When do my child-in-care benefits end when daughter turns 16? Social Security payment confusion

You're right to be checking this ahead of time! The child-in-care benefit will end the month BEFORE your son turns 16. Since his birthday is in December, your November payment should be your last one. As for your son's benefit, it should automatically adjust to 50% of his father's PIA (Primary Insurance Amount), but this sometimes takes a payment cycle to update in the system. Regarding the bank account - yes, once a child turns 16, SSA prefers they have their own account, but it's not automatically required unless you're the representative payee and SSA determines separate accounts are needed. If you want to be proactive, you can contact SSA directly to update the payment information before his birthday.

this happened with my kid 2 yrs ago, don't panic! the system shows upcoming payments but they adjust them before they actually go out. ssA computers are from the stone age lol

The child-in-care benefit technically ends when the child turns 16, but SSA calculates this as the month before the child's 16th birthday. So your final payment should be for November. As for what you're seeing in the system - SSA's benefit systems often schedule payments in advance and then adjust them later. What's likely happening is that the December payment for you is still showing as scheduled, but will be removed from the system before the actual payment date. Regarding your son's benefit amount - yes, it should adjust to 50% of the worker's PIA (not necessarily 50% of what your ex-husband actually receives - those can be different if he took early retirement). This adjustment should happen automatically. For the bank account question, SSA strongly recommends children 16 and older have their own accounts, but it's not automatically required in all cases. If you're serving as a representative payee, you should contact your local office to discuss the transition.

OMG the same thing happened to me!!! I freaked out when I saw payments scheduled that shouldn't be there. Don't waste your time calling - I spent THREE DAYS trying to get through to someone at SSA and kept getting disconnected. The system eventually fixed itself right before payment day. Trust me, SSA knows what they're doing (mostly lol).

I recommend calling the SSA to confirm everything. Your understanding is correct - child-in-care benefits end when the child turns 16, which means November should be your last month of benefits. The child's benefit should automatically adjust, but it's not unusual for there to be a delay in the system updating. One important clarification: Your child's benefit will be 50% of your ex-husband's Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which is the benefit he would receive at full retirement age. Since your ex took early retirement, he's receiving a reduced benefit. Your child's benefit is based on the PIA, not the reduced amount. Regarding the bank account, SSA guidelines state that beneficiaries 16 and older should have their own accounts, but the implementation can vary. It's best to contact SSA directly to ensure a smooth transition.

The same thing happened when my kid turned 16 last year. The payments scheduled in MySSA were wrong for like 2 weeks, then magically fixed themselves before the actual payment date. SSA's computer systems are notoriously outdated. I wouldn't worry too much unless you actually receive an incorrect payment.

wait did u say ur ex gets $4500?? that seems WAY high for SS benefits. r u sure that's right? max benefit for 2023 is like $3600 or something

After reading through this thread, I think we've clarified the main points, but let me summarize to make sure: 1. Your child-in-care benefits will end in November (the month before your son turns 16) 2. What you're seeing in the MySSA portal about December payments is likely just the system not being updated yet 3. Your son's benefit will be based on 50% of your ex-husband's PIA (Primary Insurance Amount), not 50% of his actual reduced benefit 4. While it's recommended for 16-year-olds to have their own bank accounts for benefits, you should contact SSA to confirm how this transition should happen in your specific case The most important thing is not to worry about what you're seeing in the portal right now - those scheduled payments often adjust automatically before the actual payment date. If you're still concerned, contact SSA directly to verify everything is set up correctly for the transition.

If you do need to contact SSA about this, be prepared for a long wait. When my daughter turned 16 last year, I had to call them because her benefit amount didn't adjust properly. I spent over 4 hours on hold across multiple days before I finally got through! If you have a complicated situation like this, you really need to speak with a live person who can see all the details in your file.

@profile3 is right about those wait times! I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) when I had a similar issue with my son's benefits. They got me through to SSA in like 20 minutes instead of waiting for hours. There's a demo video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. It was totally worth it to avoid the frustration of being on hold all day.

does anyone know if the kid's benefit amount changes right away or is there a delay? my son turns 16 next month too and i'm trying to budget

I notice some confusion in this thread about PIA vs. actual benefit amount. To clarify: When someone takes early retirement (before their Full Retirement Age), they receive a reduced benefit. However, children's benefits and spouse's benefits are calculated based on the PIA (what the worker would get at Full Retirement Age), not on the reduced amount the retired worker actually receives. This is why a child might receive more than 50% of what the retired parent actually gets, especially if that parent took benefits early. It's one of the more complex aspects of Social Security that confuses many people!

i just realized something - you said your kid is turning 16, but does he have any disabilities? my nephew is disabled and he was able to keep getting benefits after 18, and my sister (his mom) kept her benefits too because she still takes care of him full time

