What Are the Age Limits on Social Security Dependent Benefits?

Social Security is not just a retirement plan--it provides an array of social safety nets for American workers. Programs include retirement, survivors, disability and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Dependent children are entitled to benefits as survivors or as disabled dependents if they meet the qualifications. Benefits are also available for children of a retired parent.

History

As early as 1935, developers of the Social Security program recognized a need for family benefits, and that resulted in funding to certain categories of children. The program began to cover dependents and survivors in 1939 and added disability insurance in 1956.

Types

A child may qualify for benefits as a survivor of a deceased parent or as a disabled child. A child may also qualify for SSI, but SSI also requires recipients to meet low-income, low-resource qualifiers. Some states supplement SSI payments to provide greater benefits. A child may also qualify for benefits on the work history of a retired parent.

Age

A child may receive survivors benefits upon the death of a parent if the child is under age 16. Other provisions include children under 18 who are in school and children of any age disabled before age 22 who continue to be disabled.

Disability benefits are available to qualifying children under SSI. The child must be under age 18 and meet the disability definition for children. Adult standards apply when the child becomes 18.

Disability benefits are available to children disabled prior to age 22 who continue to be disabled. There are also provisions for disabled children of disabled parents, and the adult child may collect benefits based on the parent's work record. The adult child must be unmarried.

A child of a retired parent receiving Social Security benefits may also qualify for benefits if the child is under 18, or under 19 and in high school.

A parent receiving benefits for caring for a minor child will cease to receive those benefits when the child reaches 16, unless the child is disabled.

Benefits

Under survivors benefits, a child can receive 75 percent of the deceased parent's benefit. SSI covers only the essentials of food and shelter, though it's supplemented by some states. Disability benefits for "adult children" who qualify as disabled and collect benefits under the work history of a parent depend on the parent's work income when employed. Children who receive benefits on the work history of a retired parent can get up to 50 percent of the retired person's benefit.

Considerations

Potential for overlapping exists between disability under SSI and disability on the work history of a disabled parent. Social Security reviews the status of children when they reach age 18. A review determines continued disability as an adult qualifying for SSI, and qualifications are by adult standards. A child qualifying under the work history of a disabled parent might be wise to change over to that status. The additional benefits paid by states for SSI recipients may also make a difference in deciding which benefit is greater.

References

• Social Security Online: Publication 05-10085 - Benefits For Children
• Social Security Online: Adults Disabled Before 22
• Social Security Online: Social Security in Amerca Part III - Security for Children
• Social Security Online: Publication 05-10026 - Benefits for Children with Disabilities
• Social Security Online: Publication 05-10084 - Survivors Benefits