Confused about SSI rules - does parent support for adult child reduce benefits?

You're confusing two different concepts. SSI has rules about both living arrangements AND support. When they ask if you're providing half support, they're determining if your son meets the definition of a 'child' for certain SSA purposes, even though he's over 18. This is different from the rules about 'in-kind support and maintenance' (ISM) which can reduce the SSI payment. If you directly pay for his food and shelter, that can count as ISM and reduce his SSI. But providing other types of support (medical costs, clothing, etc.) doesn't automatically reduce SSI. The 'half support' question is often used for parent-child relationship verification for various SSA purposes.

my daughter gets SSI too and I remember this queston. its super confuzing cuz they don't explain it good!! the half support thing is for tax purposes i think? not the same as the living arrangment stuff that can reduce the payment. our casworker told us they're 2 seperate things

This is a common area of confusion. Let me clarify: 1. The 'providing at least half support' question relates to dependency status for certain benefit eligibility determinations. 2. This is entirely separate from the In-Kind Support and Maintenance (ISM) rules that can reduce SSI payments. 3. Support includes food, shelter, clothing, medical care, education, etc. 4. ISM reductions only apply to food and shelter provided to the recipient. So yes, you might be providing half support even though some of that support could reduce SSI via ISM rules. They're separate considerations used for different purposes within SSA's complex regulatory framework.

I had a similar issue with my brother's SSI application last year. After hours on the phone with SSA (seriously, like 5+ hours of waiting), I found out that the "half support" question is for determining dependency relationships for certain benefits, while reductions due to living arrangements are calculated separately. Have you tried using Claimyr to get through to an agent faster? I discovered it after my nightmare wait times - claimyr.com helped me get through to a real SSA representative in under 20 minutes instead of hours. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. Definitely worth it for complicated questions like this where you need a clear explanation specific to your situation.

Its actually pretty simple once you understand it. The half support question is DIFFERENT from the living arrangment rules. If u buy food, that counts as both support AND can reduce SSI. But if you buy clothes, medicine, pay for haircuts, phone bill, those all count as SUPPORT but don't reduce SSI payments. So you could easily be providing half support even with full SSI payments if your supporting in ways besides just food and shelter.

I think were ALL missing something here! When they ask if your providing half support, they're trying to TRAP you into admitting your helping your son so they can CUT his benefits!!!! My cousin answered yes to this and they immediately cut his SSI by $200!!! Don't fall for their tricks!

To add some concrete examples that might help: 1. If your son's monthly expenses total $1,500 and you provide $800 worth of support (including non-ISM items like clothing, medical expenses not covered by insurance, recreation, etc.), you would be providing more than half support. 2. Of that $800 support, perhaps only $400 is for food and shelter (ISM), which might reduce his SSI payment according to those rules. 3. The remaining $400 of support (clothing, medical, etc.) doesn't affect his SSI payment at all. So you can truthfully answer YES to providing half support while understanding that only certain types of support (food and shelter) impact the monthly payment amount.

wait now im confused again lol... does anyone know if paying for internet and phone counts as the kind of support that reduces SSI? my daughters caseworker gave me different answers on different days

Thank you all so much for the helpful explanations! I think I understand now - when answering the 'half support' question, I should include everything I provide (housing, food, clothing, medical expenses, recreation, etc.), but only the food and housing part might reduce his SSI through the ISM rules. I'm going to call SSA tomorrow with a much better understanding of what they're asking. This forum has been incredibly helpful when the official explanations were so confusing!

Just wanted to add that it's worth documenting everything you provide as support - keep receipts for medical expenses, clothing, entertainment, etc. Not just for the half-support question, but also because SSA might ask for proof later. I learned this the hard way when they requested documentation months after my initial application. Also, if your son has a representative payee situation, that can affect how some of these support calculations work, so mention that to the caseworker if it applies to your situation.

This thread has been incredibly helpful - I'm dealing with a similar situation with my adult daughter who has intellectual disabilities. One thing I wanted to add is that when you're calculating the "half support," you need to look at the TOTAL value of support your son needs, not just what you're providing. So if his total monthly needs are $2000 (rent, food, utilities, medical, clothing, transportation, etc.) and you provide $800 worth of that support, you're providing less than half even though you're contributing significantly. The SSA looks at whether your support exceeds 50% of his total support needs. Also, don't forget to factor in the value of any government benefits he receives (like Medicaid, SNAP) when calculating his total support - those count toward meeting his needs even though they're not coming from you. It's definitely worth getting this clarification directly from SSA, but understanding this calculation helped me answer the form more accurately.

I went through this exact same situation with my son last year and it was SO confusing at first! What finally helped me understand it was realizing that SSA uses different definitions for different purposes. The "half support" question is asking about your overall financial contribution to your son's life - everything from rent and food to clothes, medical copays, transportation, entertainment, etc. This helps them determine dependency status for various administrative purposes. The ISM (in-kind support and maintenance) rules that can reduce his monthly SSI payment are much more narrow - they only apply to food and shelter that you provide directly. So you could absolutely be providing more than half of his total life support while his SSI payment stays the same, because most of what you're providing (medical expenses, clothing, phone bill, etc.) doesn't trigger ISM reductions. I'd recommend making a list of everything you pay for him monthly, then separating it into "food/shelter" versus "everything else." The food/shelter amount might affect his payment, but the total amount helps you answer the support question honestly. And definitely keep receipts for everything - SSA loves documentation!

