If your child is disabled and under the age of 18, you might be entitled to benefits under some circumstances. However, you will need to talk to a disability benefits specialist if you're not sure if you will be able to qualify.
How to Prove That You Qualify
To be entitled to benefits for your child's disability, you will need to prove that you are a household that has limited resources. You must also prove that the condition that your child is suffering from will last at least a year or will lead to your child passing away. Your child will need to be either blind or disabled.
To receive compensation for benefits, you will need to present medical evidence that your child is disabled. If the US government does not believe that it has enough evidence to prove that your child is disabled, they may request that your child undergo an independent examination to confirm that they are disabled.
They will also take into account a portion of your income when determining if your child should be eligible for benefits. If you are concerned about whether your income will affect your ability to obtain benefits, it's important to bring this up with a disability lawyer.
The First Steps When Applying for Disability Benefits
You will need to fill out a disability report where you will include all the information that is needed to prove that your child is disabled. Then, you may be required to participate in an interview.
You will be sent a letter that will inform you of the decision and the steps you should take if you wish to appeal the decision. If you decide to appeal the decision, you will want to do this with the help of a disability attorney. The last thing you want is to apply in the same manner and simply have your appeal denied. Then, it will be much harder to obtain the benefits that your child needs.
How to Expedite Benefits
If your child is obviously disabled, you may be able to have your benefits expedited under the compassionate allowances program. This is to take into account that your child might pass away before you are able to take advantage of benefits that could go toward their care.
The compassionate allowances program is carried out using a software program that is able to identify if your child has a disability that is highly detrimental.