By Chris Sharry on October 2nd, 2024 in Disability Children
How Does “Deeming” Work for a Child?
If a child is under age 18, not married, and lives at home with parent(s) who do not receive SSI benefits, Social Security (SSA) may consider a portion of the parents’ income and resources as if they were available to the child. This is called “deemed income”. SSA may also count a portion of a stepparent’s income and resources if the child lives with both a parent and a stepparent (or an adoptive parent and a stepparent). They also do this when a child is temporarily away at school, returns home during weekends, on holidays, or during the summer and remains subject to parental control. This process is called “deeming.”
Social Security will make deductions from deemed income for parents and for other children living in the home. After these deductions are subtracted, the remaining amount is used to decide if the child meets the SSI income and resource requirements for a monthly benefit.
When Does Deeming Not Apply?
Deeming from the parent stops when a child attains age 18, marries, or no longer lives with a parent. Deeming does not apply, and we may pay up to $30 plus the applicable State supplement when:
- a child with a disability receives a reduced SSI benefit while in a medical treatment facility; and
- the child is eligible for Medicaid under a State home care plan; and
- deeming would otherwise cause ineligibility for SSI benefits.
Also, Social Security will not consider the income of a parent for deeming purposes if the parent receives a Public Income Maintenance payment (PIM) such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and their other income was used to compute the PIM payment.
If you have any questions regarding your child’s SSI disability claim, please contact Attorney Christopher Sharry for a free consultation.
