Social Security’s Benefits for Children
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: March 17, 2021
Social Security is with you through life’s journey — from birth, to death, and even beyond, by helping to care for surviving dependents. Every year, about 4.4 million children receive monthly benefits because one or both of their parents are disabled, retired, or deceased. When a parent becomes disabled or dies, Social Security benefits help to stabilize the family’s financial situation in an otherwise turbulent time.
Earlier this year, National Birth Defects Prevention Month in January and National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month in March both raised awareness about medical conditions in children. Many families with children who have birth defects or developmental disabilities need medical and financial help. This is where Social Security’s commitment to helping children and families is most evident.
Social Security pays benefits through our disability insurance and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs. Our disability program provides vital income for disabled children, including people disabled since childhood. To qualify for children’s benefits under our disability program, the applicant must be the child of a parent entitled to benefits and meet Social Security’s strict definition of disability. A person is disabled under the Social Security Act if he or she can’t work due to a severe medical condition that has lasted, or is expected to last, at least one year or result in death.
The SSI program provides payments to blind or disabled children who live in households with low income and limited resources if they meet our strict definition of disability. You can find more information on eligibility requirements by visiting our website.
Our publication, Benefits for Children explains all we do to care for children. Our website is also an excellent source of information. If you think a child you know is eligible for benefits, don’t wait. Share this information and help improve the child’s quality of life today.
Did you find this Information helpful?
Tags: retirement, Social Security benefits, SSI, supplemental security income
See CommentsAbout the Author
Jim Borland, Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Communications
Jim Borland, Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Communications
Comments
Comments are closed.
jerrod
Is it wrong of me to want to be a father and husband someday even though I’m disabled? I really want to be a dad but I don’t want to start something I cant afford. it just seems unfair to me that I cant give a child a life of wealth and quality, but I would raise him or her right. my kid would suffer under money restrictions as I cant work and anyone who would marry me would probably also be disabled and poor. If I meet a rich woman it wouldn’t be so much an issue, but it is what it is. I would make a good dad I helped raise kids from my teen years and live in a small town so the issues would be things like medical insurance school cost clothes and accessories so they would fit in and the normal spending. it just seems like I’m being dead weight treated and my condition is keeping me from the American dream. I just want to be a dad since I would be good at it since I cant be a worker I have time to teach and care take but the issue is that my kid may have a hard life I just really was wondering if it is ok for me to be a dad and if theres a good gov. book or websites you could recommend about the cost of living and the future economy for disabled poor Americans that want to not be a problem but still kinda think they should have the right to continue there family. I am the last of my last name in my bloodline that’s male and I really want to continue my lineage and last name together. also would it be wrong of me as a good parental figure in wanting to be a dad to just be a single parent with good family support just not financially? is the economy ok projected living standards getting better, or is it selfish and stupid of me to want to start a family? just curious if America would be there for my kid even though I’m poor and disabled ?
james
I receive benefits (just approved) I have sole legal custody of 2 grandsons and have had them almost 7 yrs are they entitled to benefits also ?
R.F.
Hello James. Under current law, Social Security can only pay benefits to grandchildren if certain conditions are met. In addition to providing for more than 50% of their support as you may be doing now, the biological parents of the children must be deceased or disabled, or you must have legally adopted them.
See “Benefits For Grandchildren” for more information.
CHARLES L.
ADHD
Jean w.
I am having difficulties or do not know how to apply for benefit for my son living in Haiti, I was told by the Nyack social security office to apply at the ambassy in Haiti, but there they told me they no longer doing that
stacy m.
I would like to know if my child’s application to receive my deceased spouses social security was excepted?
Jess
I think it was ssi my son was getting but it stopped. I dont know why i even sent them everything they needed to keep my son on. My hours at work have been cut and its been a little harder for us. We were getting $400 i cant remember the exact amount but it helped us so much with our son. I want to re apply but i dont know how. he had it since he was born untill 2 years ago. He was born early (27weeks) and hes almost 4 and hes still a special needs kid. Is there a way i can re apply for this
R.F.
