Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for Children With Autism

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Entrusted Legacy Law

For more information about the author, click to view their website: Sharek Law Office LLC

Posted on

Apr 21, 2023

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Pennsylvania - Greater Pittsburgh Area

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In 2022, the cost of raising a child in the U.S. to age 17 was roughly $17,000 per year. For families of children with disabilities, that estimate runs far higher.


The costs of such necessities as health interventions and behavioral therapies, assistive technology, medications, child care, and sensory-friendly items can mean parents raising a child with autism to adulthood will pay about $60,000 annually, according to nonprofit Autism Speaks. Depending on the severity of the child’s disability, those costs can easily escalate further.


Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) who meet certain criteria outlined by the Social Security Administration (SSA) may be able to secure public benefits that can offset these costs to some degree.



What Is SSI?


Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is one such public benefits program. It is a federal assistance program that provides modest financial support in part to help families caring for children with disabilities. SSI is also a “means-based” program; to be eligible, the recipient’s resources cannot exceed extremely strict and specific limits. Note that the income and assets of the child’s parents can affect SSI eligibility.



Is Autism a Disability According to the SSA?


The Social Security Administration lists autism as a disability. Children with ASD could meet the SSA’s definition of disability, qualifying for SSI. Autism is a spectrum disorder affecting individuals differently. Eligibility depends on the severity of autism and how it affects a person’s abilities. For children and adults, the SSA lays out the medical criteria for determining whether individuals with autism can receive benefits.


The SSA recognizes youths with autism as disabled when they have medical documentation of deficits in verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction, as well as significantly restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities.

They must also have an extreme limitation in one, or marked limitation of two, of the following mental functioning domains:

  • Understanding, remembering, or applying information.

  • Interacting with others.

  • Concentrating, persisting, and maintaining pace.

  • Adapting or managing themselves.


When children with ASD receive SSI, they get a monthly payment that helps cover certain needs. In addition to using monthly payments to cover basic needs, families who may have limited resources can also use SSI to cover expenses related to autism, such as therapy, educational programs and summer camps, communication devices and sensory tools, and respite care.


Accessing Supplemental Security Income Benefits for Children With Autism


Children who meet the SSA’s disability criteria for autism must also have resources that fall under the SSA’s limits. The administration considers the income and resources of a child as well as family members. Even if a child spends time in a residential program, household members’ finances factor into the decision.


To access SSI benefits for a child with ASD, families need records to show that their child’s autism significantly impairs them. These records typically come from health care providers as well as schools.



How Much Does a Child With Autism Get From SSI?


In 2023, the maximum monthly benefit for SSI is $914 per individual. However, the amount of Supplemental Security Income that a child with autism can receive depends on numerous factors:

  • The child’s financial status, including the income and resources of parents and guardians; additional sources of income offset monthly Supplemental Security Insurance payments.

  • The child’s state of residence; states have different rules determining how much assistance they provide. Some states supply additional payments to SSI recipients to offset the cost of living.

In many states, children with ASD who receive SSI benefits are automatically eligible for Medicaid, a joint federal and state health insurance program for people with low incomes and limited resources. Other states have different eligibility rules for Medicaid, and SSI recipients may need to apply separately for Medicaid coverage.



How to Apply for SSI for a Child With Autism


Parents can apply for benefits for their children by taking the following steps.

  1. The first step is completing the Child Disability Report. This includes providing information about the child’s medical conditions, medical records, and education.

  2. After completing the Child Disability Report, you must contact the Social Security Administration to complete the application. The state agency decides whether the child is eligible for SSI.

  3. To make this decision, the agency reviews the information the applicant provides and conducts a disability interview. If needed, the agency can request additional evaluations at its expense.

It can take three to five months to receive a decision. Applicants can appeal if they disagree with the outcome.



Consult With an Attorney


If you are considering applying for SSI benefits for a child with autism, consider speaking with a special needs planning attorney. An attorney can guide you through the process, help you present a robust application, and address your unique needs.


