Social Security survivor benefits for 18-year-old going to college - will payments continue?

Yes, survivor benefits can continue after age 18 if the child is a full-time student at an elementary or secondary school (high school). However, they typically stop at age 19 or when the student graduates, whichever comes first. Unfortunately, college attendance doesn't qualify for continued survivor benefits under current Social Security rules.

my nephew lost his mom 2 years ago and his benefits stopped right after his 18th birthday even tho he was still in high school!! totally messed up his senior year. they dont care if your in college they just cut you off. system is broken

Sorry about your daughter. I went thru this with my kids after their dad died. The SSA person explained that once they turn 18, benefits only continue if they're still in HIGH SCHOOL, and even then only until they graduate or turn 19. College doesn't count for survivor benefits (which is stupid because college is so expensive). My oldest lost her benefits when she turned 18 even though she started college right away.

Just to clarify what others have said: Social Security survivor benefits for children typically end at age 18. However, if your grandson is still attending high school full-time at age 18, benefits can continue until he graduates or turns 19, whichever comes first. This requires submitting Form SSA-1372 (Student's Statement Regarding School Attendance). Unfortunately, college or vocational school attendance does NOT extend survivor benefits. This is different from how the system worked pre-1981, when college students could receive benefits until age 22. Have your grandson check with his school's financial aid office - there are often special scholarships and grants available for students who have lost a parent.

Just went through this with my son. Let me correct some confusion - the benefits will stop when he turns 18 UNLESS he is still in secondary school (high school). If he's still in high school at 18, you need to fill out form SSA-1372 and the benefits will continue until either graduation or age 19, whichever comes first. BUT - and this is important - attending college does NOT qualify for continued benefits. This changed back in 1981 as part of budget cuts. Before that, benefits would continue until age 22 for college students. Since your grandson turns 18 in May, if he's still completing high school, get that SSA-1372 form submitted ASAP. Otherwise, the benefits will terminate in May regardless of college plans.

Has anyone here tried using Claimyr to reach SSA? After my husband died I was trying to sort out survivor benefits for my teenager and kept hitting brick walls trying to call. Someone recommended Claimyr and they got me connected to a real person at Social Security in about 15 minutes. Saved me hours of frustration. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU - seriously made dealing with SSA so much less painful.

While the news about college isn't great, make sure your grandson applies for FAFSA for college financial aid. Having a deceased parent may qualify him for additional aid. When my niece's father passed, she got much more financial aid than expected. The college financial aid office should be able to help with this process.

I work with families navigating SSA benefits, and I want to address a common misconception: many people confuse Social Security survivor benefits with SSI (Supplemental Security Income). They're completely different programs with different rules. For survivor benefits, as others have correctly stated, payments generally stop at age 18 unless the child is still in high school, in which case they can continue until graduation or age 19. For college expenses, your grandson should: 1. Complete the FAFSA as early as possible (having a deceased parent may qualify him for more aid) 2. Look for scholarships specifically for students who have lost a parent (Life Happens, Kids' Chance, etc.) 3. Check if his parent's employer offered any survivor educational benefits 4. Contact the college financial aid office to explain the situation Wishing you and your grandson all the best during this difficult time.

My niece just went through this. She got a letter from SSA about 3 months before turning 18 explaining that benefits would end. If your grandson didn't get any notice, you should definitely call them. When I had to call SSA about my own retirement benefits, I used the claimyr.com service someone mentioned above. Got through to an agent in 20 minutes after trying for DAYS on my own. Sometimes you just need to talk to a human being!

Thank you everyone for all this information! It's not the news I was hoping for, but at least now we can plan accordingly. I'm going to help my grandson apply for FAFSA and look into those special scholarships for students who have lost a parent. I appreciate all your advice and support during this difficult time.

I'm so sorry for the loss of your daughter. Having gone through something similar, I want to add one more resource that might help your grandson. Many states have their own survivor benefit programs or educational grants for children who have lost a parent. Contact your state's Department of Social Services or Education Department to see what might be available. Also, if your daughter was a veteran or worked for the government, there may be additional educational benefits through those channels. The American Legion and VFW also offer scholarships specifically for children and grandchildren of deceased service members. Every little bit helps when facing college expenses without that Social Security support.

I'm so sorry for the loss of your daughter, and my heart goes out to you and your grandson during this incredibly difficult time. As others have confirmed, the Social Security survivor benefits will unfortunately end when your grandson turns 18, since he'll be graduating high school that same month. The rule change from 1981 eliminated college student benefits, which is particularly harsh given today's education costs. I wanted to add a few resources that haven't been mentioned yet that might help: **State-specific programs**: Many states have their own survivor benefit programs separate from federal Social Security. Contact your state's Department of Social Services to ask about educational assistance for children who have lost a parent. **Professional associations**: If your daughter belonged to any professional organizations (teaching associations, unions, etc.), many have scholarship funds specifically for members' children who have lost a parent. **Scholarship aggregator sites**: Beyond the well-known ones, check out sites like Fastweb and Scholarships.com, but search specifically for "parent loss" or "survivor" scholarships. There are more of these than most people realize. **College emergency funds**: When your grandson enrolls, ask specifically about the college's emergency financial aid fund. Most students don't know these exist, and they're designed exactly for situations like his. The financial aid office will be your best ally - they deal with these situations regularly and often know about resources that aren't widely advertised. Make sure to emphasize his circumstances when meeting with them. Your grandson is lucky to have such a caring advocate in you.