Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Can You Claim Benefits For A Child With Autism

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Applying For Dla For A Child With Autism

Benefits for Autism and Asperger’s. What you are entitled to and where to find help.

Are you thinking about or do you need to apply for Disability Living Allowance for your child? It is a mammoth form and a very daunting task. No one wants to list out everything that their child struggles with on a government form.

When my son was first diagnosed as autistic we were told to apply for DLA. If Im honest I was very uncomfortable with this. Why was I uncomfortable? Well I thought I was doing that same as most parents with young children. Although some things were difficult to manage, all toddlers are difficult right? I now realise that this benefit is there to support people with additional needs and we do have costs and needs over and above my sons peers.

I used to work in a government agency so I have tons of experience with government forms. This was probably the hardest form I have ever completed because it is totally different to fill in a form all about your own child. Its really difficult looking at your child in comparison to their peers when they have a disability. I have pulled this post together to provide all the information about DLA for a child with autism to help others complete the form.

Summary Of Tax Cuts And Jobs Act As It Relates To Families

Before we go into details about deductions and other tax strategies, let’s talk about the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act as it relates to families. The TCJA is the big tax reform bill that passed at the end of 2017. It is important to be aware of the TCJA because it not only changed tax rates and brackets, but also included other changes that significantly affect families, such as:

1. Increased Standard Deduction and Made Changes to Itemized Deductions

  • Fewer families will itemize because the standard deduction has increased:
  • $12,000 for Single,
  • $18,000 for Head of Household,
  • and $24,000 for Married Filing Jointly.
  • In addition, many deductions allowed in prior years have been either limited or eliminated. For example:
  • The deduction for state and local taxes, i.e. income, property, DMV fees, etc., is capped at $10,000.
  • Casualty losses are restricted to Federally Declared Disaster Areas.
  • Miscellaneous Itemized Deductions are no longer allowed, this category included things such as safety deposit box fees, tax preparation fees, investment advice, uniforms, union dues, job search costs, etc.
  • Families in California: because California has not conformed to any of the changes to Itemized Deductions, I expect that many California families will be taking the Standard Deduction for Federal and Itemizing for State tax purposes.
  • 2. Elimination of Personal Exemptions

    3. Expanded Child Tax Credit

    4. New Dependent Credit

    Your Autism Disability Case

    If you are disabled because of Autism or a related autistic disability that prevents you from working, you may well be entitled to Social Security Disability benefits. Although total disability based on childhood Autism can be met by meeting the conditions of the SSA listing for that condition, total disability for adult-diagnosed Autism can be somewhat more difficult to prove.

    It is therefore very important that you work closely with medical professionals and a qualified Social Security Disability attorney or advocate to collect to present the most appropriate and complete documentation possible in front of the Disability Determination Services to help to ensure that your Autism disability case will have the highest possible chance of success.

    Also Check: Can Autism Be Passed Down

    Housing Benefit And Help With Council Tax Or Rates

    If you pay rent and have a low income and savings of under £16,000, you may be entitled to claim Housing Benefit. Some people on a very low income get all their rent paid. Some people who are working or have some savings get some money towards the cost of their rent.

    There are various schemes that can reduce the amount of Council Tax that you have to pay. Council Tax Support is a means-tested reduction of your bill. Council Tax discounts are reductions that are not means-tested and depend on who is living in the property. The Disability Reduction Scheme can reduce the bill where the home has been adapted for a disabled person.

    In Northern Ireland, you can get means-tested help to pay your rates, and it is also possible to qualify for a non-means-tested disability reduction for adapted properties.

    Housing Benefit and Council Tax are administered by local authorities in England, Wales and Scotland. There is more information on the Government’s website. You will need to contact your local authority to apply. In Northern Ireland, its the Housing Executive and Land and Property Services. Visit the nidirect website or call the Land and Property Services helpline on 0300 200 7802.

    Child Disability Tax Credit For Autism

    You Can

    Autism is a neural development disorder characterized by impaired social interaction and communication processes. The difficulty to relay information can become so severe that the person is limited to repetitive behavior.

    Autism symptoms can present very early, before a child reaches the age of three. Many children with autism live under supervision through adulthood, while some make it on their own as adults.

    Children with an autism spectrum disorder may:

    • Have difficulty learning the meaning of words
    • Repeat the same actions over and over
    • Move limbs and body in a certain way
    • Trouble adjusting to changes

    Left untreated or unmanaged, ASD has been linked to intellectual disability, difficulties in motor coordination and attention, and physical health issues like sleep or gastrointestinal complications.

    Recommended Reading: Does Autism Shorten Your Lifespan

    How A Child With Autism Can Qualify For Social Security Disability Benefits

    Autism, or Autism Spectrum Disorder, affects more than 1 in 54 children in the U.S. For parents a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder often means that they need to make a big lifestyle change. There are therapies and treatments that can be very helpful to kids with Autism but in order to create a comprehensive therapy and care program often one parent will have to quit work and be the one in charge of keeping track of the childs care.

