SSI and Social Security Benefits for a Grandchild in Maine Kinship Care

When a grandchild comes to live with you in Maine, they may qualify for federal benefits through Social Security — SSI (Supplemental Security Income) if the child has a qualifying disability, child benefits on a parent's record if that parent is retired or disabled, or survivor benefits if a parent has died. These federal payments interact with Maine's state benefits in specific ways that matter for your household budget.

SSI for a Child with a Disability

Supplemental Security Income provides monthly cash payments to children with significant physical or mental disabilities whose household income and resources fall below federal limits. Key points for kinship caregivers:

• The child must have a medically determinable condition that results in marked and severe functional limitations and is expected to last at least 12 months or result in death
• Income counting depends on the living arrangement. For a child under 18, SSI may count a parent's or adoptive parent's income when the child lives with that parent. A grandparent's income is not deemed just because the grandparent is a legal representative or representative payee; if the grandparent adopted the child, parent-to-child deeming may apply
• The federal SSI payment for 2026 is $994 per month for an eligible individual

This non-deeming rule is a significant advantage for kinship households. A grandparent's retirement income, Social Security, or wages typically does not reduce the child's SSI payment.

Social Security Survivor Benefits

If the child's parent (your adult child) has died and had enough work credits, the child may be entitled to Social Security survivor benefits. A child can receive up to 75% of the deceased parent's basic Social Security benefit amount.

Survivor benefits are available to:

• Unmarried children age 17 and younger
• Unmarried children ages 18–19 if attending elementary or secondary school full-time
• Unmarried children of any age whose disability began before age 22

If the parent is not deceased but is disabled or retired and receiving Social Security, the child may qualify for dependent benefits on the parent's record.

To apply, contact your local Social Security office or call 1-800-772-1213. You will need the child's birth certificate, the parent's death certificate (for survivor claims), and Social Security numbers for both the child and the deceased parent.

How SSI and Social Security Interact with Maine Benefits

SSI and TANF: Maine's TANF rules do not allow the same child to receive TANF/PaS and SSI/State Supplement at the same time. If the child chooses SSI, the otherwise-eligible specified relative may still receive TANF/PaS. However, the child cannot receive both SSI and a permanency guardianship subsidy under § 4038-D simultaneously.

Social Security survivor benefits and TANF: Social Security benefits paid to the child are counted as unearned income in the child's TANF determination. If the survivor benefit is large enough, it may reduce or eliminate the child-only TANF grant. Maine excludes up to the first $50 per month per assistance unit of child support collected by DHHS; this child-support pass-through does not apply to Social Security survivor benefits.

SSI/Social Security and SNAP: Social Security and SSI benefits are both counted as income for SNAP purposes when the child is part of your SNAP household. However, SNAP deductions (shelter costs, utilities, dependent care) may offset the income enough to preserve eligibility.

SSI/Social Security and MaineCare: Children receiving SSI are automatically eligible for MaineCare in Maine. Children receiving Social Security survivor benefits may also qualify for MaineCare based on income. MaineCare covers children and young adults under 21 with family income up to 300% of the Federal Poverty Level, subject to the program's other rules.

Applying for Benefits: What You Need

For SSI, visit your nearest Social Security office with:

• The child's birth certificate and Social Security card
• Medical records documenting the child's disability
• Information about the child's living arrangement and your household

For survivor benefits, bring:

• The child's birth certificate
• The deceased parent's death certificate
• Social Security numbers for both the child and the deceased parent
• Proof that you are caring for the child

The GPO and WEP Are Repealed

If you are a grandparent receiving a government pension (from a state or local employer), the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) were repealed by the Social Security Fairness Act, signed January 5, 2025. Your government pension no longer reduces your own Social Security benefits. If your benefits were previously reduced, SSA has processed retroactive adjustments back to January 2024.

Fitting Federal Benefits into the Full Picture

SSI and Social Security survivor benefits are federal programs that operate alongside Maine's state benefits. Understanding how they interact — which payments count against which programs — is essential for maximizing the total support available to the child.

The Maine Kinship Financial Help guide maps every program interaction, including how federal benefits affect TANF, SNAP, and MaineCare eligibility, so you can plan your applications strategically.

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