How to claim Social Security’s DAC benefits: Who qualifies and how to file on a parent’s record

A program with nearly eight million recipients across the United States, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is usually reserved for individuals who meet two key eligibility requirements: earnings history and proof of medical condition.

However, the Disabled Adult Child (DAC) scheme allows certain individuals to access SSDI without the need to demonstrate their prior employment record.

How Disabled Adult Child benefits work

According to the U.S.’s Social Security Administration (SSA), an SSDI claimant must show they have been unable to work for a year or more because of “a medical condition that meets Social Security’s strict definition of disability”. (Learn more here about how the SSA decides if an applicant has a qualifying disability.)

Normally, an SSDI claimant must also have paid enough payroll taxes into the Social Security pot. However, if an applicant is over 18 and developed a qualifying disability before they turned 22, they may be eligible even if their work history is insufficient.

That’s because the DAC scheme may allow them to claim SSDI based on a parent’s employment record. Per this SSA handbook on disability benefits, that parent must:

• Be a recipient of Social Security retirement or SSDI benefits
• Be deceased, but eligible for Social Security benefits through their earnings record when they were alive

How much are DAC benefits?

While the parent is still alive, a DAC recipient can claim monthly payments that are equal to up to 50% of the parent’s full benefits entitlement, known as the ‘primary insurance amount’ (PIA). After the parent’s death, DAC beneficiaries can claim up to 75% of their parent’s PIA.

Typically, DAC recipients must be unmarried. One exception to this rule, however, is if both members of the couple are signed up to the scheme.

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How to apply for Disabled Adult Child benefits

At the time of writing, it was not possible to file a claim for DAC benefits online. To apply, call the SSA at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) to arrange an appointment at a Social Security office. Before the appointment, you’ll need to fill out an Adult Disability Report.

Details of the DAC claim will then be sent to Disability Determination Services in the applicant’s state. This agency then follows a five-step evaluation of the claimant’s disability, before reaching a decision on the case.

“When the state agency makes a determination on your case, we’ll send a letter to you explaining the decision,” the SSA says. (Alternative forms of correspondence are available for individuals who are blind or have low vision.) If you disagree with the determination, you can file an appeal.

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