How Does Child Support Affect My Disabled Child’s SSI After They Turn 18?
As a parent of a disabled child approaching adulthood, you may be wondering how child support payments will affect their Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The simple answer is "yes"—child support does reduce your child’s SSI benefits. Here's how it works: Child support payments ordered by a court are considered income for the child under the SSI program, even if the payments go directly to the other parent. While your child is under 22 and still attending school, one-third of the child support payments are excluded from SSI calculations, meaning two-thirds are counted as income. However, once your child turns 22, the entire child support payment is counted dollar for dollar, reducing their SSI benefit. Are There Ways to Receive Child Support Without Affecting SSI? Thankfully, there are strategies to receive child support without negatively impacting your child’s SSI benefits. Here are some options: 1. Assign Child Support to a Special Needs Trust You can assig...