Here at Sharek Law Office, we are qualified to help you and yours in special needs planning. Call us at 412-347-1731 or click here to schedule your free 15-minute introductory phone meeting to discuss tools like special needs trusts and ABLE accounts for you and yours.

 

This article is a service of Sharek Law Office, LLC. We don’t just draft documents; we ensure you make informed and empowered decisions about life and death, for yourself and the people you love. That's why we offer a Life and Legacy Planning Session, during which you will get more financially organized than you’ve ever been before, and make all the best choices for the people you love. You can begin by calling our office today to schedule a Life and Legacy Planning Session and mention this article to find out how to get this $750 session at no charge. Please note this is educational content only and is not intended to act as legal advice.

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Elder Law 100 Pinewood Lane Suite #303, Warrendale, Pennsylvania, 15086

Our Firm Prepares You for Life What makes our firm different is that we were built with the needs of growing families in mind. We understand you are BUSY, you are growing, you are planning for a life of prosperity and you value ease, convenience and efficiency. You are raising children, and caring for elderly parents, while also working hard to build your own nest egg for a lifetime of support. You want to know youve made the best decisions for your family and that your plan will work when your loved ones need it most. You want to make sure your minor children would be raised by the people you choose, and never by anyone you wouldnt want, and that your teens and adult children are properly prepared to care for you and what you leave behind.  You want to feel confident that youve made the right choices, and handled everything so that you arent leaving behind a mess, when something happens. That is our focus as well. Weve developed unique systems to give you the same access to a Personal Family Lawyer as was previously only available to the super-wealthy, so you can have the guidance you need to build and maintain a life of prosperity and wealth. And, to keep your family out of court and out of conflict, which is the greatest risk to the people you love and all you have created, even if youve already worked with a traditional lawyer or created documents online. Our Team Is Here for You We encourage communication with our clients. In fact, weve thrown out the time clocks so you never have to be afraid to call with a quick question. Everything we do is billed on a flat-fee basis, agreed to in advance, so there are never any surprises. We have a whole team to serve you. When you call our office to ask your quick question, you wont have to wait hours or days for a phone call back. Youll get your question answered, right away. And, if you need to schedule a more in-depth legal or strategic call with your Personal Family Lawyer, a call will be scheduled when you're both available and ready for the call so we can make the very best use of your time and not waste your time by leaving voicemail after voicemail back and forth. And, we ensure the most important details of your planning are followed through on and your plan continues to work throughout your lifetime. We have a funding coordinator to ensure your assets are owned the right way throughout your lifetime and none of your assets will end up going through a long, expensive court process or being lost to the state because they were missed after your death. Weve created unique membership programs to keep your plan up to date year in and year out as well as give you access to our Trusted Team of Legal Experts for guidance on ANY legal or financial matter. One day you will need a lawyer. I dont know why and I dont know when, but when you do, you will be grateful you can call on us and well be here to advise you or get you out of a jam. We Help You Transfer Your Life and Legacy Lastly, we believe your financial wealth is only a small part of your overall Life and Legacy Planning which is made up of your far more valuable and most often lost upon incapacity or death intellectual, spiritual and human assets. These assets are what make you who you are, and sum up whats most important to you. And, a survey of inheritors has revealed that what they care about even more than inheriting your money, is inheriting these intangible assets.   Most estate plans only focus on the transfer of your financial wealth to the next generation. Most people have such great intentions of passing on the intangible, but very few ever get around to it. Its just not a priority, until its too late. How much do you know about your grandparents values? Their most prized personal possessions? How they felt about you? What they had learned during their lifetime? If you are like most people, you know very little. Thats why we build the capture and passage of these most valuable assets into every estate plan we create. Not only will we help you pass on your money, but also your values, your insights, your stories and your experience the truly valuable assets your loved ones care about the most.  Weve developed a tool that allows us to capture and pass on your whole family wealth, including your Intellectual, Spiritual and Human assets.  I cant go into all of the details here, but well definitely talk about it when you come in for your Life and Legacy Planning Session.