decision. So even if you're denied SSI payments due to income/resources, you can still get an official determination that your son meets SSA's definition of disability. This can be incredibly valuable for other programs and services, and it means you won't have to go through the entire medical review process again when your financial situation changes. Also, I'd recommend keeping detailed records of any accommodations or modifications you've had to make at home for your son's safety and care. Things like door alarms, cabinet locks, bathroom modifications, etc. These demonstrate the extent of his supervision needs and can be important evidence of functional limitations. Another tip - if your son receives any services through your state's developmental disabilities waiver program or similar services, make sure to include documentation of those services and assessments in your SSI application. These agencies often have comprehensive functional assessments that align well with what SSA is looking for. You're absolutely making the right choice to start this process now. Having that protective filing date and medical determination in place will save you months when your life insurance income ends. The system is complex, but you're clearly being a great advocate for your son!

I'm new to this community, but I wanted to share something that helped us when we went through this exact situation with my son who has autism and seizure disorder. One thing I learned that might be really valuable for you is to make sure you understand the difference between "concurrent benefits" and how they're calculated. When someone receives both survivor benefits and SSI, SSA uses what's called the "windfall offset" - basically, they subtract most of the survivor benefit amount from the maximum SSI payment. So if the maximum SSI is $943 and your son gets $1,275 in survivor benefits, he wouldn't get any SSI payment. BUT - and this is important - he would still be considered an SSI recipient for purposes of automatic Medicaid eligibility and other program qualifications. Also, I'd suggest asking specifically about "continued disability reviews" when you apply. Since your son will likely need lifelong support, understanding how often SSA will review his case and what triggers those reviews can help you stay prepared. For children with conditions like autism and genetic disorders, the reviews are often less frequent, but it's good to know what to expect. Another resource that was incredibly helpful for us was connecting with your state's Parent Training and Information Center (PTI). These centers specialize in helping families navigate both educational and disability benefit systems, and they often have staff who really understand how SSI interacts with special education services. You're definitely taking the right approach by applying now. Even though the financial denial is almost certain, establishing that medical determination and protective filing date will be crucial when your life insurance income ends. The process is overwhelming, but you're clearly being a strong advocate for your son and asking all the right questions!