If You Are Young and Lose a Parent
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: September 13, 2018
Social Security is here for young people when a parent passes away. We know that the loss of a parent isn’t just emotionally painful; it can be devastating to a family’s finances. In the same way that Social Security helps to lift up the disabled and elderly when they need it, we support families when an income-earning parent dies.
In 2017, we distributed an average of $2.6 billion each month to benefit about 4.2 million children because one or both of their parents are disabled, retired, or deceased. Those dollars help to provide the necessities of life and help make it possible for those children to complete high school.
You might ask, who can get child’s benefits? Your unmarried child can get benefits if they’re:
- Younger than age 18;
- 18-19 years old and a full-time student (no higher than grade 12); or
- 18 or older with a disability that began before age 22.
To get benefits, a child must have:
- A parent who’s disabled or retired and entitled to Social Security benefits; or
- A parent who died after having worked long enough in a job where they paid Social Security taxes.
Benefits stop when your child reaches age 18 unless your child is a student or disabled.
Within a family, a child can receive up to half of the parent’s full retirement or disability benefit. If a child receives Survivors benefits, he or she can get up to 75 percent of the deceased parent’s basic Social Security benefit.
There is a limit to the amount of money that we can pay to a family. This family maximum is determined as part of every Social Security benefit computation. It can be from 150 to 180 percent of the parent’s full benefit amount. If the total amount payable to all family members exceeds this limit, we reduce each person’s benefit proportionately (except the parent’s) until the total equals the maximum allowable amount.
Children with disabilities may also be eligible for benefits. You can read more about Benefits for Children with Disabilities.
Social Security is securing today and tomorrow, protecting our future and the next generation.
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Tags: Social Security benefits, survivors benefits
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Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications
Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications
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Beverly S.
My 16 year old granddaughter, with cerebral palsy, is in need of help. Her father passed away in 2017 at the age of 50. He worked all his life and paid into Social Security.
Is my granddaughter entitled to any help from Social Security?
A.C.
Hi, Beverly. We are sorry to hear about your granddaughter’s condition and your loss. When person dies, his minor children can qualify for survivors’ benefits as long as they are under age 18 and unmarried. Also, if they are over 18 and disabled before age 22, they may qualify as well. You can find more information on how children can qualify for survivors’ benefits when a parent dies by checking out our publication, Benefits for Children. You can also visit our Survivors web page for more information. We hope this helps!
Randi R.
My dad passed away when i was 13, my s.s check was put into a c.d by my grandma, when she died i never got any of that money, is there record of where that money went? How do i find out? Its been many many years but i have always wondered about it… I know when my sons dad died i had to fill out paperwork i think every couple months saying where the money was spent or if saved
V.V.
Hi Randy, thanks for using our blog. If your grandmother was your representative payee, she would have been required to keep records of all payments received and how they are spent or saved. Usually, Social Security will send a “Representative Payee Accounting Report” once a year. Keep in mind that a payee must first take care of the beneficiary’s day-to-day needs for food and shelter. Then, they must use the money for the beneficiary’s medical and dental care that’s not covered by health insurance, pay for the beneficiary’s personal needs, such as clothing and recreation and then they can save any money left after all that for the beneficiary’s needs.
Karen
I work for a disable workshop. some of our clients gets SS for their dad or mom who have passed away. they have been disable since birth. They come to our workshop and do piece rate work. How much are they able to make before it interferes with their SS.
A.C.
Hi, Karen. Thanks for your question. For more information about how work may affect disability benefits, check out our publication, Working While Disabled: How We Can Help. We hope this helps.
Angie
I’ve been on hold with the SS office for 45 min and can find no info online to answer our question. My step daughter receives survivorship benefits due to her biological mother passing 2 years ago. The money is going into a bank account for her college years. Our question is, if I legally adopt her, which we would all love, will she no longer receive those benefits or will she still get them? Thank you
A.C.
Hi, Angie. We are sorry you had difficulty reaching us by telephone. We have been experiencing a higher than normal call volume. Benefits for a child who is already entitled to benefits will not stop due to an adoption. For specific questions, please call our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). Representatives are available Monday through Friday between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Generally, you’ll have a shorter wait time if you call later in the week. We hope this helps.
Amy
I am in a similar situation my children’s biological father passed away back in December and they started receiving survivors benefits at the end of January. We would like for my boyfriend of 11 years to adopt them but want to ensure that their benefits won’t be effected. Where can I find this in writing so I have proof in case needed?
Belgica M.
How do I apply for benefits? I lost my mother and I have a 15 yr old brother. I call the SSA and they never answer. HELP!!
Kevin T.
I am a father of a child’s that mother has passed away in March 2016 I went to get benefits for my child a month or two later and they told me I couldn’t because she did not work enough. Is it any way I can get some assistance?
Susan L.
Hi I am the rep payee for my 11 year old grandson, whose mother is deceased. His sister is now 18 and no longer receives benefits. A friend told me that he should now receive the full amount of benefits because before they were each getting half. Should his benefit amount now increase?
A.C.
Hi, Susan. We are sorry to hear of your loss. A beneficiary’s benefit rate is established by law to be a set percentage of the deceased worker’s basic benefit amount. For surviving children, it is set at 75 percent of the deceased worker’s basic benefit amount. In some cases, there is a limit to the amount a family can receive each month, called the family maximum. The family maximum can range from 150 to 180 percent of the deceased worker’s benefit. If there are several family members receiving survivors benefits, those benefits may be reduced due to the family maximum—but the benefit for one surviving child would be limited to 75 percent of the deceased workers basic benefit. When an another child is no longer eligible, the amount the other children generally does not change. For specific questions regarding your grandson’s benefits, you can call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. We hope this helps.
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Arnot B.
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Norma S.
My daughter will be 18 in October but she will be attending college online. What are the procedures and what do I have to do before loses her benefits. Does she need to fax infor and classes she will be attending?
The benefits she gets now are survivors checks.
Thank you for any advice
V.V.
Thank you for using our blog, Norma. Benefits stop when your child reaches age 18 unless your child is a student or disabled. Three months before your child’s 18th birthday, we’ll send a notice to you letting you know that benefits will end when your child turns 18. Benefits don’t end if your child is a full-time student at a secondary (or elementary) school.
Check out our Frequently Asked Questions for Students web page for more details.