    This can cause financial turmoil for the household because many households rely on two incomes to get by and Autism therapies and treatments are usually expensive. The Social Security Administration has a benefits program that can help parents cover the costs of the childs care and living expenses. Supplemental Security Income, or SSI benefits, can ease that financial burden and allow one parent to focus solely on the childs care.

    Qualifying For SSI Benefits

    The Social Security Administration has strict requirements that must be met in order for children to qualify for SSI benefits. All of those requirements are listed by condition in the SSAs Blue Book. The Blue Book is searchable online. The listing for Autism Spectrum Disorder says that in order to be eligible for benefits children with Autism must have:

    • deficits in social interaction
    • deficits in verbal and nonverbal communication, and
    • significantly restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities.

    Financial Requirements

    Starting A Claim

    If You Are Unable To Manage Your Benefits

    Sometimes people are unable to manage their money. When this happens, Social Security should be notified. They can arrange to send benefits to a relative or other person who agrees to use the money to take care of the person for whom the benefits are paid. The person who manages someone elses benefits is called a representative payee. For more information, ask for A Guide For Representative Payees .

    Note: People who have power of attorney for someone do not automatically qualify to be the persons representative payee.

    Also Check: Dyslexia And Adhd Comorbidity

    Can Someone Receive Disability Benefits For Autism

    Yes, the Social Security Administration has two kinds of autism disability benefits for eligible individuals, including:

    • Social Security Disability Income : This is intended for adults who have worked in the past but now cannot due to disability
    • Supplemental Security Income : This is for disabled children and adults of lower income, and they do not need to have worked in the past to qualify

    The various medical conditions and eligibility criteria are specified in the Social Security Administrations Impairment Listing Manual, also known as the blue book.

    Parents of children under 18 with autism may qualify for SSI benefits, and people with autism who are 18 or older may qualify for either SSI or SSDI benefits. Adults with autism who have never worked may be eligible for SSDI benefits, based on their parents employment history.

    The SSA provides a free, downloadable booklet titled Benefits for Children With Disabilities. While not specific to autism, it is a useful resource and starting point for understanding federal SSA programs for parents of children with disabilities. The booklet also covers SSDI benefits for adults who have been disabled since childhood.

    Families of children who receive social security disability and SSI benefits for autism may be eligible for medical benefits, including:

    • Medicaid and Medicare
    • Childrens Health Insurance Program
    • Special access to health care services under the Children with Special Health Care Need provision of the SSA

    Starting Your Childs Ssi Application

    Researching the benefits of exercise for children with autism

    All SSI applications must be completed in person at your closest Social Security office. There are more than 1,300 SSA offices located across the country, so youll likely have more than one option when scheduling an appointment. Before applying in person, be sure to review the SSAs Child Disability Starter Kit. This online resource outlines exactly what paperwork youll need to have on hand to successfully apply for SSI on behalf of a child.

    Helpful Resources:

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    Support And Disability Tax Credits

    There are many support groups and online forums in which you can reach out for emotional support from others going through the same thing. However, disability tax credits offer a different type of support they give you a small discount on lifes expenses, because rearing an autistic child can incur expenses not common to raising other children.

    If you are eligible for the tax credit, you could receive up to $2,395 per year, or $199.58 per month.

    If You Are Offered Services Under The Ticket To Work Program

    Social Security may send you a Ticket that you can use to obtain services to help you go to work or earn more money. You may take the Ticket to your state vocational rehabilitation agency or to an Employment Network of your choice. Employment Networks are private organizations that have agreed to work with Social Security to provide employment services to beneficiaries with disabilities. Your participation in the Ticket Program is voluntary and the services are provided at no cost to you.

    Read Also: Is It Possible To Outgrow Autism

    How A Child Can Qualify For Social Security Benefits With Autism

    If your child or a loved ones child has autism, then they could be eligible for monetary payments from the Social Security Administration in forms of Social Security disability benefits. The SSA gives out monthly benefits to those. A child under the age of 18 can qualify for Social Security benefits, but they must meet the financial and medical criteria in order to qualify.

    How to Medically Qualify with AutismThe first step for a child to be approved for Social Security benefits with autism is meeting the medical criteria outlined by the SSA. The SSA has its own medical guide informally known as the Blue Book. The Blue Book outlines what the SSA looks for when adults and children send in their application for Social Security benefits, as well as the medical documentation needed. For a child to qualify with autism, he or she must satisfy both of the following:

    • Qualitative deficits in verbal communication, nonverbal communication, and social interaction and
    • Significantly restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities.

