Families raising children with disabilities in Michigan may be eligible for several benefit programs that provide financial assistance and healthcare coverage. Understanding what’s available is the first step toward accessing the support your family may qualify for. SSI for children with disabilities provides monthly cash assistance to children under 18 who have a severe physical or mental condition that significantly limits their ability to function compared to other children of the same age.

The condition must be expected to last at least 12 months or result in death. Eligibility is also based on the family’s financial situation — the income and assets of parents living with the child are considered. Medicaid accompanies SSI in most cases. Michigan children who receive SSI are typically eligible for Medicaid, which covers a wide range of medical services including physician visits, hospital care, prescription medications, therapy, and other health services.

For children with complex medical needs, Medicaid coverage can be essential. Derivative Social Security benefits are available to children of workers who receive SSDI, retire, or pass away. An eligible child — generally under 18, or up to 19 if enrolled full-time in high school — may receive up to 50% of the worker’s benefit amount, subject to the family maximum. For disabled adult children, benefits based on a parent’s Social Security record can continue beyond age 18 if the disability began before age 22 and the child has not married.

These benefits can continue after the parent passes away, providing long-term financial stability. ABLE accounts offer a tax-advantaged savings option for eligible individuals whose disability began before the qualifying age, allowing families to save without affecting SSI resource limits.

Our team at Grech Law Firm Attorney & Counselor helps Michigan families pursue disability benefits for children. Contact us for a free consultation.

Michigan residents with disabilities may be eligible for a range of federal and state benefit programs. Understanding what’s available — and how the different programs interact — helps ensure you’re accessing the full support you qualify for. Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) provides monthly payments to workers who have paid into the Social Security system and can no longer work due to a qualifying disability.

After 24 months on SSDI, recipients become eligible for Medicare, providing important healthcare coverage. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a needs-based program for disabled individuals with limited income and assets, regardless of work history. SSI recipients in Michigan typically qualify for Medicaid immediately, covering medical care, prescriptions, and other health services.

Social Security Child Benefits are available to disabled adult children whose disability began before age 22, as well as to children of disabled, retired, or deceased workers. Medicaid provides health coverage to low-income individuals and families, and eligibility is often easier to establish for those receiving SSI or with certain disability-related statuses. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides food assistance and is available to income-eligible individuals, including many disability benefit recipients.

Housing assistance through HUD programs, including Section 8 vouchers and public housing, is available to low-income individuals with disabilities, though waitlists can be long. ABLE accounts allow individuals with disabilities that began before a qualifying age to save money tax-free without affecting SSI or Medicaid eligibility. Vocational rehabilitation services through Michigan’s state agency can help individuals with disabilities access training, education, and job placement support if they are able to work in some capacity.

Our team at Grech Law Firm Attorney & Counselor helps Michigan residents understand and access the disability benefits they qualify for. Contact us for a free consultation.

Yes — you can apply for Social Security Disability benefits online, and for many applicants it’s the most convenient way to start the process. Understanding what’s available online and what may require additional steps helps you choose the right approach. SSDI applications can be completed entirely online through the SSA’s website at ssa.gov. The online application walks you through each required section, allows you to save your progress and return to complete it later, and provides confirmation once submitted.

You’ll need your Social Security number, information about your medical conditions and treatment providers, and your complete work history for the past 15 years. SSI applications are handled differently. Because SSI involves a financial eligibility assessment in addition to the disability evaluation, the SSA typically requires an interview — either by phone or in person — to complete the application.

You can start the process online, but you’ll likely need to follow up with a scheduled appointment. After you submit your application online, it is forwarded to Michigan’s Disability Determination Services for medical review. You may be contacted by DDS to provide additional records, authorize the release of your medical information, or schedule a consultative examination. These steps generally occur by mail or phone — not through the online portal.

One important tip: save copies of everything you submit. Keeping a record of your application responses, the authorization forms you’ve signed, and any correspondence you receive helps you track your case and ensures you have documentation if questions arise later. If you’re uncertain whether to apply online, by phone, or in person, our team at Grech Law Firm Attorney & Counselor can help you prepare and submit your application in the way that best supports your claim.

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This is one of the most common questions we hear from Michigan residents considering an SSDI application — and the answer is nuanced. Whether you can work while applying depends on how much you’re earning and what type of work you’re doing. The key concept is substantial gainful activity (SGA). In 2025, the SGA threshold is $1,620 per month in gross earnings for non-blind individuals.

If you are earning more than this amount from work at the time of your application, the SSA will generally find you are not disabled at Step 1 of the evaluation — regardless of your medical condition. Earning at or below the SGA threshold, however, does not prevent you from applying. This means that part-time work with earnings below the SGA limit is generally compatible with an SSDI application.

However, it’s important to be aware that the nature of your work matters too. If the SSA determines you are performing work that demonstrates significant physical or mental capacity — even below the SGA earnings threshold — it may affect how your functional limitations are evaluated. For existing SSDI recipients, the rules are different and include provisions for a trial work period and extended period of eligibility, which allow recipients to test their ability to return to work without immediately losing benefits.

There is also a timing consideration. SSDI has a five-month waiting period before benefits begin after the onset date. If you are working at a reduced level during the application period, it doesn’t eliminate back pay if your claim is approved — the onset date calculation looks at when you became unable to perform SGA, not when you stopped working entirely.

Our team at Grech Law Firm Attorney & Counselor can help Michigan residents understand how their current work situation affects their disability application. Contact us for a free consultation.