Question about disability for anyone who may know

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
My son is now eighteen and we are applying for disability. It is quite clear he is not going to be able to be 100% independent.

Does anyone know how much the disability payment is? I realize all states are different, but I want to get an estimate. Sonic wants to stay at home for now and that's fine with us. We are older parents though and we worry about a time when maybe he can't. We do hope he can also get placed in a job to help supplement social security, but can't help worrying. After all....he is still our baby. And he's such a sweet young man. Honestly, he is too naive and child like to live and work "out there" without a caseworker helping him a little bit. He could easily become somebody's victim.

Hub and I are hoping to leave this world secure that our angel is going to be taken care of. So we sort of would like to know, from those who have been there, what we may be looking at for our son. I would love to say his siblings would take him in, but that's easier said than done...they will all have t heir own families and two live out of state. He wants to live here, where he knows everybody and they all know him.

How much of a payment do they give our disabled young adults? And what else are they offered? I'd rather hear the truth from a parent than from some beaurocrat, at least at first.
 

JJJ

Active Member
Payment is roughly $675 but that will be reduced since he will be living with you. My guess is he'll get roughly $500. Depending on your local rates, you may be able to charge him fair market rent, then he would get the higher amount. He should also get to stay on Medicaid and may qualify for food stamps.
 

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
Depends on the household income. Travis would be eligible for about 700.00 (based also on what he's paid in and husband has paid in) but the household income was also low. I was a bit surprised, but that's what the CW told us. I've got to have him call them monday and set up his appointment to start the process again. They have all the necessary paperwork, he just has to re-file. I got that off the cw while I had her on the phone for death benefits because I couldn't get husband to get the darn process started. (we first filed for him as a minor)
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
Thanks.
Well, our income is low too. We intend on charging him a little rent, not a lot, maybe $200 a month or less. We want to get him used to some rent because even in subsidized housing he will have to pay something.

He has never had social security before. We always had an adoption subsidy. We still do and it's more than we'd get through social security, but hub and I are thinking that it's better to get Sonic "in the system" then to continue his adoption subsidy so if he is granted SSI, we will cut it off.
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
MWM...arent you on disability? SSDI? Not SSI? If you are on SSDI, Sonic will be able to collect benefits under your account too as a child disabled under the age of 22. Now he will probably get a smaller amount and also get SSI along with it which will leave him open to get Medicaid as well as Medicare. That is pretty much for the best. Medicaid will kick in for all the copays and pay his part b and d payments. He wont have a donut hole. Have no idea if he has enough medication to hit that but I do. I would be lost without medicaid to keep me out of the donut hole.

As far as him paying rent, you can take your basic monthly expenses: rent, electric, cable, gas and any other fixed household expenses and divide them by the number of people living in the home. That would be his portion of rent. Cory's averaged out to $200- $250 at my house. Then he had his non-fixed expenses such as clothing, entertainment, food, car rides, cigarettes, anything else he wanted to do.
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
Thanks, Janet.
Sonic does get a subisy from my SSDI, but he gets cut off at 19. And it's a lot smaller than he'd get on his own and he really DOES need to start learning how to manage his own money. God help him, but he has no clue!

We are going for legal guardianship with Sonic's wholehearted support...he is not ready to make his own decisions. I have no idea if our getting legal guardianship would affect his SSI. Not that this a rushed thing. I hear it takes three attempts to apply for SSI before ANYONE is ever granted it and then you have a chance the fourth time you apply. So it could take a few years.
 

buddy

New Member
Thanks, Janet.
Sonic does get a subisy from my SSDI, but he gets cut off at 19. And it's a lot smaller than he'd get on his own and he really DOES need to start learning how to manage his own money. God help him, but he has no clue!

We are going for legal guardianship with Sonic's wholehearted support...he is not ready to make his own decisions. I have no idea if our getting legal guardianship would affect his SSI. Not that this a rushed thing. I hear it takes three attempts to apply for SSI before ANYONE is ever granted it and then you have a chance the fourth time you apply. So it could take a few years.

I thought that too, but I filled out my-I was his Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) and case manager- part of the forms for one student I had and he got it first try. He had Aspergers and very limited problems. He is in gifted and talented programs now in highschool. HMMM????
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
Wow, buddy. Thanks. I guess I'll be prepared.

