In 2003, the maximum your child who is disabled can receive from SSI is $552 a month. If he receives less, it might be because he had little or no income to report on his initial SSI application.

Many people, when they initially apply for SSI, have little or no income. Without income, it is impossible for them to pay their share of household expenses. Yet these expenses must be paid. If your child lives with you, the Social Security Administration (SSA) assumes that you are paying these expenses.

SSA defines this kind of help as "in-kind support and maintenance." A dollar value is assigned to in-kind support and maintenance. The dollar value is one-third the monthly maximum available from SSI. Currently, in-kind support and maintenance is valued at around $182. If your child receives around $370 a month, the likelihood is strong that SSA is assuming that you are providing in-kind support and maintenance ($552 minus $182 equals $370).

Your child might be eligible for more than $370. Here is how to determine if your child is eligible for more: When the application for SSI was first made, your child might have had no income. Now, at minimum, he has $370 a month from SSI. He might have additional income through a job in the community or through employment at a sheltered workshop. His income (SSI and work, combined) might now be enough to pay his full share of household expenses. If he can pay his full share, he may be entitled to an increase in SSI. Rather than receiving around $370 a month, he could now receive the full $552.

Figure out your child's pro rata share of household expenses. If, for example, there are four people in your household and household expenses total $2,200 a month, your child’s pro rata share is $550. If he does not have $550 a month in income, he cannot pay his share. As a consequence, you are deemed as providing in-kind support and maintenance. That is why his SSI check is $370.

If, however, your child has $550 in income (earned and unearned combined), he can pay his share of the household expenses. Because he has enough income to pay his full share, you are not deemed as providing in-kind support and maintenance. Because you are not deemed as providing in-kind support and maintenance, his SSI payment increases from $370 to the full $552.

If his income is now high enough to pay his pro rata share, contact SSA and ask for a redetermination of his SSI.