I was wondering my son who is almost 4 gets $8 a month in his dads social security disability. The ssa said that was the "family maximum" My sons dad lives with his mom who owns her own home... and I may add that he is not a us citizen either....why is it that my child gets only $8 a month? Do you think the disabled adult's mother gets a portion to "care" for her son?? and why does this not go straight to my son who has the disabled parent to help with cost etc? He pays $150 in child support a month but I feel like we should be getting more help. I am a single mother.. ** my minor child IS a us citizen.. and does my sons adult dad get ss benefits from the country he is from although he has been in the states since he was 2 and now 36?? thank you

Hi,

There is a family maximum benefit (FMB) amount that can be paid out on any worker's Social Security record, and in the case of disability benefits (SSDI) the FMB is sometimes limited to no more than the amount payable to the worker themselves (https://www.ssa.gov/oact/COLA/dibfamilymax.html). In other words, even if there is a spouse or children who would technically qualify for suxiliary benefits on an SSDI record, in many cases the benefit rate payable to them is zero.

I don't know enough about your son's circumstances to be able to tell you whether or not the amount he receives is correct, but I wouldn't be surprised if it is. The mother of your son's father would not be able to draw benefits on her son's SSDI record. I have no idea whether or not your son's father could be eligible for benefits from his native country, but it seems doubtful.

Best, Jerry