Child Disability
Child Disability Lawyers in Ohio
The Social Security Administration (SSA) administers a disability benefits program for children who are younger than 18 years of age. Known as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Title 16, the program distributes regular cash payments to support the care and well-being of a disabled child. A parent or legal guardian handles the funds under strict rules, but the payments are made to and for the child. Our Child Disability Attorneys specialize in helping you understand the sometimes-complex SSA system.
To Qualify for SSI As a Child, the Individual Named As the Claimant Must
- Be unmarried;
- Not be the head of a household;
- Be younger than 18 years of age, or younger than 22 years of age if they are consistently enrolled in an educational program;
- Be blind or disabled; and
- Live in a household with low income and few financial resources.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) look to three questions to determine whether a child is disabled and eligible to receive SSI payment:
- Is the child earning less than ‘substantial gainful activity’ (meaning the threshold for gross monthly income).
- Does the child have a medically determinable impairment (determined by medical and mental health records)
- Does the child’s medical impairment cause marked and severe functional limitations?
- SSA Listings of Impairment for children are located find it here.
Note: In most cases, a child will only be approved to receive SSI benefits if the symptoms of their medical impairment have or will persist for more than a year – or will result in the child’s death.
How to Apply for SSI Benefits for a Child Right Now
If you believe your child has a physical or mental health impairment, you may file an application for SSI benefits on their behalf at your local Social Security office or complete an SSI application online and start the process over the phone.
Get In Touch With Ohio’s Top Child Disability Attorneys
As Social Security disability lawyers based in Columbus, Ohio, attorneys with Agee Clymer are available to answer your questions. We encourage claimants to prepare and submit applications on their own, but we invite anyone whose claim for SSI benefits for their child has been denied to contact us to discuss their options for appealing the rejection.
You can schedule a free consultation by calling (614) 221-3318 or schedule an appointment online.