Childhood Disability Benefits

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) requires a beneficiary to have a work history before they are eligible to collect this benefit. Did you know that some people are eligible for SSDI even when they have very little or no work history? Read on to learn more!

Childhood Disability Benefits

Childhood Disability Benefits (CDB) used to be called Disabled Adult Child (DAC) benefits, so you may hear either name being used, but it all refers to the same benefit. CDB is a type of SSDI, so just like other types of SSDI, it has no resource limit and comes with Medicare. To be eligible for CDB, a beneficiary needs to be unmarried, at least 18 years old, and have a disability that began before they turned 22. The beneficiary also needs to have a parent who is either deceased, receiving SSDI, or receiving Social Security Retirement benefits because the benefit is based on their parent’s work history.

Transitioning from SSI to CDB

When someone first applies for disability benefits, if they meet the eligibility requirements for CDB, including having a parent who is deceased, disabled, or retired, it will be the benefit they are awarded. A beneficiary who is unmarried, became disabled before they were 22, and has no or little work history will receive SSI if they don’t have a parent who is deceased, disabled or retired. However, once a parent passes away or becomes disabled or retires, their benefit could then switch from SSI to CDB. If the CDB benefit is less than the SSI maximum, then they will get both SSI and CDB and their combined benefit total will be the SSI maximum + $20 ($994 + $20 = $1,014 in 2026).

Health Insurance and CDB

All CDB beneficiaries are eligible for Medicare after receiving CDB benefits for two years. If you receive CDB and SSI, you will have both Medicare and Medicaid.

A Special Medicaid Rule

When a beneficiary starts out receiving SSI and then loses that SSI because they were switched to CDB, there is a special rule that allows them to keep their Medicaid as long as they remain under the $2,000 resource limit. This rule only applies to beneficiaries who lose SSI because they became eligible for CDB. If you didn’t receive SSI immediately before becoming eligible for CDB and need Medicaid, you can pursue another path to Medicaid in Washington or Oregon.

If you need help understanding your Childhood Disability Benefits, a Certified Benefits Planner at Northwest Access Fund can help!