Social Security Child's / Disabled Adult Child (DAC) and Survivor Benefits

Monthly Social Security benefits paid under Title II to dependent children and surviving family members on a retired, disabled, or deceased worker's earnings record. Covers: (1) Disabled Adult Child (DAC/CDB) benefits — for an adult disabled before age 22 who can receive lifetime benefits and Medicare on a parent's record; (2) Child's benefits — for minor children under 18 (or 19 if in school full-time) of retired, disabled, or deceased workers; (3) Survivor mother's/father's benefits — for a surviving spouse caring for a child under 16 or a disabled child of the deceased worker. A core income line for aging caregiver households with disabled adult children, and for kinship/grandfamily caregivers who are surviving spouses.

Monthly Social Security Title II benefits paid on a retired, disabled, or deceased worker earnings record. A child or DAC can receive up to 50% of the parent full retirement or disability benefit; a child receiving survivors benefits can receive up to 75% of the deceased parent basic Social Security benefit. Example before the family maximum: if the worker PIA/full benefit is $2,000, the child/DAC amount can be up to $1,000 on a living retired or disabled parent record, or up to $1,500 on a deceased parent record. The family maximum limits total payable benefits on one worker record; SSA says it is generally 150% to 180% of the parent full benefit amount, with a 2026 retirement/survivor formula using PIA bend points $1,643, $2,371, and $3,093. DAC eligibility requires disability beginning before age 22; DAC beneficiaries may get Medicare after 24 months. A surviving spouse caring for the worker child can also qualify under survivor rules, including child-in-care benefits.

Services

Monthly Social Security Title II benefits paid on a retired, disabled, or deceased worker earnings record. A child or DAC can receive up to 50% of the parent full retirement or disability benefit; a child receiving survivors benefits can receive up to 75% of the deceased parent basic Social Security benefit. Example before the family maximum: if the worker PIA/full benefit is $2,000, the child/DAC amount can be up to $1,000 on a living retired or disabled parent record, or up to $1,500 on a deceased parent record. The family maximum limits total payable benefits on one worker record; SSA says it is generally 150% to 180% of the parent full benefit amount, with a 2026 retirement/survivor formula using PIA bend points $1,643, $2,371, and $3,093. DAC eligibility requires disability beginning before age 22; DAC beneficiaries may get Medicare after 24 months. A surviving spouse caring for the worker child can also qualify under survivor rules, including child-in-care benefits.

How to apply

Use the official program page for application details: official program page.