Various claims fall under Social Security. If you have a disabled child, you might be concerned about your child’s well-being as you age and move toward retirement. In this situation, filing a Disabled Adult Child claim under Social Security can help. Disabled Adult Child (DAC) claims are for disabled children and tie into their parent’s benefits. We’ll dive into what a DAC claim entails, eligibility, if it is a possible avenue for you and your child, and how to file on their behalf.

DAC Details

Disabled Adult Child claims are for adults that have a disability that began before they turned 22 years old. As an adult, they get benefits under their parent’s earnings record, whether that parent is on retirement benefits or disability insurance, through Social Security. 

Whether or not the child received SSI benefits, they can still file a DAC claim as an adult. With a successful DAC claim, higher benefits might be payable, and entitlement to Medicare might be possible.

DAC Eligibility 

For an adult to be considered a Disabled Adult Child, they must:

1. Be unmarried;

2. Age 18 or older;

3. Have a qualified disability that started before age 22, and

4. Meet the definition of disability for adults.

Most notably, the individual filing the claim can be from various categories, such as; adopted, a stepchild, grandchild, or step-grandchild. In addition, their parents must be deceased or receiving retirement or disability through the Social Security program.

Social Security assesses the disabled adult child’s disability the same way they assess any other Social Security claim for an adult. Even if the individual filing the claim is an adult, the benefits are considered “child benefits” since it comes from their parent’s earnings record. As a result, the disabled adult child is considered eligible, even if they themself have never been in the workforce.  

Continuing Eligibility 

There are a few important things to note. Once a successful DAC claim is filed - 

• A Disabled Adult Child cannot have substantial earnings; 

• Similarly to the requirements under Supplemental Security Income (SSI), the Social Security Administration considers the yearly earnings of the recipient under these benefits;

• The amount allowed by a recipient increases slightly each year to adjust for the cost of living. In 2025, DACs cannot earn more than $1,620 per month – OR, if they are blind, an amount of $2,700 per month is permitted;

• The following is an important restriction to keep in mind: a marriage ends the ability to receive DAC benefits in most cases. (However, there are exceptions to this rule.) For example, two people marrying that are both DAC recipients will not cease their benefits. 

In the 1980s, legislation was passed that allows the Social Security Administration to perform a Continuing Disability Review (CDR) as often as every three years to ascertain, medically, that the targeted individual receiving disability benefits has not shown any signs of improvement. While this does not occur in every case, it is something to keep in mind and prepare for, especially for individuals who start receiving benefits when they are young. If such a review occurs, the process is similar to the initial determination of a confirmed medical disability. However, the courts hold the burden of proof on the plaintiff to show that the recipient has medically improved.  

Anyone interested in filing a claim on behalf of a disabled adult child to obtain benefits under their parent’s Social Security earnings record can begin the process here.

 Contact Mindset today to start your application.