What Auxiliary Benefits Are and Who Can Receive Them
Auxiliary benefits are monthly payments to family members of a worker who receives Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). If you are the parent, spouse, or child of someone receiving SSDI, you may be able to receive your own payment based on that worker's earnings record — without the worker having to be retired or deceased.
For a child, this means you can receive a payment based on your parent's SSDI if your parent is disabled and you meet the age and relationship rules. The payment comes from the same Social Security trust fund as your parent's benefit, but it is a separate payment in your own name.
The child does not have to be disabled to receive auxiliary benefits. You can be a healthy child of any age within the allowed range and still receive a payment. The key is that your parent must be receiving SSDI, and you must meet Social Security's definition of a dependent child.
Key Takeaways
- A child can receive auxiliary benefits based on a parent's SSDI if the parent is disabled and the child is under 19 (or under 23 if in high school or college full-time).
- The child does not have to be disabled; the parent's disability is what opens the door to the child's payment.
- You report the child to Social Security using Form SSA-25, which you can submit in person, by mail, or online through your parent's account.
- Social Security will ask for proof of the parent-child relationship, the child's age, and school enrollment status if the child is between 19 and 23.
- The child's payment is reduced if other family members are also receiving benefits on the same parent's record, because a family maximum applies.
Age and Relationship Rules for Child Auxiliary Benefits
Social Security pays auxiliary benefits to a child who is under age 19 with no exceptions. If your child is 19 or older, they can still receive benefits only if they are a full-time student in high school or college, and only until age 23. Once the child turns 23, the payment stops, even if they are still in school.
The child must also be the biological child, stepchild, or adopted child of the worker receiving SSDI. A grandchild or niece or nephew cannot receive auxiliary benefits based on an aunt's or uncle's SSDI, even if that relative is the primary caregiver. The relationship must be parent-to-child.
If the child is adopted, Social Security requires proof that the adoption was legal and final before the child turned 18. If the child was adopted after age 18, they do not may have access to for auxiliary benefits on the adoptive parent's record.
How to Report Your Child to Social Security
You report your child by submitting Form SSA-25, which is titled "Statement Regarding a Child." You can obtain this form from your local Social Security office, read it from the Social Security website, or request it by phone at 1-800-772-1213. You do not need to wait for Social Security to ask you; you can submit it as soon as your child is born or as soon as you become aware that you are receiving SSDI.
You have three ways to submit the form. You can mail it to your local Social Security office, bring it in person, or, if you have a my Social Security account, upload it through the online portal. If you mail it, keep a copy for your records and consider using certified mail so you have proof of delivery.
When you submit the form, include documents that prove the parent-child relationship. A birth certificate is the strongest proof. If you do not have an original birth certificate, a certified copy from the vital records office in the state where the child was born will work. If the child was adopted, include the final adoption decree.
Documents You Will Need to Provide
Social Security will ask for proof of the child's age, proof of the parent-child relationship, and proof of school enrollment if the child is between 19 and 23. Here is what counts as acceptable proof for each:
| What Social Security Needs | What Documents Work |
|---|---|
| Proof of age | Birth certificate, passport, driver's license, state ID card, or school records showing date of birth |
| Proof of parent-child relationship | Birth certificate, adoption decree, or court order establishing paternity |
| Proof of school enrollment (ages 19–23) | Letter from the school on school letterhead, current report card, or enrollment verification from the registrar |
| Proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful residency | Birth certificate, passport, green card, or visa (required for all beneficiaries) |
If you do not have an original document, a certified copy is acceptable. You can request a certified birth certificate from the vital records office in the state or country where the child was born. If the child is a noncitizen, you will also need to show proof of lawful residency, such as a green card or visa.
How the Family Maximum Affects Your Child's Payment
Social Security imposes a family maximum, which is a cap on the total amount that all family members can receive based on one worker's earnings record. The family maximum is usually between 150 and 180 percent of the worker's own benefit amount, depending on the worker's age and earnings history.
If your child is the only family member receiving auxiliary benefits, the family maximum may not affect the child's payment. But if your spouse is also receiving benefits, or if another child is receiving benefits, the total of all payments is divided so that no family exceeds the maximum. This means your child's payment may be lower than it would be if they were the only family member collecting.
Social Security will calculate the family maximum when you report your child. The agency will tell you what the maximum is and how much your child will receive after the maximum is applied. If additional family members later begin receiving benefits on the same record, the payments to all family members may be recalculated and reduced.
What Happens After You Submit the Form
After you submit Form SSA-25, Social Security will contact you if they need additional documents or information. This contact usually comes by phone or mail within two to four weeks. If you do not hear from Social Security within 30 days, you can call 1-800-772-1213 to check the status.
Once Social Security has all the documents they need, they will process the claim. Processing usually takes four to six weeks from the date you submit the complete process. Social Security will send you a notice in the mail explaining the decision and, if the child is approved, the amount of the monthly payment and the date payments will begin.
Payments typically begin the month after Social Security approves the claim, though in some cases they may be backdated to an earlier month if you reported the child within a certain time frame. Social Security will explain the payment start date in the approval notice.
Reporting Changes That Affect Your Child's Benefits
You must report certain changes to Social Security, because they can affect whether your child continues to receive benefits or how much the payment is. The most important changes are: the child turns 19 (or 23 if in school), the child stops attending school full-time, the child moves out of the United States, or the worker's SSDI stops for any reason.
You can report changes by calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213, visiting your local office in person, or using your my Social Security account online. Tell Social Security as soon as the change happens, because continuing to receive benefits after a change makes you ineligible can result in an overpayment that you may have to repay.
If your child is between 19 and 23 and attending school, you should report the school enrollment status each year or whenever the child changes schools. Social Security may ask for updated school verification letters to confirm the child is still a full-time student.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my child receive auxiliary benefits if I am receiving SSDI for a mental health condition?
Yes. The type of disability does not matter. If you are receiving SSDI for any reason — physical, mental, or both — your child can receive auxiliary benefits as long as the child meets the age and relationship rules. Social Security does not distinguish between types of disability when determining who can receive family benefits.
What if the child's other parent is still working and earning a high income?
The other parent's income does not affect the child's auxiliary benefits. The payment is based solely on the SSDI worker's earnings record. The child can receive auxiliary benefits even if the other parent earns a six-figure salary.
Do I have to be married to the worker for my child to receive auxiliary benefits?
No. The child's relationship to the SSDI worker is what matters, not the marital status of the parents. A biological child can receive auxiliary benefits based on the parent's SSDI whether the parents are married, divorced, or never married. An adopted child must have been adopted before age 18 and have a final adoption decree.
What happens to my child's benefits if I go back to work and stop receiving SSDI?
If your SSDI stops, your child's auxiliary benefits stop as well. The child's payment is tied to your status as an SSDI beneficiary. If you return to work and your SSDI ends, you should report this change to Social Security when ready so they can stop the child's payments and avoid an overpayment.
Can my child work while receiving auxiliary benefits?
Yes. Unlike SSDI for disabled workers, there are no work limits or earnings rules for children receiving auxiliary benefits. Your child can work full-time, part-time, or not at all, and the payment will not be reduced. The only requirement is that the child remain under 19, or under 23 if a full-time student.