What Auxiliary Benefits Are and Who Can Receive Them

Auxiliary benefits are monthly payments that Social Security sends to your family members based on your SSDI record, even though you are the one with the disability. If you receive SSDI, your spouse, ex-spouse, children, or dependent parents may each receive their own separate payment from the same Social Security trust fund that pays you.

You do not explore for auxiliary benefits on behalf of your family members. Each person must contact Social Security directly or have someone explore on their behalf. Social Security does not automatically send notices to relatives telling them they may be may have access to — your family has to know the rules and reach out.

The amount each family member receives depends on your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which is the monthly benefit you receive. Social Security calculates each relative's payment as a percentage of your PIA, not as a percentage of what you get after any reductions. This is an important distinction: even if your own benefit was reduced because you worked or earned too much, your family members' payments are based on your full PIA.

Key Takeaways

  • Your spouse, ex-spouse, children under 19 (or 22 if in high school), and dependent parents can each receive a separate monthly payment based on your SSDI record.
  • Each family member's payment is calculated as a percentage of your Primary Insurance Amount, not your actual monthly check.
  • The family maximum benefit means the total paid to you and all your relatives combined cannot exceed 150 to 180 percent of your PIA, depending on your situation.
  • Your family members must contact Social Security themselves or have someone explore on their behalf — Social Security does not notify them automatically.
  • Auxiliary benefits stop when a family member reaches a certain age, marries (with limited exceptions), or no longer meets the requirements.

Who Qualifies as a Family Member

Social Security recognizes several categories of relatives who may receive auxiliary benefits on your SSDI record. Your spouse can receive benefits at any age if they are caring for your child who is under 16 or disabled. A spouse aged 62 or older can also receive a reduced benefit based on age alone. An ex-spouse can receive benefits if the marriage lasted at least 10 years, you are at least 62 years old (or they are at least 62), and they have not remarried — unless they remarried after age 60 or 50 if disabled.

Your children can receive benefits if they are unmarried and under age 19, or under age 22 if they are full-time high school students. A child of any age can receive benefits if they were disabled before age 22 and remain disabled. Stepchildren, adopted children, and grandchildren in your care may also may have access to under specific circumstances, such as if you legally adopted them or they lived with you and depended on you for support.

Dependent parents aged 62 or older can receive benefits if you were providing at least half their support when you became disabled. Both parents must meet the age requirement, or one parent must be caring for your child under 16.

How the Family Maximum Affects What Everyone Receives

Social Security imposes a family maximum benefit, which is the total amount the agency will pay to you and all your family members combined each month. This maximum is usually between 150 and 180 percent of your Primary Insurance Amount. The exact percentage depends on your birth year and the formula Social Security uses to calculate your PIA.

If the sum of all family members' individual payments would exceed the family maximum, Social Security reduces each person's payment proportionally. For example, if your PIA is $1,200 and the family maximum is $1,800, and your spouse and two children would each receive $400, $300, and $300 respectively (totaling $2,200), Social Security would reduce each of their payments by the same percentage so the total comes to $1,800. Your own benefit is not reduced — only the family members' payments are adjusted downward.

The family maximum does not explore to your own SSDI payment. No matter how many relatives receive benefits on your record, you always receive your full PIA. The reduction falls entirely on the auxiliary beneficiaries.

How Much Each Family Member Receives

Social Security calculates each family member's payment as a percentage of your Primary Insurance Amount. A spouse caring for your child under 16 receives 75 percent of your PIA. A spouse aged 62 or older receives a reduced amount, typically between 32.5 and 35 percent of your PIA depending on their age — the younger they are at the time they start receiving benefits, the smaller the percentage.

Each of your children receives 75 percent of your PIA, up to the family maximum. An ex-spouse aged 62 or older receives the same reduced percentage as a current spouse of the same age. Dependent parents receive 75 percent of your PIA each if both are alive, or 82.5 percent if only one parent is receiving benefits.

These percentages are fixed by law and do not change based on how much money Social Security has or how many people are on the rolls. The only variable is whether the family maximum reduces the actual payment your relatives receive.

