Can a child still receive survivor benefits while in college?

Asked by: Ewell Krajcik  |  Last update: November 7, 2025
Score: 4.3/5 (13 votes)

Children are eligible for SBP payments as long as they are unmarried, under age 18, or under age 22 if still in school. A child who is disabled and incapable of self-support remains eligible if the disability occurred before age 18 (or before age 22 if a full time student).

Can you get survivors benefits while in college?

Monthly survivor annuity payments for a child can continue after age 18, if the child is a full-time student attending a recognized school. Benefits can continue until age 22.

What disqualifies a child from survivor benefits?

In addition to the requirements outlined above, a child must be in school between kindergarten and high school to qualify for survivor benefits. When a child finishes high school, turns 19 or gets married, they no longer qualify for survivor benefits unless they are disabled.

Can my child receive Social Security benefits while in college?

No. At one time, SSA did pay benefits to college students, but the law changed in 1981. We now pay benefits only to students taking courses at grade 12 or below.

What are the three ways you can lose your social security disability?

The termination of benefits in the Social Security disability program is based predominantly on four factors: conversion to the retirement program (that is, attainment of full retirement age), death, medical recovery, and work recovery.

Social Security Survivor Benefits for Minor Children

19 related questions found

What is the 5 year rule for Social Security disability?

The Social Security 5-year rule refers specifically to disability benefits. It requires that you must have worked five out of the last ten years immediately before your disability onset to qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).

What is the $16728 Social Security bonus?

Have you heard about the Social Security $16,728 yearly bonus? There's really no “bonus” that retirees can collect. The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses a specific formula based on your lifetime earnings to determine your benefit amount.

How long can a dependent child receive Social Security benefits?

Your child's benefit will continue until he or she reaches age 18, or 19 if he or she is still in school full time. Your monthly payments stop with the child's 16th birthday, unless your child has a disability and stays in your care.

Does going to college affect Social Security disability?

To qualify for Social Security disability benefits, individuals must have a medical condition that prevents them from working full time. However, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has no rules restricting a person who is receiving benefits from going to school, full or part-time.

Do Social Security survivor benefits end at 18?

Benefits stop when your child reaches age 18 unless that child is a student or has a disability.

What is considered misuse of survivor benefits?

A representative payee (payee) is required to use the benefits only for the use and benefit of the beneficiary. Misuse occurs when the payee uses the benefit for any other purpose. In the same POMS document, misuse is again characterized: Misuse of benefits refers to the misappropriation of benefits by the payee.

Who is not eligible for survivor benefits?

Usually, you can't get surviving spouse's benefits if you remarry before age 60 (or age 50 if you have a disability).

Does my income affect my child's survivor benefits?

So, if you are the child's relative or guardian, your income will not affect the amount of SSI that the child will receive.

Can survivor benefits be taken away?

Benefits will be suspended if the surviving former spouse remarries before age of 55. They will resume if that marriage ends as a result of death, divorce or annulment.

Are survivor benefits reported on fafsa?

Report Survivor Benefits: Under the "Student's Income Information" section, there will be a question asking about untaxed income, such as child support, veterans' benefits, and other untaxed income. You should report the survivor benefits received by your child in response to this question.

How much money can you make and keep survivor benefits?

How We Deduct Earnings From Benefits. In 2024, if you're under full retirement age, the annual earnings limit is $22,320. If you will reach full retirement age in 2024, the limit on your earnings for the months before full retirement age is $59,520.

Do survivor benefits continue if you go to college?

Your benefits will continue until you graduate. They do not continue beyond high school. (They might be continued if you are disabled.)

Can I lose my disability benefits if I go to school?

Being a part-time student means your benefits are less likely to be terminated. Going to school full-time can come under the scrutiny of the Social Security Department and could cause you to lose benefits if they deem you to no longer be limited by disability.

What would cause me to lose my disability benefits?

Benefits will end if work and earnings are above the substantial level after the 36-month re-entitlement period. If we decide that your medical condition has improved and you no longer have a disability.

What happens to survivor benefits when a child turns 16?

If your child is under 18: Both you and your child can receive survivor benefits until your child turns 16 years old (subject to income restrictions). Your child's survivor benefits will continue until they turn 18 or 19, depending on when they graduate high school.

When can I no longer claim my child as a dependent?

To meet the qualifying child test, your child must be younger than you or your spouse if filing jointly and either younger than 19 years old or be a "student" younger than 24 years old as of the end of the calendar year.

What is the average survivor benefit for a child?

The average surviving child benefit is more than $1,000 per month. We pay benefits until the child turns 18 or 19, if the child is in high school, and is not married. A stepchild, grandchild, step-grandchild, or adopted child may be eligible for monthly benefits under certain circumstances.

How to get $3000 a month in Social Security?

Exactly how much in earnings do you need to get a $3,000 benefit? Well, you just need to have averaged about 70% of the taxable maximum. In our example case, that means that your earnings in 1983 were about $22,000 and increased every year to where they ended at about $100,000 at age 62.

What can you spend Social Security child survivor benefits on?

First, you must take care of the beneficiary's day-to-day needs for food and shelter. Then, you must use the money for the beneficiary's medical and dental care that's not covered by health insurance. You can also pay for the beneficiary's personal needs, such as clothing and recreation.

What are the three ways you can lose your Social Security?

Indeed, here are three ways you can lose at least part of your Social Security benefit.
  • No. 1: Keep working while taking benefits early. ...
  • No. 2: Be a substantially lower-earning spouse. ...
  • No. 3: Be alive in 2034. ...
  • Social Security still provides an important foundation for retirement.