McClatchy Newspapers

McClatchy Newspapers

Q. My 20-year-old daughter has a severe congenital disability. I worry about what could happen once my wife and I have passed away. Can she get disability benefits without having ever worked?

A. If a parent dies, gets disability benefits or starts receiving retirement benefits, an adult child disabled before age 22 may be eligible for benefits on the parent’s account. We consider this to be a “child’s” benefit because it is paid on a parent’s Social Security earnings record. Another safety net for this type of situation is the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. SSI provides monthly payments to people who have little or no income and who don’t own many things, and who are blind, disabled or 65 years or older. For more information, visit our Web site at www.socialsecurity.gov or call us toll-free at (800) 772-1213 (TTY [800] 325-0778).

Q. How does Social Security decide if I am disabled?

A. For Social Security to consider you disabled, you must be unable to do work you did before and we must decide that you cannot adjust to other work because of a disabling condition. Also, your disability must last or be expected to last for at least one year or to result in death. Social Security pays only for total disability. Read the online publication, Disability Benefits, at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10029.html. You can apply for disability online at www.socialsecurity.gov or call us toll-free at (800) 772-1213 (TTY [800] 325-0778).