The Social Security Administration provides disability benefits for individuals who qualify to receive them. This coverage is known as Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Parents who receive SSDI can also receive coverage for their children to help cover the costs of raising a child while being too disabled to earn a sufficient income. Like all other forms of income, one's SSDI benefits can be affected by his or her divorce. This can, in turn, affect your child's SSDI coverage. If you are an SSDI recipient with a minor child who receives SSDI coverage and you are considering filing for divorce, discuss this with your divorce lawyer.

How Divorce Affects SSDI Benefits for Minor Children

Any biological child, adopted child, or stepchild under the age of 18 or up to age 19 if he or she is a full-time student can receive coverage of up to 50 percent of his or her parent's SSDI benefits amount as long as the child is not married. This type of coverage is known as auxiliary benefits. In certain cases, the grandchild of an SSDI recipient can also receive auxiliary SSDI benefits.

The 1990s sitcom “Married With Children” popularly spoofed how some parents act once they have dropped their dreams and started raising children. The caricatures in the Bundy cast resonated and the show lasted over 10 years, longer than many modern marriages.

Raising children is one of the most rewarding yet demanding parts of many marriages. The stresses of parenthood are often at the root of conflicts between spouses. At times, primary caretakers may feel robbed of their opportunity for a career or of the opportunity for at least one happy hour with friends again. Alternatively, a primary breadwinner may feel nagged or burdened by an unfulfilling job under the pressure to provide more and more security for a growing family. Both parents may feel guilty spending any time or money on something that does not involve the kids or other spouse. When these problems grow to seemingly unmanageable proportions, you may start to want out. At the same time, dissolving a marriage is proportionately harder when you have children. You do not want to hurt your kids, and you may dread the thought of splitting custody. Regardless of your specific situation, keep in mind that the underlying principle of all legal matters related to these issues is “the best interest of the child.”

 Who Gets To Decide What Is In The Best Interest Of My Child?

 The law in Illinois, in determining child custody after a split, involves a standard regarding the best interest of the child. But who gets to decide? Naturally you may not want the state telling you how to raise your own kids. Fortunately though, you and your spouse will have the first opportunity to come up with a plan.

A high-profile and very heated child custody battle has made headlines in recent months, underscoring the complexities of determining parental rights after a divorce or break up. The battle over the nine-month old baby of Olympic skier Bode Miller and former marine and firefighter Sara McKenna has been raising questions as to mother’s rights in custody battles.

 According to CNN.com’s New Day news blog and The New York Post’s online site, Mr. Miller and Ms. McKenna met through an elite dating service and dated for a short time while in California. Ms. McKenna became pregnant during that time, and, according to her, Mr. Miller requested that she get an abortion. Ms. McKenna decided to keep the baby, and, at seven-months pregnant, decided to move to New York, where she now attends school at Columbia University. Then, in November of 2012, Mr. Miller filed for custody of the baby boy.

 A family court referee made the first call in the Miller-McKenna custody battle, and it was a controversial one. The referee ruled that Ms. McKenna had been irresponsible and that she was reprehensible for moving from California to New York while she was pregnant, and subsequently awarded custody to Mr. Miller. A New York appeals court later overturned the New York Family Court ruling, and a Manhattan Family Court judge will hear arguments from Ms. McKenna and Mr. Miller to determine child custody and visitation issues. Though it is unclear how the judge will ultimately rule, it is very apparent that both sides are pushing hard to obtain legal custody of the young boy.

There are times when a couple simply can’t work out their differences during a marriage. Most couples don’t take the idea of divorce lightly. For anyone seeking a divorce, thoughts about the time and money spent on the marriage are exacerbated by the time and money that will be spent in getting the divorce.

In Illinois, sometimes a couple does not give a reason for their desire to seek a divorce, and in those instances, the couple is said to have “irreconcilable differences.” When divorcing couples do give a reason for the divorce, the reason is considered the “grounds” for the divorce.

Grounds for Divorce

Divorce is a complicated process, with many important decisions to be made. One of the most convoluted parts of divorce is property division. For many families, pets are more than just property; they are members of the family. However, in the eyes of Illinois law, they are treated simply as property.

According to the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, pet custody cases are on the rise in the United States. Surveys say that more than 60 percent of American homes have pets. Pet ownership and maintenance is a rising field of business, as displayed with the increase in insurance for animals, fancy salons, and even pet attire. When breakups and divorce occurs, the destiny of pets can turn into a real dogfight.

Illinois Property Division