Benefits

Benefits

An adult or child with a disability with little to no income and resources

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
SSI is for people with disabilities or who are 65 or older with little to no income and resources.

To qualify for SSI benefits: 

  • The individual must be completely disabled and 
  • The individual must not have adequate other means of support. An individual cannot have more than $2,000 in savings/ resources. A family cannot have more than $3,000 in savings/resources. 

Note: New applications can take between 3-6 months or even longer. First time applicants are often denied. Hiring an attorney to help with an appeal is often needed.

An adult with a disability who has been employed for at least 10 years

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)

SSDI is designed to protect workers against the loss of ability to earn an income due to complete disability. SSDI pays a monthly benefit to people who have: 

  • Worked at a job during which they paid into the Social Security system in the past ten years. 
  • Worked a certain number of years in a job where they paid Social Security taxes (FICA) taxes. 
  • Demonstrated they are unable to perform any work which you have previously performed 
  • Proved that there is no work available for which they could be trained given their age, education level and degree of physical and mental fitness. 

Note: New applications can take six months to one year and once approved is given, there is an additional five months wait before benefits go into effect.

An adult child with a disability, whose parent is retired or receives SSDI

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
To qualify for SSDI as a Disabled Adult Child (DAC), the individual:

  • Must be unmarried, 
  • 18 years old or older, and 
  • Have become disabled before turning 22 years old. 

To qualify to receive benefits, the parent of the DAC must be: 

  • deceased,
  • receiving Social Security retirement benefits, 
  • or be receiving SSDI benefits. 

A DAC does not need to be a biological child of the qualifying parent. A stepchild, grandchild, and step grandchildren may also qualify, provided the parent or grandparent was their legal guardian. 

Note: A Social Security advocate or attorney can help navigate and better understand the entire application and review process and may increase your chances of receiving benefits.

A low-income adult or child with a disability in need of medical benefits

Medicaid
Medicaid provides free or low cost medical benefits to:

  • People with disabilities, 
  • Low-income families, 
  • Qualified pregnant women, 
  • Children, and 
  • Individuals receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI). 

Medicaid provides a broad level of health insurance coverage, including doctor visits, hospital expenses, nursing home care, home health care, and the like. Medicaid also covers long-term care costs, both in a nursing home and at home care. Medicaid waivers allow for Medicaid dollars to be used for in-home care and assistance to allow people to live independently. 

Note: New applications can take 45 days for approval and requires the individuals has established residency in the state. Medicaid benefits do not necessarily transfer from state to state.

An adult receiving SSDI in need of medical benefits

Medicare

Medicare provides medical health insurance to people under 65 with certain disabilities and any age with end-stage renal disease. Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) helps pay for inpatient hospital stays, stays in skilled nursing facilities, surgery, hospice care and even some home health care. Medicare Part B (medical insurance) helps pay for doctors’ visits, outpatient care, some preventive services, and some medical equipment and supplies. 

Note: New applications can take 24 months and that is after they begin receiving SSDI. 

A veteran

VA Disability Compensation
A monthly tax-free benefit available to veterans with a service-related disability and an “other than dishonorable” discharge.

Special Monthly Compensation (SMC)
Paid in addition to the regular VA Disability Compensation to veterans who suffered the loss or loss of use of certain organs or extremities.

Permanent Disability Retirement
Available for individuals with 20 or more years of service and a permanent disability; or individuals with a permanent disability rated at least 30% that was incurred while in the line of duty, Permanent disability is also available to individuals with preexisting condition permanent disabilities who served for 8 years or more.

Temporary Disability Retirement
Given when the medical injury in not permanent in nature, yet the service member will be unable to perform military duties during the interim.

Disability Severance Pay
A lump sum payment given when the individual has an injury that is less than 30 percent and for those that have not been in the service for 20 years, or those with less than 20 years in the service and an injury that was incurred in the line of duty.  

A spouse, parent or child of a veteran

Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC)
A tax-free monetary benefit paid to eligible survivors of military Service members who died in the line of duty or eligible survivors of Veterans whose death resulted from a service-related injury or disease.

Parents’ Dependency and Indemnity Compensation 
A tax-free income-based monthly benefit for the parent(s) of military Service members who died in the line of duty or Veterans whose death resulted from a service-related injury or disease.

The Survivors Pension
A tax-free monetary benefit payable to a low- income, un-remarried surviving spouse and/or unmarried child(ren) of a deceased Veteran with wartime service.

Benefits for Veterans’ Children with Birth Defects
Available to children who have spina bifida or certain other birth defects and are biological children of Veterans with qualifying service in Vietnam or Korea may be eligible for a range of VA benefits, starting with compensation, a monthly monetary allowance based on the child’s degree of disability.

Reporting Representative Payee

  • FAX: (410) 597-0118
  • Telephone: (800) 269-0271 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time
  • TTY: (866) 501-2101