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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Sabrina
Hello, i. Was wondering, i have a mild mentally handicap brother, our father died when we were teens and he recieved social secerty check, my brother works, there not to many jobs he can do but hea about to start this new job at a duck farm making 14 an hour will my dads benefits stop going to him because of it??
Imran A.
Another question what are all the reasons someone with social security benefits lose them beside turning 18?
Imran A.
What if the child gets a job before 18 will the social security end then or continue until the child turns 18.
Patricia
In 2012 my kids dad died. Two out of the the three kids have turned 18, as of Jun 2019) with the last child being 16. I did not receive any benefits due to being divorced from their father. Shouldnt my 16 year old receive the full amount that they all received? Meaning when the second child turned 18 would he receive the amount that she received. example: each child received $333.00/per month. When first child turned 18 the remaining two received $575. Now that the second child turned 18 the third child should receive $1150. Correct?
dawne h.
question….just needed a question answered. my grandsons father was killed prior to him being born and it took a while for paternity due to a long drawn out battle against Uber. My daughter applied for social security benefits and WILL NOT retro from the day he was born. which was 26 months ago. they only gave her $4000 the other day and it should be a whole lot more and she has 60 day to appeal and doesn’t know if she should cash the check. she is in desperate need of the money but doesn’t want to hurt the appeal process. she can get any guidance from anyone. can you please help
Kristy
How do I access my son’s statement of benefits that he receives off of his deceased father. I tried to start an account with my son’d social it says I can not cause he is underage. I start one in my social and it does not give me access to his benefits although I am over his check as his mother. I also tried under his deceased fathers social to start an account to get the statement it says I can not do that either, so not sure how I can get it then… please help!
Ann C.
Hi, Kristy. You cannot create a my Social Security account for a minor child. Unfortunately, you can only create a my Social Security account using your own personal information and for your own exclusive use. You cannot create or use an account on behalf of another person, even if you have that person’s written permission. You can call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., for assistance. Generally, you will have a shorter wait if you call later in the day. You can also contact your local Social Security office. We hope this helps.
Patrick H.
Are there any additional benefits for my child who lost her mother after she turns 18
Luis A.
Hi, Patrick. We’re sorry to hear about your loss. When person dies, their 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 Benefits for Children publication. We hope this helps.
Jen
My 11 year old daughter receives her deceased father’s SSI. Her older brother, who also receives SSI, just turned 18 and has received his last SSI payment. How do I ensure my 11 year old is eligible for the SSI that her brother used to receive?
Ann C.
Hi, Jen. For your daughter’s security, we do not have access to private information in this venue. We ask that members in our Blog community work with our offices with specific questions. You can call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., for assistance. Generally, you will have a shorter wait if you call later in the day. You can also contact your local Social Security office. We hope this helps.
Bruce F.
Is their no continued SSA benefits for a full time college student over 18 years of age? Please advise, my daughter has been receiving benefits since the death of her mother, she’s turning 18 in July and will be a full time college student in the upcoming 2019-20 school year..
Thank you,
Ann C.
Hi, Bruce. Normally, benefits for children stop when children reach age 18, unless they are disabled. However, if the child is still a full-time student at a secondary (or elementary) school at age 18, Social Security benefits can continue until the child graduates or until two months after the child becomes age 19, whichever is first. For more information, visit here. Thanks.
Bessie S.
My name is Bessie Sherrod I am in need of my daughter Debbie McGhee social security card number.
She passed away on April 14 in Seattle Washington.
She was employed at the University of Washington in that city.
I do have a copy of her death certificate but they had a
problem attaining the number. I also will need it to complete other matters. We could not find any other papers that had her Social Security number on them.
PLEASE TRY AND HELP ME WITH THIS MATTER
this situation
Ann C.
Hi, Bessie. We are sorry to hear about your loss. For your security, we do not have access to private information in this venue. To obtain your daughter’s social security number, you can make your request online or in writing by visiting our Freedom of Information Act web page. We hope this helps.