Hello Jess. Based on the information you provided, you will have to re-apply for your son’s SSI benefits.
Please call our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213 for assistance. Representatives are available Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Generally, you will have a shorter wait time if you call later during the day or later in the week. Or contact your local office directly.
Thanks.
Darvin F.
HOW TO CHANGE REPRESENTATIVE NEED TO REMOVE MYSELF
R.F.
Thank you for contacting us, Darvin. You will have to contact your local Social Security office. A face-to-face interview is required to select and approve a new representative payee. Generally, we look for family or friends to serve as representative payees. When friends or family are not able to serve as payees, Social Security looks for qualified organizations to be representative payees.
Please call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. to speak to one of our representatives if you need further assistance. Thanks!
BARBARA F.
MY GRANDSON JOSEPH ALEXANDER AND HIS FATHER KENNETH ALEXANDER RECIEVE A DEATH BENEFIT FROM MY GRANDSON’S DECEASED MOTHER CATHEY LYNN LARSEN HE WILL BE 18 ON OCTOBER 3 2018 AND WANTS HIS FATHER OFF HIS DEATH BENEFITS FROM HIS MOTHER.. HE IS IN SCHOOL AND PLANS ON GOING TO COLLEGE WHAT DOES HE HAVE TO DO TO GET HIS OWN BENEFITS AND WHAT IS THE AGE THAT THESE BENEFITS END FOR HIM ANY INFORMATION WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL. HE WILL BE OPENING HIS OWN BANK ACCOUNT CAN HE HAVE HIS DECEASED MOTHERS CHECK COME TO HIS ACCOUNT AND WHEN SHOULD HE TALK TO SOMEONE ABOUT CHANGING HIS STATUS OF HIS BENEFITS THANKYOU IF NEEDED I WILL SUBMIT THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY #’S
R.F.
Thank you for contacting us Barbara. Normally, benefits 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, benefits will continue until the child graduates or until two months after the child becomes age 19, whichever is first. If the child continues to attend school he/she must notify us at least three months before his/her 18th birthday. The child must complete a statement of attendance, certified by a school official.
Generally, if the beneficiary is under age 18, we pay benefits to a representative payee.
We start paying benefits directly to the beneficiary when he or she turns age 18.
Your grandson can call our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213, should he need further assistance. Representatives are available Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
We hope this information helps!
Tanja
If I am still paying 100% of my child’s expenses and he still lives with me, why is he the only one receiving benefits? These Social Security benefits are to help me make sure he lives the lifestyle he is accustomed to when his dad was alive. If this is taken from me, he will not live the same life style, plus you are now putting $1600 a month into the hands of a teenager…ARE you nuts? it needs to be managed by an adult. Social Security administration must relook at their rules and regulations and rewrite them to reflect the ideas of today. Giving money to children today opens doors that we should not be opening.
philippe r.
hi like to ask , my son has autism since birth , and never apply for any type of benefits, he is a us citizen born abroad, and still residing in the philippine, like to ask if he can get some type of benefits from social security from our philippines embassy
R.F.
Thank you for your question, Philippe. Children can be eligible for Social Security benefits when one or both of their parents are disabled, retired, or deceased. Benefits stop when your child reaches age 18 unless your child is a student or disabled. The Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program pays benefits to adults who have a disability that began before they became 22-years-old. We consider this benefit as a “child’s” benefit because it’s paid on a parent’s Social Security earnings record.
Children younger than age 18 who have disabilities and are U.S. citizen, residing in one of the fifty states, District of Columbia, or the Northern Mariana Island may be eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments.
We recommend that individuals living outside the United States contact the nearest Federal Benefits Unit or U.S. embassy in their area, for any assistance related to Social Security programs and benefits.
Also, our Office of International Operations home page provides more information to assist our customers living abroad. We hope this information helps!