My son age 10 is eligible to collect social security disability benefits based on my husbands terminal brain cancer. They told me as administrator of his funds I have to account for every penny each year. No problem, but since I am not the most organized person in the world I want to keep all of the expenses on a spread sheet as I go, and I am wondering what are "allowable expenses". Can I include a portion of groceries, mortgage, heating etc. I will basically be supporting the children with the help of this money so can I include utilities, car maintenance, and the like? I would like to try and save some of it for when he gets older because he suffers from Asperger's syndrome and is somewhat disabled himself although not severely, but we've just lost 2/3 of our income and I am just trying to stay afloat. We haven't been approved yet but the nature of my husband's condition makes it seem very likely. I just want to document what I am allowed to spend the money on so I'm not sressed out at the end of the year.

When I was getting it for my kids they said they wanted all the money accounted for but when they sent the forms all I really had to do was put a dollar amount on each line and it had to total the amount of the SS.
They may have gotten stricter though

Start by writing up a basic budget you plan to follow with his money
For example
rent $600. X 12
utilities $150. X 12
food $80. X 12
personal hygiene products $45.
clothing $150. X 3
school supplies $60.
transportation (gas) $40. X 12
entertainment, outings, (IPod's, video games, movies, Chuckie Cheese, etc.) $120.
Make an envelope for each category and put it in a folder or something. Then put the receipts in the appropriate folder.

For things that benefit the whole family like rent, utilities, soaps,
eating out, etc... divide by a percentage at least in half or the # of people it benefited.

I think you are allowed to put a certain amount in a trust for him but check on that first.

Also you can easily come up with what you spent the money on since it is only a fraction of your yearly expenses.

You can try getting him his own disability by taking him to a dr and the dr can fill out the SSD forms.

Thanks, That was a big help. I like the envelope idea. I will start it right away. The lady spoke of a yearly form that must be the one you mentioned. Again thanks for your help.

If you want to cross t's and dot I's I suggest an hour long discussion with an accountant.

They would show you the in's and out's of what you can and cannot write off,much less what can be extra write off,if you have over and above expenses,costing more than the ssd income.

With additional book keeping you can state the case legally and succinctly,showing any additional expenses and apply for additional assistance(maybe,not positive)(or in your sons case) possibly to aid in his application for SSD.

I use 'Dome Simplified Weekly' record keeping book(from Staples or any type store specifying in book keeping/record keeping supplies)My accountant and I can then address the same lines over the phone instead of in person(saving me a lot verses an office visit) and we only have to meet to clear up mistakes and annually to finalize the books for taxes/reports of use of income.

It has saved me a lot of headaches and time(much saved a lot of money too) by getting professional assistance before I got in over my head.

An accounting book sounds like a good idea.
I know some notebooks have folder type pages with pockets for dividers throughout the book.