Social Security’s Gift to Children is Security
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: March 17, 2021
This is the season of caring. No matter your religion or belief, December is also considered a time to focus on the children we love. Whether we’re wrapping Santa’s gifts, buying Hanukkah treats, decorating the house in celebration of Kwanzaa, or volunteering for a toy drive, children add joy to the holiday season. And we at Social Security definitely know a thing or two about helping children.
Often overlooked in the paperwork that prospective parents fill out in preparation for a child’s birth is an application for a Social Security number and card. Typically, the hospital will ask if you want to apply for a Social Security number for your newborn as part of the birth registration process. This is the easiest and fastest way to apply. The Social Security card typically arrives about a week to ten days after that little bundle of joy! You can learn about Social Security numbers for children by reading our publication, Social Security Numbers for Children.
A child needs a Social Security number if he or she is going to have a bank account, if a relative is buying savings bonds for the child, if the child will have medical coverage, or if the child will receive government services. You’ll also need a Social Security number for a child to claim him or her on your tax returns.
If you wait to apply, you will have to visit a Social Security office and you’ll need to:
- Complete an Application For a Social Security Card (Form SS-5);
- Show us original documents proving your child’s U.S. citizenship, age, and identity; and
- Show us documents proving your identity.
Remember, a child age 12 or older requesting an original Social Security number must appear in person for the interview, even though a parent or guardian will sign the application on the child’s behalf.
Children with disabilities are among our most vulnerable citizens. Social Security is dedicated to helping those with qualifying disabilities and their families through the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. To qualify for SSI:
- The child must have a physical or mental condition, or a combination of conditions, resulting in “marked and severe functional limitations.” This means that the condition(s) must severely limit your child’s activities;
- The child’s condition(s) must be severe, last for at least 12 months, or be expected to result in death;
- If your child’s condition(s) does not result in “marked and severe limitations,” or does not result in those limitations lasting for at least 12 months, your child will not qualify for SSI; and
- The child must not be working and earning more than $1,090 a month in 2015. (This amount usually changes every year.) If he or she is working and earning that much money, your child will not be eligible for benefits.
Learn the details about benefits for children by reading our publication, Benefits for Children with Disabilities.
Visit our Parents and Guardians page to learn more about all we do to care for children. Caring for the next generation is a central part of securing today and tomorrow, during the holidays and all year long.
Did you find this Information helpful?
Tags: Disability, Social Security card, SSI, supplemental security income
See CommentsAbout the Author
Jim Borland, Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Communications
Jim Borland, Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Communications
Comments
Comments are closed.
Jodi Z.
My grandson is 5 and does not talk, walk, or feed himself. He does however get disability but does not have a diagnosis yet. His mom works and he has 1 sister with another sister on the way. My question is…she has been receiving disability for him but received a letter today stating he won’t be receiving a check in March due to the fact that they ESTIMATED her pay to a certain amount. Which is way over then what she makes.. How can you ESTIMATE pay when it is the same almost every month? Please someone explain and help me understand so I can calm my daughter down and wants to stop his disability.
R.F.
We wish we could help Jodi, but for security reasons we do not have access to personal records in this blog. Your daughter should contact her local Social Security office as soon as possible, she should bring and provide copies of her most recent pay stubs. If she is unable to visit the local office, she can call our toll-free number at 1-800-772-1213 for assistance. Representatives are available between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Friday but you will generally have a shorter wait time if you call later in the day or later in the week. Thanks.
jim j.
Hi.
Pauline A.
January 4, 2017
To whom it may concern:
My daughter is an adult but she also has mental disabilities. She cannot leave her apartment or walk through the threshold. She can’t go outside of her house to check her mail. Neither can she throw her trash away. She hears voices who demand what she can or cannot do for her daily activities. I don’t know what to do to help her except pay her rent and help her buy her food once a week. She also won’t open her door for anyone.
Can you please tell me if I can assign my social security income to my daughter in the event of my death?
A.C.
