Social Security Disability children's benefits percentage and backpay for 5 years?

Congratulations to your brother! Each eligible child can receive up to 50% of the parent's disability benefit. However, there's something called the family maximum benefit that usually caps the total family benefits at 150-180% of the disabled worker's benefit. So if your brother gets $2000/month, his two kids won't get $1000 each - they'd likely get somewhat less due to the family maximum. As for backpay - yes, the children can receive retroactive payments, but there are some limitations. The children's benefits can only go back to when the application for the children was filed, or when your brother's disability entitlement began, whichever is later.

I been thru this!! Tell your brother to file for the kids IMMEDIATELY!!! The longer he waits the more money they miss out on. My 2 kids got benefits when I was approved but we lost like 8 months of backpay cause I didn't know I had to apply separate for them... It's so stupid they don't tell you this stuff!!

The benefit for each child is calculated at 50% of the parent's Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), but the family maximum limit will likely reduce this. The family max is typically between 150-180% of the disabled worker's benefit, though exact formula is complex and depends on the specific PIA amount. For backpay: children's benefits generally start from the date of application for the children, not from the parent's disability onset date. This is a critical distinction. If your brother was just approved after a 5-year wait, but hasn't applied for benefits for his children yet, their eligibility would only begin once he files for them. He should immediately file applications for Child's Benefits (Form SSA-4-BK) for each child. He'll need their birth certificates, Social Security numbers, and his own information.

My kids got benifits when I got my SSDI but we only got like 2 years backdated even tho i had 4 years of backpay. The SSA office said something about how they only go back a certian amount of time for kids. i forget the exact rule but there definately IS a limit.

I'd recommend your brother contact SSA directly about this situation, but unfortunately that's easier said than done these days. The phone lines are constantly jammed, and it can take weeks to get an appointment at a local office. I recently discovered a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to SSA when I was in a similar situation with my disability backpay questions. They basically help you skip the phone wait times. I was skeptical at first, but they got me connected to an agent in about 15 minutes when I had been trying for days on my own. You can see how it works in their video demo: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Once your brother can actually speak with an SSA representative, they can look at his specific case details and give accurate information about the children's benefits, including exactly how much backpay they might be eligible for based on his specific timeline and when he applies for the kids.

The SSA rules can be SO frustrating!!! When my husband got SSDI our daughter only got benefits back to when we applied for her even though we applied as soon as we found out we could. Nobody told us!!! MAKE SURE your brother files for those kids ASAP!!! The SSA won't volunteer this info and every month he waits is $$$ lost!!!

dose anyone know if the kids money counts for snap benifits? were on food stamps and im worried if my kids get ssdi money we'll lose our food stamps

Something important to know is that the backpay for children is limited to 6 months prior to the application date for Child's Benefits. So even if your brother gets 5 years of backpay, the most his children can get is 6 months retroactive from when he applies for them. This is different from the retroactive payment rules for the disabled worker. This is exactly why it's crucial to apply for the children right away. Every month he waits is a month of benefits they'll never get back.

I just went through this exact process last year! The representative who handled my case told me that children's benefits have a rule called "one-year retroactivity" which means they can only get backpay for up to 12 months before the application date, not the full disability period. But honestly I've heard different things from different SSA people so your brother should definitely confirm this directly with them.

Don't forget you need seperate bank accounts for kids benfits!!! SSA made me open seperate accounts for my kids money cuz they said the parents cant use that money except for the kids stuff. And they do check!!!!

I'm going through a similar situation right now with my nephew's benefits, so I feel your pain! Just wanted to add that your brother should also gather all the kids' documents beforehand - birth certificates, Social Security cards, school records, etc. When I finally got my appointment, they needed everything right away and I had to reschedule because I wasn't prepared. Also, if the kids live with him full-time, make sure he has documentation of that too. The SSA is really picky about proving the children are in his care. Good luck to your family - 5 years is such a long fight and I'm so glad he finally got approved!

I work at a local SSA field office and can confirm some of the information here. Each child can receive up to 50% of the parent's benefit, but the family maximum will likely reduce this to around 25-40% per child depending on your brother's specific benefit amount. The most important thing is that he needs to file the applications for his children IMMEDIATELY. Children's benefits can only be paid retroactively for up to 6 months before the application date - this is completely separate from his own disability backpay period. So even though he's getting 5 years of backpay, if he waits to apply for the kids, they'll miss out on years of benefits they could have received. He'll need to call 1-800-772-1213 to schedule an appointment (either phone or in-person) to file Form SSA-4-BK for each child. Have their birth certificates, Social Security numbers, and proof they live with him ready. The sooner he files, the more backpay the children will be eligible for. Don't let SSA's phone wait times cost your family thousands of dollars in lost benefits!

This is such valuable information everyone is sharing! I just wanted to add something that might help your brother get through to SSA faster. I've found that calling right when they open at 7 AM (in your time zone) gives you the best chance of getting through. The lines are usually less busy first thing in the morning before everyone starts calling. Also, if your brother is still having trouble getting through, he might want to try visiting his local SSA office in person. You can find the nearest office on the SSA website and some locations allow walk-ins for certain types of applications, though you'll likely wait longer than with an appointment. The most important thing everyone here is emphasizing is TIME - every day he delays filing for those kids is money out of their pockets. Even if the family maximum reduces their individual benefits, with two kids they should still get a substantial amount monthly, plus whatever retroactive benefits they're eligible for. Wishing your family the best of luck with this process!

Just wanted to chime in as someone who went through this process with my own kids a few years ago. All the advice here is spot-on, especially about filing IMMEDIATELY! I can't stress this enough - the 6-month retroactive limit for children's benefits is real and it's heartbreaking how much money families lose by not knowing this. One thing I'd add is that when your brother calls SSA, he should specifically ask about "auxiliary benefits" for his children - that's the technical term they use. Also, make sure he mentions that he just received his disability approval so they understand the timeline. The family maximum calculation can be confusing, but even with the reduction, his kids should receive a meaningful amount. In my case with 2 children, we ended up getting about 75% of what the full 50% per child would have been due to the family cap. Your brother has already fought so hard for 5 years to get his disability - don't let SSA's confusing system cost his children thousands in benefits they're entitled to. File those applications this week if possible!