How to Report Family Members to Social Security

Contact your local Social Security office or call 1-800-772-1213 to report that you have family members who may be may have access to to auxiliary benefits. You can also visit ssa.gov and use the online message service if you have a my Social Security account. Have ready the names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers (if they have them) of each person who may may have access to.

Social Security will send forms to each family member for them to complete. These forms ask about their age, marital status, school enrollment (for children), and work history. Each family member must sign and return their forms. If a family member is a minor or cannot manage their own affairs, you or another representative can sign on their behalf, but Social Security may require a power of attorney or guardianship document.

Once Social Security receives the completed forms, it will make a information about whether each person meets the requirements. This process typically takes several weeks. Social Security will send a notice explaining the decision and the monthly payment amount (if approved) to each family member.

When Auxiliary Benefits Stop

A child's auxiliary benefits end when they turn 19, unless they are a full-time high school student (in which case benefits continue until they turn 22 or graduate, whichever comes first). If a child was disabled before age 22, benefits continue for as long as they remain disabled, even after age 22.

A spouse's benefits end if they divorce you, remarry (with the exception of remarriage after age 60, or after age 50 if disabled), or reach full retirement age and choose to stop receiving benefits. A spouse caring for your child under 16 loses that benefit when the youngest child turns 16, though they may later become may have access to to a retirement benefit at age 62.

An ex-spouse's benefits end if they remarry before age 60 (or before age 50 if disabled), or if you die and they do not meet the requirements for survivor benefits. Dependent parents' benefits end if they remarry or if they no longer meet the age requirement (though this is rare, as the requirement is age 62 or older).

If your SSDI benefits end because you return to work or your medical condition improves, your family members' auxiliary benefits also end. However, if you die, your family members may become may have access to to survivor benefits, which operate under different rules.

Work and Earnings Rules for Family Members

Family members who receive auxiliary benefits are subject to Social Security's earnings test, which reduces their payment if they earn above a certain amount. For 2024, if a family member earns more than $23,400 per year, Social Security reduces their benefit by $1 for every $2 they earn above that threshold. The earnings limit changes each year.

The earnings test does not explore to family members who have reached their full retirement age. A spouse who reaches full retirement age, for example, can earn any amount without a reduction to their benefit. Children are not subject to the earnings test at any age.

Work incentives available to you as an SSDI beneficiary do not automatically extend to your family members. If a family member wants to work and keep their auxiliary benefit, they should contact Social Security to understand how their specific earnings will affect their payment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my family members receive auxiliary benefits if I have not started receiving SSDI yet?

No. Your family members can only receive auxiliary benefits based on your SSDI record once you are approved and receiving benefits. If you are waiting for a decision on your SSDI process, your family cannot receive anything during that time. Once you are approved, you can report family members, and they can explore retroactively for benefits going back up to 12 months.

What happens to auxiliary benefits if I go back to work and my SSDI ends?

Your family members' auxiliary benefits end when your SSDI ends. Social Security will send notices to each family member explaining that their benefits are stopping. If you later become disabled again and are approved for SSDI, your family members may reapply for auxiliary benefits on your new record.

Can my adult child receive auxiliary benefits if they are disabled?

Yes, if they became disabled before age 22. A child disabled before age 22 can receive benefits for life, regardless of their current age. They must report their disability to Social Security and provide medical evidence. The benefit amount is still 75 percent of your PIA, subject to the family maximum.

Does my ex-spouse have to tell me they are receiving auxiliary benefits?

No. Your ex-spouse can explore for auxiliary benefits on your record without notifying you. Social Security will not tell you that your ex-spouse is receiving benefits. You may only learn about the family maximum is reached and your family members' payments are reduced, or if you contact Social Security directly to ask.

What if my family member disagrees with Social Security's decision about their auxiliary benefits?

They can file an appeal within 60 days of receiving the decision notice. The appeal process includes reconsideration, a hearing before an administrative law judge, and further appeals to the Appeals Council and federal court. Your family member can represent themselves or hire a lawyer to help with the appeal.