Sometimes a child's parent needs assistance to meet individual needs because of age, disability, or other circumstances.  The government's provision of such resources to a parent may have an impact on that parent's child support obligation.

How Social Security Benefits May Affect Child Support

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

What is Supplemental Security Income (SSI)?

SSI is a federal income supplement program that provides monthly cash payments to elderly or disabled people who have little-to-no assets.

Is SSI counted as income for child support purposes?

SSI is not factored in when calculating the income of either parent for child support purposes using the DC Child Support Guidelines. However, if a child receives SSI, the Social Security Administration reduces the child's SSI benefit by two-thirds of the amount that is paid in child support.

Social Security Disability Income (SSDI)

What is Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)?

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is a program administered by the Social Security Administration that provides monthly cash benefits to disabled individuals and families who have a significant history of working. (In very general terms, the insured individual must have worked 5 of the previous 10 years.) There is no limit on the assets an individual can have and still be eligible for SSDI.

How is SSDI counted for child support purposes?

Under the DC Child Support Guidelines, SSDI is counted as income when calculating the child support amount.

When a child receives SSDI derivative benefits, that amount counts as income from the parent from whom they derive. If that parent is the one who is ordered to pay support, the benefit amount is subtracted from the support obligation amount reached by using the guidelines, and the support order is based on the remaining obligation.

Example 1: If the SSDI monthly benefit is $300, and the guideline support amount is $500, then the support order would be set at $200.

Example 2: If the SSDI monthly benefit to the child is $300, but the guideline support amount is $250, then the order amount would be $0 because the monthly benefit is more than the support obligation under the guidelines.

Additional Information

Contact the Social Security Administration Office  or call 1-800-772-1213. (For the deaf or hard of hearing, call 1-800-325-0778.)