Disability āŗ Family
Can my family get benefits from my disability record?
For anyone on SSDI, their spouse, and families caring for a son or daughter with a lifelong disability. By the end you’ll know the family routes most people have never heard of and how to ask for them.
Often, yes. When you get SSDI, your spouse, children and some ex-spouses may also get benefits on your work record, each up to half of your amount, within a family limit. Two routes are easy to miss: a disabled widow or widower can get benefits between ages 50 and 59, and an adult child whose disability began before 22 can get benefits on a parent’s record. Neither can apply online. Call 1-800-772-1213.
Can my spouse and children get benefits on my record?
They may. Your work record is your history of earnings that Social Security keeps. It can pay benefits to certain family members as well as to you. In October 2026, SSA counted about 7.9 million people getting benefits through the disability program. About 6.9 million of them were disabled workers. Nearly 1 million more were family members.
Whether a spouse or child qualifies depends on their age and situation. Here are SSA’s rules for family members of a worker getting SSDI:
| Family member | Who may qualify |
|---|---|
| Husband or wife | Married at least 1 year, and either 62 or older, or caring for your child who is under 16 or disabled and gets benefits on your record |
| Ex-husband or ex-wife | Married at least 10 years, not married now, and 62 or older |
| Children | Unmarried and under 18; or 18 or 19 and a full-time student in grade 12 or below; or any age with a disability that began before 22 |
How much? Each family member can get up to half of your full SSDI amount. A spouse who starts before full retirement age gets less, unless a qualifying child is in their care.
The family limit. There is a cap on the total your family can get each month on your record. For disability, the cap is never more than 150% of your own benefit, and it can be lower, depending on your past earnings. If the total would go over, SSA lowers the payments to your spouse and children, not your own check. For some workers the cap leaves nothing extra for family. Payments to an ex-spouse don’t count toward the cap.
Example: Tom gets $2,000 a month in SSDI. His wife cares for their two children, ages 9 and 12. Each of the three could get up to $1,000, but the family cap is at most $3,000 in total, which leaves at most $1,000 to split among the three of them. SSA figures Tom’s exact cap from his earnings record.
When you apply for SSDI, tell SSA about your spouse, any ex-spouse you were married to for 10 years or more, and any children, and ask whether they can get benefits too. For how amounts are figured, see how much you’ll get.
What are disabled widow’s and widower’s benefits?
These are survivor benefits for a widow or widower who is disabled. They are paid on the record of the spouse who died. You may qualify if:
- You are 50 to 59 years old.
- Your disability began before your spouse died, or within 7 years after the death.
- Or, if you were getting mother’s or father’s benefits (a survivor benefit for a parent), your disability began within 7 years after those benefits ended.
Example: Carol’s husband died in 2022. In 2027, at 55, a heart condition keeps her from working. Her disability began 5 years after his death, inside the 7-year window, so she may qualify on his record. SSA checks other conditions too, such as the marriage itself.
Survivor benefits at 60 and older don’t require a disability, so this route matters most between 50 and 59.
What about an adult child disabled before 22?
A son or daughter whose disability began before age 22 may get benefits on a parent’s record as an adult. SSA calls this a disabled adult child. The rules:
- The child is 18 or older and unmarried. Marriage usually ends these benefits.
- The disability began before 22.
- The parent is getting Social Security retirement or disability benefits, or has died.
Example: Ruth’s son James is 34 and has had a developmental disability since birth. When Ruth starts her own retirement benefits, James may qualify for benefits on her record, even though he has never worked.
When a parent of an adult child with a lifelong disability starts retirement or disability benefits, ask SSA at the same time whether the child qualifies on that record.
A related change for families: starting in 2026, people whose disability began before age 46 (up from 26) can open an ABLE account, a tax-advantaged savings account for people with disabilities, according to the IRS.
What if both of us are disabled and have little income?
If both spouses are disabled, blind or 65 or older, with little income and savings, you may qualify for SSI as a couple. SSI (Supplemental Security Income) is the need-based program. The federal amount for a couple is $1,491 a month in 2026; $1,544 starting January 2027. The savings limit for a couple is $3,000.
How do family members apply?
- Call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Disabled widow(er)s and disabled adult children can’t apply online. Ask for an appointment.
- Have the worker’s information ready: name, Social Security number, and date of death if the worker has died.
- Gather medical records showing when the disability began. For an adult child, records from before age 22 matter most.
- Ask about every route. One person may qualify in more than one way. Ask SSA to check them all.
Free tool: Check the basic SSDI and SSI rules for your situation, including an SSI estimate.
Start āRelated
Sources. SSA, “Disability benefits: how you qualify” (disabled widow(er)s and adult children) Ā· 20 CFR 404.335 (eCFR, current Nov 2026) Ā· SSA, Monthly Statistical Snapshot, October 2026 (released Nov 2026) Ā· SSA, 2027 cost-of-living fact sheet Ā· SSA Office of the Chief Actuary, SSI payment amounts Ā· 20 CFR 416.1205 Ā· IRS, “ABLE accounts: tax benefit for people with disabilities” (reviewed Nov 6, 2026) Ā· SSA, apply for disability (phone hours) Ā· 20 CFR 404.330, 404.331, 404.333, 404.350, 404.353, 404.367 and 404.403(d-1) (family benefits and the disability family maximum; eCFR, current Nov 9, 2026) Ā· SSA, “Who can get Family benefits” and “What you could get from Family benefits” (ssa.gov/family, read Nov 12, 2026).
Last verified: November 12, 2026. We re-check these figures every January and whenever the rules change.
Benefits Insider is an independent publisher, not a government agency. This page is general information, not legal or financial advice for your situation. For a decision on your case, contact Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or your state Medicaid office.