I went through this exact same situation with my daughter two years ago! The anxiety about accidentally getting overpaid is totally understandable, but based on my experience, here's what actually happened: 1. The MySSA portal showed my December payment scheduled right up until about a week before the payment date, then it disappeared automatically 2. My daughter's benefit amount increased slightly because it was based on her father's PIA rather than his reduced early retirement benefit 3. SSA automatically sent us a letter about setting up a separate bank account for her, but we had about 60 days to make the change The key thing is that SSA's systems do eventually catch up - they're just slow to update what you see online. I'd recommend waiting until after December 3rd (the payment date) to see if your payment actually gets deposited. If it does, THEN call SSA immediately. But in my experience, it won't. Also, make sure to save copies of any letters SSA sends about the changes - you'll want documentation of the transition for your records!

I'm going through something similar with my son turning 16 next month! Reading through all these responses has been so helpful. I had the same confusion about the PIA vs actual benefit amount - it's good to know that our kids' benefits are calculated on the full retirement amount, not the reduced early retirement benefit their fathers receive. One thing I wanted to add that might help others: I called my local SSA office last week to ask about the bank account transition, and they told me that while they prefer 16-year-olds to have their own accounts, they don't automatically cut off payments if you don't set one up immediately. They said I have about 60 days to make the change, and they'll send a letter with instructions. The representative also mentioned that if you're worried about the timing of payments, you can always set up a my Social Security account for your child so they can monitor their own benefits once they turn 16. It might give you both peace of mind during the transition!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm dealing with a similar situation with my daughter who turns 16 in February. Reading everyone's experiences has really eased my anxiety about the whole process. One thing I wanted to mention that might help others - I found out that you can actually request a "benefit verification letter" from SSA that shows the exact amounts and dates for all the changes happening when your child turns 16. It's available through your my Social Security account under "Replacement Documents." Having that official documentation has helped me understand exactly what to expect and when, rather than trying to guess based on what I see in the payment portal. Also, for anyone worried about the bank account transition - my neighbor went through this last year and said that even though SSA prefers separate accounts for 16-year-olds, they were pretty flexible about the timing as long as you communicate with them proactively. She said calling ahead of time to let them know you're working on setting up the account actually made the whole process smoother. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's so much better than trying to navigate the SSA website alone!

I'm in a very similar situation with my son turning 16 in January! This whole thread has been incredibly reassuring - I was also panicking about the December payments showing up in my portal when I thought November should be my last month. What really helped me was calling my local SSA field office directly instead of the main 1-800 number. The wait was only about 45 minutes (compared to the horror stories about the national line), and the representative was able to walk me through exactly what would happen with both my benefits ending and my son's benefit adjustment. She confirmed that the online portal often shows scheduled payments that get automatically adjusted before the actual payment date. One tip she gave me: if you're really worried about it, you can set up text or email alerts through your bank so you'll know immediately if any unexpected deposits hit your account. That way you can contact SSA right away if there's an overpayment rather than discovering it weeks later. Also, she mentioned that the PIA calculation for child benefits sometimes results in a slightly higher amount than parents expect, especially when the worker took early retirement. So don't be surprised if your son's new benefit amount is more than exactly 50% of what his father currently receives!

I just went through this exact situation with my daughter last year! The anxiety you're feeling is totally normal - I was checking my SSA account obsessively too. Here's what actually happened in my case: The portal showed my December payment scheduled right up until about 5 days before the payment date, then it just disappeared automatically. My daughter's benefit did increase slightly because it was calculated on her father's PIA rather than his reduced benefit (he also took early retirement). One thing that really helped my peace of mind was setting up account alerts through my bank so I'd know immediately if any payments came through that shouldn't have. That way I could contact SSA right away instead of worrying about it. Also, don't stress too much about the bank account transition - SSA sent us a letter about it, but we had about 60 days to set up her separate account. They're actually pretty reasonable about the timing as long as you're communicating with them. The hardest part is just waiting to see what actually happens vs. what the online system shows. In my experience, SSA's computers eventually get it right, they're just slow to update what you see in the portal!

I'm going through this exact situation too! My son turns 16 in March and I've been so confused about the timing of everything. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - especially learning about the difference between PIA and actual benefits. One thing I wanted to add that might help others: I discovered that you can actually call your local SSA field office directly instead of the main 1-800 number. I found my local office number on the SSA website office locator, and when I called last week, I only waited about 30 minutes compared to the horror stories about the national line. The representative was super helpful and walked me through exactly what to expect. She also told me something I hadn't seen mentioned here - if you're really worried about timing and overpayments, you can request what's called a "benefit estimation" letter that shows the projected changes and dates. It's different from the regular benefit verification letter and gives you a clearer picture of the transition timeline. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's making this whole process feel much less scary!

