Social Security is available for young people who lose a parent
Social Security is here for young people when a parent passes away. We know the loss of a parent isn’t just emotionally painful; it can be devastating to family’s finances. In the same way Social Security helps 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 are:
Younger than age 18;
18-19 years old and a fulltime student (not 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 is 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 percent 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 at socialsecurity.gov/ pubs/EN-05-10026.pdf.
Social Security is securing today and tomorrow, protecting our future and the next generation.
Applying online is the fastest way to get Social Security benefits. Some additional types of available benefits include:
■ Retirement or Spouse’s Benefits – You must be at least 61 years and 9 months old and want your benefits to start no more than four months in the future. Apply at socialsecurity. gov/retireonline.
■ Disability – You can apply online for disability benefits or continue an application you already started. Apply for Disability at socialsecurity.gov/ disabilityonline.
■ Extra Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Costs – Many people need assistance with the cost of medications. Apply for Extra Help at socialsecurity.gov/i1020.
■ Medicare – Medicare is a national health insurance program administered by the U.S. federal government that began in 1966. You can apply online or continue an application you already started at socialsecurity.gov/retireonline.
■ Supplemental Security Income (SSI) – SSI is a federal income program funded by general tax revenues designed to help aged, blind, and disabled people who have little or no income. You may be able to apply online if you meet certain requirements. See if you can apply online for SSI at socialsecurity.gov/benefits/ssi.