Written by 
Edited by 
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) may provide benefits to family members of a disabled individual who can no longer work. Eligible family members such as a spouse, children and, in some cases, an ex-spouse can qualify for their own monthly benefits. Each qualifying family member might receive up to 50% of the disabled beneficiary’s monthly benefit. However, the total family benefits are generally capped at 150% of the primary recipient’s benefit amount, and may be lower.1
You might want to consider working with a financial advisor as you develop or modify an estate plan.
SSDI Basics
SSDI is for workers who paid Social Security taxes on their earnings but became disabled before reaching full retirement age. When an SSDI recipient reaches full retirement age, their disability benefit automatically converts to a Social Security retirement benefit at the same amount. 2 The size of the monthly benefit they’re eligible for varies depending on their work and earnings history.
The amount of the SSDI benefit also goes up occasionally to make up for inflation. As of January 2026, the average monthly benefit was $1,630, according to the Social Security Administration. 3
SSDI is only for workers who are disabled, which is defined as a condition that will last at least 12 months or will end in the person’s death. The condition must also keep the person from working. Numerous medical conditions can qualify, but the government is generally strict about granting eligibility for disability payments.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is another federal program that can provide monthly payments to disabled people. Unlike SSDI, a disabled person does not need an earnings record to receive SSI benefits. And both children and adults can receive SSI payments. However, SSI recipients must have low incomes and few assets. Also, SSI benefits for 2026 are capped at $994 per month for an individual and no more than $1,491 for an eligible couple. 4
Family Members Who Qualify
Once a person has qualified to receive SSDI payments, their family members may also be able to get benefits. Possibly eligible family members include:
- A spouse, if aged 62 or older
- A spouse of any age who is taking care of one of the children who is disabled or under age 16
- An unmarried child who is younger than 18, or younger than 19 and attending high school, including adopted children and sometimes stepchildren and grandchildren
- An unmarried child 18 or older who has a qualifying disability that began before age 22
An ex-spouse may also be eligible for benefits if the disabled worker is receiving SSDI. Any SSDI payments to a former spouse won’t have any effect on the primary beneficiary’s SSDI benefits. And not all ex-spouses can get them. The divorced spouse must:
- Have been married for at least 10 years
- Not currently married
- Be at least 62
Family Benefit Maximums and Rules
Each member of the family of someone getting SSDI benefits can qualify for a separate monthly payment equal to as much as 50% of the disabled person’s benefit amount. For example, if a disabled worker receives the 2026 average monthly SSDI benefit of $1,630, that worker’s child under 18 could receive up to 50%, or about $815, each month before any reduction for the family maximum.
That can change, however, if a disabled person has more than one family member who qualifies to receive SSDI. That’s because the Social Security Administration has a cap on the total SSDI benefits a family can receive. This cap is generally 150% of the disabled person’s monthly SSDI benefit.
If a family’s total SSDI benefits exceed the maximum percentage, then Social Security will reduce each person’s payment to keep the total below the cap. The reductions are applied proportionately to each individual’s benefit to get below the cap, except that the disabled parent’s benefit is not reduced. This will reduce each family member’s benefit below 50% of the disabled parent’s benefit.
Benefit Qualifications for Specific Family Members
Now that we understand how much each family member might be entitled to, let’s dive into how the benefits work for each type of family member who might be eligible.
Benefits for Surviving Spouses
Survivor benefits are available to widowed spouses, up to 100% of their deceased spouse’s benefit. 5 The surviving spouse must have reached the age of 60, or 50 if they themselves are disabled. The individual can even apply for their deceased spouse’s benefit at 60 and then apply for their own benefit at age 62 if their own work record would provide a larger benefit.
Benefits for Divorced Spouses
An ex-spouse married for a minimum of 10 years may be eligible to receive up to 50% of their former spouse’s benefit. 6 The ex-spouse generally must be at least 62, unmarried and not entitled to an equal or larger benefit on their own record. If the worker is already receiving SSDI, the divorce does not have to have been final for two years.
Benefits for Children and Grandchildren
Children can qualify as the survivor of a deceased worker or as a dependent of a living parent who receives disability benefits. To qualify, a child generally must be unmarried and either younger than 18, younger than 19 and attending elementary or secondary school full time, or age 18 or older with a disability that began before age 22. 7 The benefit is up to 50% of the parent’s benefit if the parent is living, or up to 75% if the parent is deceased. Under certain circumstances, dependent grandchildren and step-grandchildren may also qualify. 8
Benefits for Disabled Children
A disabled child can qualify for benefits paid on a parent’s earnings record, even though the child has no earnings record of their own. 9 This also applies to an adult child whose disability began before age 22, a category the SSA calls Disabled Adult Child (DAC) benefits. Qualifying can be difficult, however. Once approved, the disabled child can receive up to 50% of their parent’s benefit.
Benefits for Dependent Parents
Some parents are dependent upon a child either physically, financially or both. Dependent parents who are age 62 or older may receive benefits based on a deceased worker’s record, up to 82.5% of the worker’s benefit. If both parents fall into this category, then the maximum drops to 75%.
Do Family SSDI Benefits Reduce a Primary Beneficiary’s Own Payment?
Benefits paid to eligible family members generally do not reduce the disabled worker’s SSDI payment. Social Security calculates additional benefits for qualifying relatives based on the worker’s earnings record.
The family maximum instead limits the combined amount that eligible relatives can receive. When payments for a spouse, children or other qualifying family members exceed that limit, their individual benefits may be reduced while the disabled worker continues receiving the same amount.
For example, one eligible child may receive a benefit based on a disabled parent’s record. When several children or a spouse also qualify, the available family benefit may need to be divided among them.
The amounts can change when someone loses eligibility. If a child reaches the applicable age limit, for example, benefits paid to other eligible family members may increase because fewer people are sharing the available amount.
Marriage, divorce, changes in caregiving or other events can also affect eligibility. Reporting these changes to Social Security helps ensure that benefits are allocated correctly among qualifying family members.
When planning a household budget around SSDI, separate the disabled worker’s payment from benefits available to dependents. The worker’s amount is not reduced by the family maximum, while payments to relatives can change based on the number of people who qualify.
Bottom Line
SSDI not only can provide monthly financial assistance to workers who become disabled, but it can also pay benefits to their family members, especially if they become eligible because of a death. Spouses and children are eligible to receive up to 50% of the disabled worker’s monthly benefit. The amount each family member can receive may be reduced, however, if the total benefit paid to the family comes to more than 150% of the disabled parent’s benefit amount. Generally, beneficiaries are not taxed on SSDI benefits.
Tips on Estate Planning
- A financial advisor who specializes in Social Security Disability Insurance can help when applying for benefits. Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
- If you’re planning for the future then it’s a good time to think through how you can maximize your social security benefits.
- Dealing with social security benefits can be complicated. Check out these ten other secrets you should know about social security.
Photo credit: ©iStock.com/KLH49, ©iStock.com/FatCamera, ©iStock.com/KLH49