    A child with autism will need an extreme limitation in one of the following or marked limitation of two of the following areas:

    • Understanding, remembering, or applying information
    • Interacting with others
    • Concentrating, persisting, or maintaining pace
    • Adapting or managing oneself

    Resources:

    Childhood Autism & Disability Benefits

    Health Benefits of Swings for Autistic Children â Pure Fun

    As previously mentioned, children with autism can only be eligible for receiving SSI benefits. To be eligible for benefits, children one through three must meet at least one of these requirements. Children between the ages of three and eighteen must meet at least two:

    • Communication difficulties demonstrated through psychological and language tests
    • Severe impairment in age-appropriate functioning and with children of the same age
    • Limited ability feed, bathe, dress, or otherwise care for him or herself
    • Difficulties with concentrating on tasks and the pace of which tasks are completed

    These requirements must be documented by teachers, parents, doctors or caregiver statements, as well as through standardized tests.

    Read Also: Can Autism Be Passed Down

    If You Change Direct Deposit Accounts

    If you change financial institutions or open a new account, be sure to say that you want to sign up for direct deposit. You also can change your direct deposit online if you have a personal identification number and a password. Or, Social Security can change your direct deposit information over the telephone. Have your new and old bank account numbers handy when you call. They will be printed on your personal checks or account statements. It takes about 30-60 days to change this information. Do not close your old account until after you make sure your Social Security benefits are being deposited into the new account.

    Financial Income Requirements And Disability

    Anyone under age 18 applying on his or her own record will only qualify for Supplemental Security Income, or SSI benefits. These benefits are only offered to the most financially needy families. This means that if you or your spouse is earning a high income, your child will not be eligible for SSI due to autism. The good news here is that the bigger your family, the higher your income limits. For example, a single parent with one child cannot earn more than $38,000 and still have a child qualify with autism. A two-parent family of five, however, could earn nearly $60,000. You can find your specific household income limit online.

    Financial limitations are the top reason why children with autism are denied SSI benefits. The good news is that once your child turns 18, he or she will likely qualify for SSI regardless of whether your child is still living at home. Once a child is 18 the SSA no longer counts parents income when determining SSI thresholds.

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    Childrens Fitness And Arts Amounts

    If your child is involved in qualifying fitness or arts programs, you may claim extra amounts for each of these credits for specific Provinces: Yukon Territory, Manitoba and British Columbia. As long as you have paid at least $100 in eligible fees, you may claim an extra $500. For example, if you enroll your child in swimming lessons at a cost of $100, you may claim $600 on your tax return for the childrens fitness amount. Similarly, if your child attends weekly tutoring sessions at an annual cost of $500, you may claim an additional $500 at tax time. Please note that the Federal part of the Childrens Fitness and Arts amounts credit is no longer available in 2017. However, the credit is available at the provincial level for the specific ones mentioned above.

    How To Qualify For The Pip Assessment

    Why self funded insurance plans should add the autism benefit

    There are some steps you can follow to ensure your true condition is properly conveyed to your concerned health professional. Also, you must have knowledge of various symptoms you may experience so that you can include them in your forms or the information you send over to the DWP. It is very important for autistic people to go through these pointers!

    Recommended Reading: What Is The Life Expectancy Of People With Autism

    Receiving Ssi Benefits For A Child With Autism

    Social security for children with autism is designed to help parents with limited resources cover additional expenses that occur when caring for a disabled child with autism.

    The SSI benefit is a monthly payment that helps parents of children with disabilities, and adults with disabilities, who have lower income and limited resources. The amount of the payment may differ between states because some states supplement the SSI for children with autism.

    Eligibility for SSI disability benefits for a child with autism depends on the income and resources that are available to the child and other people living in the childs household. These income rules also apply if the child is away at school but still under the parents care and control.

    Once a child is receiving SSI for autism, the SSA will review the childs medical condition to make sure that the disability criteria are still being met. This usually happens every three years. Parents are required to provide evidence of the childs limitations and proof that the child has been receiving medically necessary treatments.

    When a child turns 18, the rules for receiving SSI change but the coverage can continue. In many cases, individuals who were not eligible for SSI before their 18th birthday become eligible because of income requirements.

    How Do You Get Paid With Ihss

    In-Home Supportive Services is a federal program that provides financial benefits so you, as your childs caretaker, can give the best supervision and care for your child in the comfort of your own home. This means that you can receive an hourly wage to take care of your child.

    This is money so the government does not have to pay for your child to be in the care of a government institution, which was the norm in the past. Due to the increasing parental wish to keep their children at home, integrate them into their local communities, and send them to the special needs programs provided by their own school districts, most of the institutions were closed down and the government offered to pay families to be the caregivers instead. And even though the government is saving a lot of money by paying parents directly instead of maintaining these institutions to stay open while also paying for doctors, nurses, administrators and staff, these financial benefits are not easy to get and the process to apply is long and complex.

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