Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) – Auxiliary Beneficiaries

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits may be paid directly to a disabled worker or another person may draw benefits as a result of that worker. Auxiliary beneficiaries encompass dependency and survivor benefits that first require a wage earner who met entitlement requirements. The following are types of auxiliary beneficiaries:

1. Spousal insurance benefits: The spouse can be covered on the wage earner spouse’s account if the following are met:

a. The wage earner is disabled, retired, or blind under the Title II;

b. the claimant filed a proper application;

c. the claimant and wage earner are married or certain conditions met for divorcees; and

d. the claimant is 62 years or older or has a child under age 16 receiving child’s insurance benefits from the same wage earner or the child is disabled; and

e. the claimant is not entitled to old-age or disability benefits equal to or greater than one-half of the wage earner’s disability or retirement insurance benefits.

2. Widow’s or widower’s insurance benefits: The widow or widowers of a deceased wage earner can be covered on the wage earner spouse’s account if the following are met:

a. The claimant and wage earner were married or had a child under age 18 while married and spouse has not remarried;

b. the claimant is not entitled to old-age or disability benefits equal to or greater than one-half of the wage earner’s disability or retirement insurance benefits;

c. the claimant is 60 or above or between 50 and 59 and disabled under Title II, or has care of child under age 16 receiving child’s insurance benefits from the same wage earner or the child is disabled.

3. Child’s insurance benefits: Children can receive benefits on the account of a wage earner if that wage earner is disabled, blind, retired, or deceased. The child can earn the benefits up to age 18, or 19 if the child is a full-time student, and unmarried and dependent. Additionally, a child that became disabled before attaining age 22 and was dependent on the wage earner can earn under the wage earner’s account. These are called Disabled Adult Child (DAC) benefits. The regulations on child’s insurance benefits contain provisions for legitimate and illegitimate children, adopted children, grandchildren, etc.

4. Parent benefits: The parent or parents of a deceased wage earner can be covered on the wage earner’s account if the following are met:

a. if the wage earner was fully insured at the time of death;

b. the parent(s) have reach age 62;

c. the parent is not entitled to any retirement benefit that is equal to or larger than the parent’s benefit available on the wage earner’s account; and

d. the parent was receiving at least one-half support form the wage earner at the time of death of the wage earner.

To learn about proving limitations in a disability claim, click here.

If you need more information about a Social Security Disability/SSI, personal injury, EEOICPA, long or short-term disability, VA disability, Railroad Retirement Board disability, or a workers compensation matter, please contact the Law Offices of Tony Farmer and John Dreiser for a free case evaluation. We can be reached at (865) 584-1211 or (800) 806-4611 or through our website. Our office handles claims throughout Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, North Carolina, and Georgia.