ABA Family Legal Guide

The Rights of Older Americans

Social Security and Supplemental Security Income

Disability

If I become disabled, how long may my family get benefits?

If you are disabled, your unmarried children under age eighteen (or nineteen, if still in school full-time) may be eligible for benefits from Social Security. In addition, unmarried children over eighteen who are disabled also will be eligible. If your spouse is caring for a child who is either under sixteen or disabled, he or she may be eligible, as is a spouse who is sixty-two or older. In some cases, the disabled widow or widower or the divorced spouse of a deceased worker may become eligible for disability benefits. Check with your local Social Security Administration (SSA) for specific eligibility requirements.