When I applied for disability, I did it only to be eligible for job placement services. To be eligible, you have to apply for SSDI first. I never dreamed I'd get it. It never crossed my mind. Yet I got in on the first try, without even planning on it. So I guess one has to be prepared.
 

ctmom05

Member
To chime in here; somebody without a history of work of their own could qualify for SSI, but not Social Secutiry Disability payments. SSI does not come with built-in health insurance benefits like SSD does(after 24 months).

You will learn a lot as you go forward with the application process. There's lots of info on the SS web site for reference. You also have the benefit of knowledgeable folks here:)

My husband became disabled in 2008, and was granted on the first try with SSD. Our youngest was getting SSI. Yes, the $ do help - and SS can serve as documentation for other federal, state, or regional programs.

Good luck with the process .. .. ..
 

Steely

Active Member
What is the difference between SSI and SSDI? Obviously SSDI is because one has a disability - but what qualifies one for SSI?
 
N

Nomad

Guest
If your child has more than one disability and a lot of documentation, I have heard it usually only takes two attempts. The first attempt is almost always a "no." The second attempt, especially if you go with an attorney, is often a yes.

What JJJ said sounds about right to me in terms of the numbers, although, I understand it is generally not ok to have the recipient living in your home and there is a chance that their check might be reduced more than you realize if you go this route. It is probably best to double and triple check this if this is your plan and the monies are vital.
 

ctmom05

Member
In our experience, the best information came from talking to someone on the phone at our local Social Security office, not the 1-800 #
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
I can't afford a lawyer. It's not worth it. My son gets a nice subsidy for now and we're just doing the SS to get him involved in the system.

His main diagnosis is autistic spectrum disorder, which is not a guarantee. I know...sad.
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
MWM...you do not pay a lawyer. You apply first yourself and if he is turned down, then you either look in the phone book for a lawyer that says they specialize in social security law or you pick one off tv that advertises that they win their cases...someone like Binder and Binder. I assume they are national since I saw their commercials here, VA and OH. The lawyer takes his fee out of back pay the person receives when they win...if they win. If they dont win, they get dont get paid. Also they can only get so much money...up to like 5300 or 25%...whichever is lower. It is capped at the 5300. But if he only got 10K they would only get 25% of that not 5300. You dont pay a lawyer upfront.
 
N

Nomad

Guest
What Janet said is what I have heard as well. Especially if you have concerns that you might not win or it might take a long time, going with one of these attorneys is probably a very good idea (after trying first on your own.)

They take a percentage of the back pay and I understand they almost always (ALWAYS) win...you might ask them what percentages of cases like these they win, etc. and the first time (perhaps all the times) you meet with them is likely free.

Our difficult child had two clear cut medical situations and she was approved first go around without an attorney. We were told by EVERYONE that this happens perhaps one in a million applications. It is very very rare. We had over ten years of documentation and her doctors sent letters. We were told that people with advanced cancer are often turned down. Anyway, I am very VERY grateful.

I have seen on other websites and heard from others that although it can be a little hard (especially at first), appeals are often won eventually and with a good attorney, it is VERY VERY likely that an applicatant with a legimate medical condition will win.

If you feel strongly about this (and I know you do), hang in there. Those receiving disability can still work up to a certain amount per month, etc. It is very helpful all around.
 

buddy

New Member
I was told too that if you child is already state certified as disabled then it likely will go much smoother. My son has been certified as permanently disabiled in the state for the last 5 years. I too have adoption assistance so am sticking with that until he is 21 because as long as I care for him it is a specific given amount I can count on. I never know if I am going to work or whatever and it is not income dependent. Once he is not eligible for the adoption assistance, we will switch. I will apply starting before it ends to ry to avoid an overlap. I hope it goes thru when the time comes. I do go to the ARC life long planning seminars and there is great support there for applying for this stuff. Our local one is even a satelite site to apply for MA
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
I never heard that, buddy. He has an IEP at school, but that's it.

I am not in a rush. I can wait. He is getting a nice subsidy from Illinois (where we adopted him from) until he is 21 and they are also supplying Medicaid until then, even if he graduates this year (he can go until 21, but I don't expect him to want to do that). The benefit of social security is that it opens the door to other services. So while we are not in a rush, eventually we want him to get it.
 
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