A guardian or parent passing away can be a difficult and trying period emotionally and financially, particularly for dependent kids. The SSA thankfully offers survivor benefits to lessen the financial burden on qualifying children. Here’s how to apply for SS Survivor Benefits for a kid in such a circumstance.
Social Security Survivor Benefits; Source- The Economic Times
Social Security Survivor Benefits For Kids
Benefits from Social Security retirement are primarily intended for people who have achieved retirement age. However, there are additional circumstances in which someone may be granted benefits. For instance, if a Social Security recipient’s parent passes away, the child may be entitled to survivor benefits. Based on their parent’s employment history, children of deceased parents are allowed to earn a certain amount. However, they won’t be able to receive the entire retirement payout that their parent might have received. A child who qualifies for survivor benefits may instead get 75% of their dead parent’s benefits.
How To Apply For Social Security Survivor Benefits
You will be guided through the application procedure by the Social Security official, who will also assist you in filling out the required paperwork. Regarding the kid’s relationship with the late parent and any other advantages the youngster could be receiving, you might need to supply more information. The SSA may need some time to assess and deal with the claim once the application has been submitted. Due to the intricate nature of the case as well as the volume of applications, the duration of processing may change during this time.
The survivor benefit’s amount is determined by the parent’s occupation along with lifetime earnings. The survivor compensation is expected to be higher the more parents worked to pay into Social Security. Make an appointment by contacting the Social Security office that is most convenient for you or by calling the toll-free number (1-800-772-1213). You can also begin the procedure online by going to the authorized SSA Administration website.
Eligibility For Social Security Survivor Benefits
The child must be under 18 years old, or up to 19 if they are still enrolled full-time in elementary or secondary school, to be eligible for Social Security Survivor Benefits. Benefits may also be available for kids whose disability started around the age of twenty-two. The birth certificate as well as the Social Security number of the child should be gathered before beginning the application process. The death certificate along with the Social Security number of the dead parent are additional requirements. Some companies don’t contribute to Social Security for the sake of their workers, including some school systems, fire departments, and police departments.
The offspring of such employees would thus either not be eligible for payments or would receive benefits determined by income from other companies who did make Social Security contributions. A child must typically be under the age of 18 to be eligible for a deceased parent’s benefits. If they are enrolled full-time in elementary or secondary school, they are eligible to receive benefits up until the age of 19. A child can only continue to receive benefits after turning 19 if they are disabled. As long as the handicap started before the kid turned 22, they are eligible to receive benefits in this situation indefinitely.