This thread has been incredibly reassuring! I'm a newcomer here but dealing with a very similar situation - my daughter turns 16 next month and I've been losing sleep over the exact same concerns about payment timing and potential overpayments. What really stands out to me from reading everyone's experiences is how the SSA portal seems to consistently show incorrect payment schedules right up until the actual payment date, but then automatically corrects itself. That pattern across multiple people's stories gives me confidence that the system does work, even if it's anxiety-inducing to watch. The tip about calling local SSA field offices instead of the national number is gold - I had no idea that was even possible! And I love the practical advice about setting up bank alerts so you know immediately if any unexpected payments come through. One question for those who've been through this: did anyone have issues with their child's school records or anything else during the transition? I'm wondering if there are any other administrative things I should be preparing for beyond just the SSA payment changes. Thanks to everyone for sharing such detailed experiences - this community is so much more helpful than trying to navigate the SSA website alone!

I'm new to this community but going through the exact same situation! My son turns 16 in February and I've been incredibly anxious about all these payment transitions. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been such a relief - I was convinced I was the only one confused by the SSA portal showing payments that shouldn't be there. The pattern everyone's describing about the portal automatically correcting itself close to the payment date is really reassuring. It sounds like SSA's backend systems know what they're doing even when the user-facing portal is misleading. I'm definitely going to try calling my local field office instead of the national number based on all the recommendations here. The idea of waiting 30-45 minutes instead of hours (or getting disconnected) sounds much more manageable. One thing I'm curious about - for those who went through this transition, did you notice any other changes in how SSA communicates with you? Like, do they start sending letters directly to your child instead of you, or does everything still go through the parent until they turn 18? Thanks to everyone for sharing such detailed experiences. This community is incredibly valuable for navigating these complex benefit transitions!

I'm new to this community and just wanted to say how incredibly helpful this entire thread has been! My daughter turns 16 in April and I've been experiencing the exact same anxiety about the benefit transitions that so many of you have described. What's really struck me is the consistent pattern across everyone's experiences - the SSA portal showing incorrect payment schedules that then automatically correct themselves close to the actual payment date. That gives me so much confidence that the system does work, even if it's nerve-wracking to watch unfold. I'm definitely going to follow the advice about calling my local field office instead of the national number. The difference between 30-45 minutes vs hours of hold time (or getting disconnected) sounds like a game changer. And I love the practical tips about setting up bank alerts and requesting the benefit verification letter to have official documentation of what to expect. The clarification about PIA vs actual benefit amounts has been eye-opening too - I had no idea that child benefits are calculated on the full retirement amount rather than the reduced early retirement benefit. That's actually really encouraging for what my daughter's benefit amount will be. Thank you to everyone who shared their real experiences. This community support makes navigating these complex SSA transitions so much less overwhelming!

I'm new to this community but dealing with an almost identical situation! My son turns 16 in January and I've been having the exact same anxiety about the SSA portal showing December payments when I thought November should be my last month for child-in-care benefits. Reading through all these experiences has been incredibly reassuring - especially the consistent pattern everyone describes where the portal shows incorrect payments right up until they automatically correct themselves before the actual payment date. It's amazing how SSA's backend systems seem to work correctly even when what we see online looks wrong! I'm definitely going to try calling my local field office instead of the national number based on everyone's recommendations. The difference between 30-45 minutes vs hours of hold time sounds like a huge improvement. And I hadn't thought about setting up bank alerts, but that's such a smart way to know immediately if any unexpected payments come through. The clarification about PIA vs actual benefit amounts has been so helpful too. Like many others here, I was worried my son's benefit would be based on his father's reduced early retirement amount, but learning it's calculated on the full retirement PIA is actually great news. Thanks to everyone for sharing such detailed real-world experiences. This community is so much more helpful than trying to decipher the SSA website alone!

I'm new to this community but going through the exact same situation with my daughter turning 16 next month! This entire thread has been such a lifesaver - I was completely panicking about the SSA portal showing payments that I thought shouldn't be there. What's given me the most peace of mind is seeing the consistent pattern across everyone's experiences where the portal shows confusing payment schedules but then automatically corrects itself right before the actual payment date. It's reassuring to know that SSA's backend systems are working correctly even when what we see online looks wrong. I'm definitely going to call my local field office based on all the recommendations here. The difference between waiting 30-45 minutes vs hours on the national line (or getting disconnected) sounds like a game changer. And I love the practical advice about setting up bank alerts - that's such a smart way to catch any issues immediately instead of worrying about them for weeks. The explanation about PIA vs actual benefit calculations has been eye-opening too. I had no idea that child benefits are based on the full retirement amount rather than the reduced early retirement benefit their parent receives. That's actually really encouraging news for what my daughter's benefit amount will be! Thank you to everyone who shared their real-world experiences. This community support makes navigating these complex SSA transitions so much less overwhelming than trying to figure it out alone!