Social Security Disability Insurance (DIB) is the most important type of Social Security disability benefit, but there are actually a total of 5 different social security disability benefit programs. It may help to understand all 5 programs can be categorized as either an “entitlement” based program, or a “welfare” type of program. An entitlement program is not concerned with whether you are rich or poor, whereas a welfare program requires that you are poor (according to the government’s definition). Supplemental Security income (SSI) is a welfare program. DIB is paid to those who have worked in recent years (five out of the last ten years in most cases) who are now disabled without regard to wealth or personal assets. Supplemental Security Income benefits, however, are paid to those who are poor and who are disabled. It does not matter for SSI whether an individual has worked in the past or not. Disabled Widows and Widowers Benefits are paid to individuals who are at least 50 and become disabled within a certain amount of time after the death of their husband or wife. The deceased spouse must have worked enough under Social Security to be insured. Disabled Adult Child Benefits go to the children of persons who have died or who were receiving Social Security disability or retirement benefits. The child must have become disabled before age 22. For Disability Insurance Benefits, Disabled Widow’s or Widower’s Benefits and Disabled Adult Child benefits, it does not matter whether the disabled individual is rich or poor. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, however, are paid to individuals who are poor and who are disabled. It does not matter for SSI whether an individual has worked in the past or not. SSI child’s disability benefits are a variety of SSI benefits paid to children under the age of 18 who are disabled. Disability is defined differently for children.