Financial Help for Grandparents Who Have Custody of Their Grandchildren
Raising children is always a financial burden, but it can be especially so for grandparents who have custody of their grandchildren. These older individuals may be in or nearing retirement and may be living on a fixed income. Health concerns may prevent them from going back to work, making it even more difficult for them to support their charges. Fortunately, there exist several sources of financial assistance to help them carry the load.
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Child Support
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Grandparents are entitled to receive child support for grandchildren of whom they have custody, regardless of whether this is by agreement of the parties or court order. Financially-strapped grandparents need not worry about paying an attorney; the local child support enforcement agency will pursue child support for any grandparent having custody of her grandchildren upon the payment of a nominal application fee. Pursuing child support can also be an important step in preparing to terminate the parental rights of a set of unfit parents.
Medical Insurance
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One of the most significant financial burdens on anyone having custody of minor children is providing them with medical insurance. Fortunately, the Medicaid program in every county is available to insure children whose parents are unable to provide them with medical insurance. If the children's natural parents are incarcerated, unemployed or underemployed, the children may be eligible for Medicaid assistance. If the children are not eligible for Medicaid due to the incomes of the natural parents, the local child support enforcement agency may be able to forcibly add the children to a natural parent's insurance plan through work.
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Food Stamps
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Grandparents with custody of their grandchildren may also be eligible for food stamp benefits. The food stamp program is a federal benefit administered by the individual states. Under the federal rules, a family cannot have more than $2,000 in assets ($3,000 if the household includes a disabled individual over the age of 60) and must meet certain income requirements. These income requirements change from year to year and vary based on the type of income and the status of individuals in the household.
Social Security
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Grandparents may end up with custody of their grandchildren for a variety of reasons other than the unfitness of the natural parents. If the natural parents have died or are unable to provide for their children due to a disability, the children -- and therefore their caregivers -- may be able to receive Social Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits.
Other Family Members
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Grandparents struggling to provide for grandchildren of whom they have custody may also receive assistance from other members of the family. Brothers and sisters of the natural parents and grandparents on the other side of the family may be willing to contribute towards the living expenses of the children. While this source of funding can be unreliable and unavailable to some, asking for it costs nothing. And as any grandparent under such circumstances can attest, every little bit helps.
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References
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