Hi, Pauline. We are sorry to hear about your daughter’s condition. An adult who became disabled before age 22 may be able to receive benefits on a deceased parent’s record. See “Adults Disabled Before Age 22.” In addition to that information, keep in mind that we pay disability benefits to people who are unable to work because of a medical condition that is expected to last one year or more or to end in death. If you think that your daughter is disabled and meets our definition of disability, we encourage you to help her apply for disability benefits. Please call our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213 and ask a representative to assist you. Representatives are available Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Or you can contact your local Social Security office directly. For more information visit our “Frequently Asked Questions” web page on disability. Thank you.
tony
All they need is to visit the psychologist/psychiatrist a few times complaining of anxiety, depression, hearing voice, seeing thing, low IQ, or mood disorder to get that free SSI.
tony
I seen parents drag their lazy kids who are over 18 years old to the local Social Security office to apply for SSI. The parents income doesn’t matter after they turn 18.
They get free money each month and free college tuition when on SSI. It is better than a scholarship.
tony
The SSA better get ready for the massive amount of SSI and SSDI applications coming next year when the States tries to keep poor single adult on Medicaid after the Republicans repeal Obamacare. New York and other States will restart the Disability Advocate Services to get people back on Medicaid costing the SSA billions of dollars.
Jean
I dont understand alot wat going with ssi and ssd but i am scared … in 2017 but was reading online that they were going to cut people off starting sometime in April. . I am so worried that be homless no were to go … i called ssi office they told me they cant talk about it ….. this scarie cause leave people like us who are on trying to get it left out to dry …. i even tryed to open my account ss site and would let me … so i can see if there change or that … i am worried sick ..
R.F.
Hi Jean. Currently, there have been no changes to the Social Security programs. According to the Social Security Board of Trustees, the combined assets of the Social Security trust funds are projected to be depleted in 2034. If Congress does not act before then, there will only be sufficient income coming in to pay 79 percent of scheduled benefits. For more information, please visit https://www.ssa.gov/OACT/TR/2016/index.html. We hope this information helps.
Arturo R.
Ridiculous to blame Obama for this oversight. ?If you are waiting for the president elect Trumps to correct this, big surprise is around the corne. He and his cronies are waiting to rid social security through their privatetizion plan.
Jean
Yes he was making fun out of people with disability …. the people he picked are the ones who dont what the programs ssi and ssd … this just my thought. . I am so worried i dont if just start being homeless because this take place … regardless how we all feel. They dont care about us they got money and they will be ok and so will there families.
Tony S.
Social Security Amendments of January 1, 2017 HA-1-1-17 http://www.title24uscode.org/ss2017.htm
To make insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (iddm) and orphan qualifying disabilities for SSDI or $777 mo. SSI (2018).
To legislate a 2.4% DI tax rate to pay for a 6% COLA for calendar year 2017 and 2.2% DI tax rate and 3% COLA every year thereafter.
To amend the DI tax rate from 1.80% in 2015, to 2.37% in 2016, to 2.40% in 2017, to 2.20% in 2018 to when all the Baby Boomer shall have retired. To increase the 0.9% DI tax in 2015 to 1.2% DI tax for employees and employers in 2017 and 1.1% in 2018 under Sec. 201(b)(1)(S) of the Social Security Act 42USC(7)II§401.
To amend the OASI tax rate from 10.60% in 2015, to 10.03% in 2016, to 10.00% in 2017 and 10.20% in 2018 and thereafter to prevent the DI fund from being depleted and OASI Trust Fund from premature deficit. To increase the 5.30% OASI tax in 2015 to 5.00% in 2017, to 5.10% in 2018, for employees and employers without increasing the overall 12.4% OASDI under 26USC§3101 and 26USC(C)(21)(A)§3111 (as hacked in 2016) or 15.3% OASDI and Hospital Insurance (HI) Federal Insurance Contribution Act tax-rate under 26USC(A)(2)§1401.
To pay a 3% Cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) 2017 and 3% COLA every year thereafter to protect benefit determination from attrition by average estimated inflation of 2.6% in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) under Sec. 215(i) of the Social Security Act 42USC§415(i).
Tony S.
Social Security Amendments of January 1, 2017
To end poverty by 2020
Title 1 Summer Solstice Instructions
Section 1 Annual Reports
To amend Annual Reports Sec. 1161 of Title 11 of the Social Security Act 42USC(7)XI-B§1320c-10 to change the due date from April 1 to summer solstice (June 20-21). There is a July 16 deadline for congressional budget submissions for the new fiscal year beginning October 1 under 31USC§1106.
Section 2 Two Year Term and Maximum Benefits for Commissioner
1. To amend the term of Commissioner from 6 to 2 years under Sec. 702(a)(3) of the Social Security Act 42USC(7)VII§902. To append ‘and/or maximum allowable disability and retirement for life’ at the end of (a)(2).
