Much to the dismay of students and teachers, another summer vacation has come and gone and one must again spend those long hours in the classroom looking wistfully out of the window as someone whitters on about some nonsense or other.
For a small but significant portion of the new Senior class their status as a full-time student will allow them to continue to receive Child’s benefits based on the record of a parent or two who has SSDI, or is retired, or is now deceased.
As a rule, Child’s benefits are shared between all children of a parent who qualifies for SSA benefits or who accrued enough work credits prior to their demise. Child’s benefits are different from Childhood Disability Benefits: you don’t have to be disabled to receive it. The distinct criteria for receiving the benefit is that the children be under the age of 18. However, if you as a child beneficiary are still in high school when you turn 18 your family will continue to receive those checks until you graduate or until two months after you turn 19, whichever comes first.
As with almost all benefits-related matters, Social Security are going to make you do the work to get that benefit. The agency will send you a letter three months before you turn 18 telling you that you’re about to be cut off but it does offer you the chance to prove that you still qualify You can do so by filling in this form: SSA-1372-BK – Advance Notice of Termination of Child’s Benefits. The school you’re attending has to corroborate your assertion. As with everything else it’s a time sensitive matter but one worth acting on to keep the check coming for as long as you’re permitted.
You can read more about Child’s Benefits here: Benefits for Children