Social Security Benefits for Children: How They Work

Social Security is usually associated with monthly payments to retirees. However, there is another important facet of Social Security benefits—providing financial assistance to children. Children may qualify for benefits if a parent is retired, disabled, or deceased.

Children who are disabled may be eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), a separate program that's also run by the Social Security Administration (SSA). Here's the lowdown on who qualifies for what.

How Children Qualify for Social Security Benefits

Eligible children can collect Social Security benefits based on a parent's work record. The parent must have earned enough Social Security credits. Biological or adopted children or stepchildren can be eligible for Social Security benefits if they meet the following criteria:

• Have a parent who is disabled or retired and eligible for Social Security benefits
• Are unmarried
• Are younger than 18 or are between ages 18 and 19 and are full-time high school students
• Are 18 or older and disabled (as long as the disability began before they turned age 22)

The requirements for Social Security survivor benefits are similar, except that the parent must be deceased for the child to qualify.

SSI Benefits for Children

Supplemental Security Income is a separate program for Americans with limited incomes and few other resources. Recipients must generally be 65 or older, blind, or disabled. But SSI is also available to children under age 18 in certain cases. To qualify for SSI benefits:

• The child must have a physical or mental impairment (or impairments) that results in marked and severe functional limitations.
• The impairment or impairments must have lasted or be expected to last for a continuous period of at least 12 months or be expected to result in death. In the case of blindness, that duration requirement doesn't apply.
• A child who isn't blind must not earn more than $1,550 per month. A child who is blind must not earn more than $2,590 per month.

Decisions for granting SSI can take time. However, if a child has qualifying conditions, the Social Security Administration may begin making payments while an application is under review.

How Much Do Children Receive in Social Security Benefits?

A child may receive a Social Security benefit equal to 50% of the parent’s full retirement benefit or disability benefit. If the parent is deceased, the child is eligible to receive up to 75% of the parent’s full retirement benefit.

There is a limit to the total amount that a family can receive from Social Security based on one worker's earnings record, though. The maximum family benefit typically ranges from 150% to 180% of the parent's full benefit amount. The formula for maximum family benefits is based on a retired parent's work record. If the parent is disabled, a different formula applies.

If the amount due to the entire family surpasses the maximum, some individual payments will be proportionately reduced. As an example, consider a retiree named June, who has a dependent child, Ruth, who is also eligible for benefits. June's full retirement amount is $1,500 per month, and her family maximum is $2,300 per month. June would receive her full $1,500, while her spouse, John, and daughter Ruth would split the remaining $800 payment, each receiving $400.

SSI benefits are determined by a different calculation, and the maximum benefit changes each year. Some states also supplement SSI. In addition, a disabled child who collects SSI may also be eligible for Medicaid to help pay for medical bills.

How to Receive Benefits

You can apply for benefits by calling 800-772-1213 or by visiting your local Social Security office. Applications for children's benefits are not accepted online. However, you may apply online for SSI for children.

The family must present the child's birth certificate, the parents' Social Security numbers (SSNs), and the child's Social Security number. Additional documents may also be required. In relevant cases, the applicant must provide a parent's death certificate and/or evidence of disability from a doctor.

If you are taking care of a child and are receiving Social Security benefits for that reason, the child's benefits may stop at a different time from your own. For example, if your child is not disabled, your benefits will end when the child turns 16 years old. If the child is disabled and you are responsible for them, your benefits may continue. For these types of specific circumstances, it’s best to contact the Social Security Administration for guidance.