Other Programs

You may qualify for many other benefits programs. For example, if you get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and are over 18, you can probably get help from Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) and may be able to get income support from Work First.

Depending on your circumstances, two Social Security programs may give you benefits based on contributions your parents made during their careers: Child’s Benefits and Childhood Disability Benefits (CDB).

Asset-building programs, including ABLE accounts and the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) can help you save up money without losing benefits you get that have income and resource limits.

Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) and Work First

FNS helps people with low incomes and low resources pay for food. FNS used to be called Food Stamps, but it changed names and works a little differently now. Instead of using stamps, you get a plastic card called an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card that looks and works like a debit card. North Carolina puts money on the EBT card each month and you use the card to pay for food. Learn more about FNS.

Work First gives money to families who don't have enough to pay for basic needs like food, clothing, and rent. Work First defines a family as one or two parents living with their child or children under 18. (For children who are in high school full-time, the age limit is 19.) A family could include biological children, step-children, adopted children, and children of relatives. Learn more about Work First.

In order to get FNS or Work First, you must have low income and limited resources. To apply for these programs, you can:

• Apply with North Carolina ePASS
• Apply in person at your local Department of Social Services (DSS) office, or
• Download the application forms from North Carolina ePASS, complete them, and then mail, fax, or bring them in person to your local Department of Social Services (DSS) office.

Child’s Benefits (only if you are under 19)

The most common way for adults to get Social Security benefits, like Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or retirement benefits, is to work and pay into Social Security’s trust fund.

For young people, however, a more common way to get Social Security benefits is to qualify for Child’s Benefits. You do not need to have a disability to qualify for Child’s Benefits. To get them, you must:

• Be under the age of 18 (or 19 if you’re attending high school or other secondary education)
• Not be married, and
• Have a parent who gets Social Security retirement benefits or SSDI. If your parent is deceased, you may also qualify.

You'll get Child's Benefits in any month your parent gets a Social Security disability or retirement benefit. You will also get benefits if your parent is deceased and would have qualified for benefits based on his or her work record. That means that if your parent is in SSDI's Trial Work Period, you'll keep getting Child's Benefits, but during the Extended Period of Eligibility, you'll only get a Child's Benefit in any month your parent gets an SSDI benefit. Make sure to notify Social Security if your family is in this situation.

You can apply for Child’s Benefits at your local Social Security office, or by calling 1-800-772-1213 or 1-800-325-0778 (TTY). Learn more about Child's Benefits or talk to a benefits planner.

Childhood Disability Benefits (only if you are 18 or older)

If you have a disability, you may qualify to get money each month through the Childhood Disability Benefits (CDB) program. CDB is based on your parent’s work record.

To qualify, you must:

• Be 18 or older
• Have a disability since before you turned 22 that meets Social Security's adult definition of disability
• Not be married, unless your spouse also gets SSDI or CDB, and
• Have a parent who gets Social Security retirement benefits or SSDI. If your parent is deceased, you may also qualify.

You don’t automatically get CDB when you turn 18. You can apply for it at your local Social Security office or by telephone at 1-800-772-1213 or 1-800-325-0778 (TTY).

If you get CDB, you can also get health coverage through Medicare after a two-year waiting period.

Learn more about CDB.

Asset-Building Programs

Asset-building programs are a different type of benefits designed to help you save money you have earned. Instead of sending you a check or paying for your health care expenses, asset-building programs help you save money so that you can afford to pay for your own expenses, such as education, buying a car, or even retirement.

ABLE Accounts

ABLE accounts let people who have disabilities that began before they turned 26 keep money in a special account. The first $100,000 in an ABLE account doesn't count against the $2,000 SSI resource limit, and none of the money in an ABLE account counts for NC Medicaid. Additionally, the money in an ABLE account gets tax advantages similar to the way retirement accounts work.

Learn more about ABLE accounts.

Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) gives money to low- to moderate- income workers and families. Even people who don’t make enough to owe income taxes may qualify for this tax credit.

To qualify, you must have income from employment, self-employment, or employer-paid disability benefits and you must file your taxes!

The amount of your EITC depends on your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI), whether you are married, and the number of children you have. For 2025 (filing taxes by April 2026), the EITC ranges from $2 to $8,046.

Note: If your income is too high, you don't qualify for the EITC.

For more details, read DB101’s Tax Credits and Tools page.