2. The 2017 Social Security Changes Fact Sheet states the maximum benefit for a worker retiring at full retirement age grew 1.8% from $2,639 mo. (2016) to $2,687 mo. (2017). Inflation in maximum benefit (2.5%) should grow slower than (3%) normal benefits so more survivors receive the maximum benefit.
Title 2 Disability Insurance Reallocation Tax
Section 3 Disability Insurance Tax Rate
1. To amend the DI tax rate from 1.80% in 2015, to 2.37% in 2016, to 2.40% in 2017, to 2.20% in 2018 when the Baby Boomers shall retire. The Actuary has the peculiar disability of never having calculated the correct OASDI tax rate. 1.80% after 2018 provided by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 is insufficient for existing benefits and must actually and legislatively be instantly corrected from 2.37% (2015-2018) to 2.4% (2017). The disability rate should stabilize at 2.20% in the intermediate term to allow for growth in compassionate allowances for adult orphan and insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) workers who have contributed to the OASDI Trust Fund.
a. To increase the 0.9% DI tax in 2015 to 1.2% DI tax for employees and employers in 2017 and 1.1% in 2018 for printing on pay-stubs under Sec. 201(b)(1)(S) of the Social Security Act 42USC(7)II§401.
Section 4 Old Age Survivor Insurance Tax Rate
(1) To amend the OASI tax rate from 10.60% in 2015, to 10.03% in 2016, to 10.00% in 2017 and 10.20% in 2018 and thereafter to prevent the DI fund from being depleted and OASI Trust Fund from premature deficit.
(2) To decrease the 5.30% OASI tax in 2015 to 5.00% in 2017, to 5.10% in 2018, for employees and employers without increasing the overall 12.4% OASDI under 26USC§3101 and 26USC§3111 (as hacked in 2016) or 15.3% OASDI and Hospital Insurance (HI) Federal Insurance Contribution Act tax-rate under 26USC(A)(2)§1401.
Title 3 Cost-of-Living Annuity
Section 5 Three Percent Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA)
To pay beneficiaries a three percent (3%) annual COLA to grow faster than average annual consumer price inflation of 2.7% under Section 215(i) of the Social Security Act 42USC(7)§415(i).
Section 6 3% Annual Raise in Federal Minimum Wage and Welfare Benefits
1. To legislate an automatic minimum wage increase of not more or less than 3% annual growth, that should be affordable to employers so that irregular large increases in federal minimum wage do not result in layoffs due to private labor budget constraints, rounded to the nearest nickel, from $7.25 an hour in 2016, to $7.50 in 2017, to $7.75 an hour in 2018 and 8.00 in 2019 etc.’ in one final sentence at 29USC§206(a)(1)(D).
2. Cash welfare programs, TANF, SSI, OASDI etc., should budget for a 3% COLA to stay ahead of inflation, plus, in normal years beneficiary population growth of >1%, >104% of previous years costs. Federal spending on in-kind welfare programs like food stamps and housing assistance should grow 3% annually so population growth + average benefit growth = 3%.
3. Education and health are often considered welfare but overspending, particularly on health care, calls for regulation. Education spending growth, that fluctuates wildly, should be stabilized from the accurate year of FY 2017 at a rate of 3%, but US education spending is the second highest in the world, and the budget has fluctuated so wildly a 2.5% rate of growth is recommended until at least 2020. Health inflation needs be reduced to 2.5% until 2030 or when national health expenditures is less than 10% of GDP.
4. Agency non-welfare and infrastructure spending is expected to grow around 102.5%. Raises in administrative, managerial and professional wages are estimated % raise + % new employees = 2.5%.
Title 4 Maternity Leave
Section 7 Unemployment Compensation for 14 Weeks of Maternity Leave
To amend Demonstration Projects to ‘Maternity leave’ Section 305 of the Social Security Act 42USC§505.
(a) Although pregnant women can work until they go into labor the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Maternity Leave Convention No. 183 (2000) prescribes 14 weeks of paid maternity leave. To expedite the reemployment of individuals who have established a benefit year to claim unemployment compensation under State law the Secretary of Labor shall pay for 14 weeks of maternity leave.
