Social Security Benefits for Children: How to Check Your Eligibility and Apply

Social Security benefits are not only available to eligible retirees or disabled people. Eligible children may receive these benefits also. We will inform you.

While it may seem like there are more hurdles to applying for Social Security for a child, the process isn’t all that different from applying for benefits for yourself, as long as the child qualifies. Below, we’ll discuss eligibility and how to apply for Social Security benefits for children.

Also read the four ways you can lose your Social Security benefits and how to apply for Supplemental Security Income.

Is my child entitled to benefits?

Before you begin the application process, you will want to know if the child for whom you are applying qualifies for Social Security benefits. Below is a summary of what typically qualifies a child for benefits.

A child under the age of 18 may be eligible for benefits if:

Children aged 18 and over may be eligible for benefits if:

• The child is 18 or 19 years old and is a full-time student in a primary or secondary school (grade 12 or lower)
• 18 years of age or older and have a disability that developed before the age of 22

In certain cases, the administration may provide benefits to a stepchild, grandchild, step-grandchild or adopted child. You can also use the SSA Benefit Eligibility Checker.

In addition, eligible children may also be eligible for additional income if:

• The child is blind or has a disability and it is difficult for the parent(s) to pay for essentials such as food, clothing and a home.

More information about Supplementary income for children.

How many social security benefits can a child receive?

Qualifying children can receive up to half of a parent’s full retirement or disability benefits. If the child is receiving survivor benefits, he or she can receive up to 75 percent of the deceased parent’s basic Social Security benefit.

There are limits on how much the SSA can pay to a family. The maximum family payment can range from 150% to 180% of the parent’s full benefit amount. However, if the total amount payable to all family members exceeds this limit, there will be a proportional reduction in each person’s benefit until the total equals the maximum allowable amount.

How do I apply for social security benefits for my child?

If you try to apply for child support online, you won’t get very far. You will be asked to make an appointment with an agent at 1-800-772-1213. They can walk you through everything you need to submit to apply. The documentation needed to apply will vary depending on the child’s circumstances.

Documents you must submit:

• Birth certificate, birth certificate or adoption certificate of the child
• The child’s citizen service number

Documents you may need to provide, depending on the situation:

• If you are applying for survivor benefits, proof of death of the parent is required
• When applying for benefits for a child with a disability, sufficient medical documentation/proof of the disability is required, along with the SSA-3820 Form
• Adult children with disabilities need the following facilities: SSA-3368 Form
• Disclosure of Information to the Social Security Administration – SSA-827 Form
• Proof of marriage to the child’s biological or adoptive parent, if it is your stepchild.
• Proof of the child’s U.S. citizenship or legal alien status if the child was not born in the U.S.
• W-2 forms and/or self-employed tax returns if the child had income last year.

How to check the status of your child’s application

After you speak with an administrative assistant about your application, he or she can give you a timeline for when you can expect a confirmation of your benefits, or a denial.

You can always check the status of an application on the SSA website or by calling 1-800-772-1213.

For more information, please consult the Social Security and SSI payment schedules.