Can anyone can give me a way to legally claim an adult child?

medsec77, sounds like your daughter needs some tough love as a knee fracture shouldn't put anyone down for the count... people with far worst injuries are able to hold down a full-time job.

Did your daughter reject her social security card as a stance on big government? If yes, wasn't that her choice to do? Then she needs to take responsibility for that choice. She shouldn't be dragging you into her political arena.

This social security thing has been bugging me all day. Social security numbers don't expire, or get shut off, UNLESS the individual has been declared deceased. Since your daughter has been having issues with disability etc. it is possibly that in all that paperwork, she could have been declared deceased accidentally (it happens, there was a major article about it recently in the Boston papers). You really should start by having her go to the social security office and straighten that out.

Angel

Well, I agree that you shouldn't abandon your child. However, I do think she needs to be pushed from the feathered nest. You need to teach her, once again, how to be independent. By degrees. First you inform her that she has to go to social security and get the number thing straightened out. Like it or not. Then she has to find at least part time work that will buy her, oh say, groceries because you aren't going to anymore. Then by degrees, you cut off more and more. That is not abandoning. That is making her self sufficient and giving her back her power over herself.

And tell her that you need all your money to take care of yourself because you won't always be able to work full time and you will soon need to hire help during the day to stay with her father.

Good luck with this. I know it's tough to be stern. As far as legally claiming her as a dependent, without a social security number, you are probably out of luck. Even babies have SS numbers now.

She has been disabled by a knee fracture in 2010 and has since pretty much completely recovered holisitically (organic raw vega diet); was actually supporting herself prior by pet sitting, modeling, etc. I have tried using old SS#, which DOES NOT WORK. I am posting under the "elderly" category because I am "elderly" and am also currently caregiver for a 93 y/o w/dementia and working full time. Started as a temporary thing about the same time as her injury. As my sister-in-law said, "you can't abandon your child" (although my spouse pretty much has). Yes, I should be home caring for him, but this is the only "respite" I have for 8 hours a day! He is still somewhat functional and refuses any "in home" assistance from outsiders. I hope that covers all the questions that my previous post raised. Probably shouldn't have even asked!

This is an interesting subject. Our site is for caring for the elderly, so we might not have your answers. Good luck.

You might want to look up co-dependency. Supporting an adult child who has no disability is bad for all concerned, it encourages all sorts of maladaptive behaviors.
An adult child with disabilities would collect SSD, be on Medicare and have subsidized housing. There would be no need for the parent to support them.
You say "underground economy" and I take that to mean working off the books and collecting SNAP or other public support. You are correct to think that claiming the dependent would raise a red flag.
Personally, I would neither claim the dependent nor send them any support. They have made adult choices and need to experience the consequences. You are an emotional victim of abuse, only you can break the cycle.

Is there a reason you're doing this?

First she needs a valid social security number. What do you mean by...rejected by her several years ago? You can't reject your social security number. As long as she is a legal citizen she should have one.

Angel