(1) Childbirth is the most impoverishing part of household size adjusted poverty line for families. Child poverty is higher in the United States than any other industrialized nation. Child poverty has been growing since 10 million family benefits were cut 1996-2000.
(2) Employers shall provide at least 3 weeks of paid (sick) leave annually to uphold the Holiday with Pay ILO Convention No. 132 (1970).
(b) On production of a medical certificate, stating the presumed date of childbirth, a woman shall be entitled to a period of maternity leave of not less than 14 weeks. Cash benefits shall be provided at a level which ensures that the woman can maintain herself and her child in proper conditions of health and with a suitable standard of living.
(1) Where a woman does not meet the conditions to qualify for cash benefits under national laws and regulations or in any other manner consistent with national practice, she shall be entitled to adequate benefits out of social assistance funds, subject to the means test required for eligibility for benefits from the use of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) grants under Sec. 404 of Title IV-A of the Social Security Act 42USC§604 and/or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Program for the Aged, Blind and Disabled under Sec. 1611 of Title XVI of the Social Security Act 42USC§1382.
(2) Medical benefits shall be provided for the woman and her child. Medical benefits shall include prenatal, childbirth and postnatal care, as well as hospitalization care when necessary.
Title 5 Health Annuity
Section 8 To repeal Affordable Care Act refundable premiums and cost-sharing reductions
To protect Streamlining of procedures for enrollment through an exchange and state medicaid, CHIP and health subsidy programs 42USC§18083 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and repeal the rest of Subchapter 4 Affordable Coverage Choices for All Americans Parts A & B 42USC§18071-18084 in order to abolish the refundable premium and cost-sharing reductions for the relief of the Treasury budget since January 1, 2016.
Section 9 Two-and-a-half percent health annuity rule reimbursements from January 1, 2016
(1) To legislate a 2.5% health annuity so ACA and other private health insurance corporations reimburse consumers with cash or credit for the consumer overpayment of the price-gouging 20% ACA premium increase from January 1, 2016.
(2) If Medicare doesn’t reimburse beneficiaries for the 20% SMI premium inflation in 2016, down from a request of 50%, in 2016 in cash or credit, Medicare will have to be abolished and social security beneficiaries and taxpayers over the age of 65 will be automatically eligible for free Medicaid health insurance policies and will not have to pay any health insurance premiums at all.
(a) With no COLA 2016 beneficiaries are due overpayment of $104.90 SMI premium (2015) and 0.3% COLA 2017 for overpaying 0.25% premium growth to $105.20 in 2017. With a 3% COLA in 2017 SMI premiums would increase 2.5% to $107.50 as should have occurred in 2016 under Sec. 1840 of the Social Security Act 42USC§1395s.
(3) The Amount of Premiums Section 1839 of Title XVII of the Social Security Act 42USC§1395r(a) should be amended to be true to the one-third of cost paid for with Medicare premiums rule in effect rather than the fifty percent of cost advertised in the un-regulatory law, so:
(a) The monthly actuarial rate for enrollees age 65 and over shall be equal with all people who would otherwise be eligible for Medicare Part B because they are Old Age Survivor Disability Insurance (OASDI) beneficiaries. The premium is designed to afford one-third of the total of the benefits and administrative costs estimated to be payable per capita from the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund for services performed and related administrative costs incurred in such calendar year with respect to such enrollees and any credit due.
(i) Provided, and in proportion, with a 3% cost-of-living annuity for low income social security beneficiaries, there shall be a 2.5% increase in SMI premium. The inflation adjustment of the monthly premium of each individual enrolled is calculated from the premium price of $104.90 in 2015 rounded to the nearest 5 cents.
(ii) The SMI deductible was $147 in 2015.
(iii) The Drug benefit deductible was $320 in 2015. In the Drug program the initial benefit limit and catastrophic threshold, rounded to the nearest dollar, of $2,960 and $4,700 in 2015 respectively.
(iv) The 2.5% health annuity rule applies equally to negotiations with private health insurance programs, health care providers, medical supply and social security beneficiaries with a three percent COLA. National health expenditures must go down from the high estimate of 17.5% of GDP in 2016 and a 2.5% health annuity will reduce spending to <10% of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2025.
Sections 10-24 being edited for January 1, 2017 guidance. The SMI premium negotiation has been updated to more accurately explain the 3% COLA for 2.5% health annuity harmless deal. Please get the 3% COLA right from the first of 2017.