Social Security and 20 yr old who lives at home

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High functioning aspie son is fast approaching 21, he does not drive, lives at home. He can read, but his spelling/writing is probably K-1 level. His math skills are also low gradeschool level. He is an absolute wizard with anything computer-related though...absolutely brilliant.

Graduated high school (with a long list of accommodations) and tried 2 remedial college classes (that didn't work out too well).

We are looking to apply for social security for him.

If we apply for social security for him, does that take into account parents income? The fact that he lives with us at home? Anything else we need to be aware of?

Thanks!

yeah, it takes your income into accounti f you are listed as supporting him, technically i am on SSI right now but my payments are suspended til 2014 because i managed to hold a job and make x amount of money(lost said job), they claim they overpaid me and now im kindof in a bad spot with stuff. just make usre its not your only income for him.

Have you considered seeing if you can get a job placement in IT? If he's great with computers maybe there are programs or ways he can work some. College might not be in his path.

There are plenty of jobs that don't require reading or writing. My husband has severe dyslexia and he is an electrician and has been one for about 30 years. He does have a degree in industrial electricity but that's because his dad made him go to college. There are just as many out there who are just as good as him who quit school in 8th or 9th grade.

There are plenty of construction trades that he could do and that bring in good money. Before you get him signed up for social security and write off any possibility of independent living and earning a decent salary, why not have him look into some of the trades? I don't say this because I have a problem with people who need it, being on the dole, but I say this because I bet he would be a lot happies and feel like he's part of society etc, if he's got a real job.

There are quite a few that come to mind. My oldest son who is 23 has done several of them for a living before. Here are a few right off the top of my head.

Roofer
Flooring installer (carpet, tile, wood)
Sheetrocker
Carpenter
Painter
Glass installer
Plumber
Electrician
Heating/AC
Brick mason

Why not mention it to him and see what he thinks? See what he might like to try before you get him signed up for SS. If he's physically able to do the work, I'd sort of push him to do something like that. Most of that type work doesn't require a lot of reading/math etc. Of course some of them do, especially at the higher levels, but I once knew a man who owned his own flooring company and installed floors, carpet, tile, wood, linoleum, concrete, etc and couldn't read or write a word. He had quit going to school about the 3rd grade or something. (He was from way out in the country in Georgia). So, reading and writing and math aren't needed for everything. Don't write off his future just because he can't do an office job, the world does need physical labor too.

Also, try some of the temporary day labor places. That stuff is completely unskilled and he could work 8 or 10 hours a day and get paid at the end of the day. It's only minimum wage, but it's earning money and not sitting around in his parents house. He could find an opportunity to learn a trade through that too.

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I'm giving it another shot. We will see.
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