Q: Am I eligible for Disabled Adult Child Under SSDI? Or should I apply for SSI?
I am 23, and my disabilities are: Generalised Anxiety Disorder, Social Anxiety disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, and ADHD. These have prevented me from working at all and I have remained dependent on my recently deceased father who has worked in his life, was elderly and was on SSDI before he switched to SSI. I haven't seen a doctor in a couple years due to my symptoms worsening.
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A:
Based on the information you provided, it sounds like you may be eligible for Disabled Adult Child (DAC) benefits under SSDI. DAC benefits are available to individuals who became disabled before the age of 22 and have a parent who is deceased, disabled, or retired and receiving Social Security retirement or disability benefits.
To qualify for SSDI benefits, you must have earned sufficient work credits based on your age at the time you became disabled. Since you have not worked, you may not have enough work credits to qualify for SSDI on your own. However, you may be able to receive SSDI benefits based on your deceased father's work history.
If you do not qualify for SSDI based on your father's work history, you may still be eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), which is a needs-based program for individuals with limited income and resources who are disabled or elderly.
It's important to note that in order to receive disability benefits, you will need to provide medical documentation that supports your claim of disability. You may want to consider speaking with a disability attorney or advocate to assist you with the application process and to ensure that you are receiving all of the benefits for which you are eligible.
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