As someone who works with SSI cases regularly, I want to emphasize something that might get lost in all these great explanations: timing matters when reporting support changes. If your living arrangement or support situation changes after his benefits start, you need to report those changes within 10 days to avoid potential overpayments. The "half support" question on the form you're filling out is likely for establishing his initial eligibility status, but ongoing changes in who pays for what need to be reported promptly. For example, if you start paying his rent directly to the landlord after benefits begin, that's a reportable change that could affect his payment amount through ISM rules. Also, keep in mind that SSA sometimes conducts periodic reviews where they'll ask about support arrangements again, so having that documentation system others mentioned will be really valuable long-term. The key is being consistent and honest in your reporting - the rules are complex but they're not trying to trick you if you're transparent about the arrangements.

I'm new to dealing with SSI but going through something similar with my daughter. Reading through all these responses has been really eye-opening - I had no idea there was such a distinction between "support" for dependency purposes versus "in-kind support and maintenance" that actually reduces payments. One thing I'm wondering about that I haven't seen mentioned yet: what about irregular support? Like, if I sometimes help with groceries or pay for unexpected medical expenses, but not consistently every month, how does that factor into the "half support" calculation? Do they look at it annually, monthly, or some other timeframe? Also, for anyone who's been through SSA reviews - do they typically ask for specific dollar amounts and receipts, or are they more interested in general categories of support? I'm trying to figure out how detailed my record-keeping needs to be. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences here - it's so much more helpful than the official SSA explanations!

I've been helping families navigate SSI applications for several years, and this is honestly one of the most confusing aspects of the system. What you're experiencing is totally normal - even SSA caseworkers sometimes struggle to explain the difference clearly. Here's what I tell families: Think of it as SSA wearing two different "hats" when they ask questions. The "half support" hat is about determining your relationship status and dependency for various administrative purposes. The "ISM reduction" hat is about calculating monthly payment amounts. Same family situation, but they're using the information for completely different reasons. The critical thing to remember is that you should answer the half support question honestly based on ALL the support you provide - housing, food, medical expenses, clothing, transportation, entertainment, phone bills, everything. Don't try to minimize it to avoid triggering reductions, because that's not how it works. If you're nervous about the call tomorrow, I'd suggest writing down a simple list beforehand: monthly expenses you cover for your son, and their approximate values. This will help you give clear, consistent information regardless of which "hat" the SSA representative is wearing during different parts of the conversation.

As someone who went through this exact same confusing situation with my adult son who has disabilities, I completely understand your frustration! The terminology SSA uses is incredibly unclear, and even their own staff sometimes gives conflicting information. Here's what helped me finally understand it: the "half support" question is about establishing your son's dependency status for SSA's internal purposes - it's completely separate from the In-Kind Support and Maintenance (ISM) rules that might reduce his monthly payment. When calculating "half support," include EVERYTHING you provide: rent, food, utilities, medical copays, clothing, phone bill, transportation, entertainment, personal care items - literally every expense you cover for him. Then compare that total to his overall monthly needs (including the value of benefits like Medicaid, SNAP, etc.). The ISM rules that can reduce his SSI payment are much more limited - they only apply to food and shelter you provide directly. So you could easily be providing more than half his total support while his SSI payment remains unchanged, because most of what you're contributing (medical, clothing, phone, etc.) doesn't trigger ISM reductions. My advice: be completely honest about all the support you provide when answering their questions. The system is designed to work with families who help their disabled adult children - you're not doing anything wrong by supporting him! Keep records of what you pay for, and don't hesitate to ask for clarification if the caseworker's explanations don't make sense.

I just went through this same situation with my brother who has cerebral palsy, and I remember feeling so overwhelmed by all the different forms and questions! What really helped me was understanding that SSA is essentially asking two completely different questions that sound similar but serve different purposes. The "half support" question is about dependency classification - they want to know if you're providing more than 50% of his total life expenses (rent, food, medical, clothing, phone, entertainment, transportation, etc.). This information goes into their system for various administrative determinations. The ISM (In-Kind Support and Maintenance) rules that can actually reduce his monthly SSI payment are much more narrow - they only care about food and shelter you provide directly to him. Things like paying his medical copays, buying clothes, covering his phone bill, or paying for recreation don't reduce his SSI at all. So you could absolutely be providing more than half his support while his SSI payment stays the same! Most family support (everything except direct food/housing payments) counts toward the "half support" calculation but doesn't trigger payment reductions. When I called SSA, I had a simple list ready: everything I pay for my brother monthly and approximate amounts. Being organized and honest about all the support made the conversation much smoother. The caseworker was actually helpful once I had concrete information ready. Good luck with your call!