Will my 12-year-old get my older child's Social Security benefits when they age out at 18?

Unfortunately, your 12-year-old's benefit won't automatically increase when your older child ages out. Each child's benefit is calculated individually based on a percentage of your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), subject to the family maximum. When one child stops receiving benefits, it doesn't transfer to other family members. The family maximum still applies, but it doesn't redistribute the money - it just means you're further from hitting that maximum limit.

my sister had the same thing happen last year. when her oldest turned 18 the benefit just stopped. the younger kid didnt get any more $$ at all. really stinks!!!

The previous responses are correct. This is a common misconception about Social Security family benefits. Each eligible person receives their own benefit amount (up to certain limits), and when one person becomes ineligible, their portion simply stops—it doesn't get redistributed to other family members. The technical explanation is that your family is subject to a "Family Maximum Benefit" (FMB), which limits the total amount that can be paid on one worker's record. When your 15-year-old turns 18, your family's total benefits will decrease, but you'll still be bound by the same FMB calculation. Your 12-year-old's individual benefit amount was determined when they first became entitled and won't change just because another beneficiary stops receiving payments. Your 15-year-old's benefits could continue until age 19 if they remain a full-time student in high school, by the way. You should file for that extension about 3-4 months before they turn 18.

I WENT THROUGH THIS EXACT THING and it makes NO SENSE how SS handles this!! The family maximum still applies but they don't redistribute the money when one kid ages out. It's like they keep the extra $ even though the same family maximum is in place. When my oldest aged out last year, my younger daughter's payment stayed EXACTLY the same. The SSA rep told me "that's just how the law works" which is a terrible explanation!!! ugh

Have you checked if your 15 year old can get benefits until 19? If they're still in high school full time when they turn 18, the benefits can continue until they graduate or turn 19, whichever comes first. Might give you a few extra months of payments at least.

This happened with my nephew too. His sister's benefit just disappeared when she turned 18. I think there's something about how each kid gets like 50% of the parent's benefit but there's a family limit of like 150-180% total? So even when one kid stops getting benefits, the other one was already getting their maximum allowed amount. Someone can probably explain it better than me lol

I've been trying to reach SSA for weeks about a related question and keep getting disconnected or waiting forever. I recently discovered a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an agent in about 20 minutes instead of hours of waiting. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU If you're struggling to get answers directly from SSA about your specific situation, it might be worth trying. They basically call and wait on hold for you, then connect you when an agent picks up.

One other thing to consider: even though your younger child's benefit won't increase when the older one ages out, there are a couple of other events that could increase their payment: 1. Annual COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment) increases that apply to all benefits 2. If you or your husband start receiving higher benefits for any reason 3. If there are any recalculations of your Primary Insurance Amount due to additional earnings None of these are specifically tied to your older child aging out, but they are ways the benefit could potentially increase in the future.

btw make sure you notify SSA when your 15yo gets close to 18. they dont automatically stop the payments and if you keep getting them you'll have to pay it all back which happened to my friend and it was a NIGHTMARE for them.

I'm in a similar situation and have been researching this extensively. One thing I discovered that might help is to look into whether your state has any supplemental programs for families with disabled parents or children aging out of benefits. Some states have transitional assistance programs specifically designed to help bridge the gap when federal benefits change. Also, if you haven't already, make sure you're taking advantage of any disability-related tax credits and deductions - sometimes those can offset some of the lost income. It's frustrating that the system works this way, but planning ahead for that income reduction is really the only option we have.

I'm going through something similar and wanted to share what I learned from my local SSA office. When I finally got through to speak with someone, they explained that the family maximum benefit is calculated as a range (usually 150-180% of the primary worker's benefit), and each child receives up to 50% of that benefit. The key thing is that when one child ages out, the remaining children don't get a bigger piece of the pie - they were already getting their full individual entitlement within the family maximum. What really helped me was getting a benefit verification letter that shows exactly how much our family maximum is and how it's being distributed. That way I could plan our budget knowing exactly what would happen when our oldest ages out. You can request this online through your my Social Security account, which might save you the phone wait time. It's definitely frustrating that the system works this way, but at least having the exact numbers helps with planning ahead for college expenses and other costs.

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now with my two kids (ages 16 and 13) who both receive benefits on my SSDI record. After reading through all these responses, I called SSA using that Claimyr service someone mentioned and finally got through to speak with an actual person. The representative confirmed what everyone here is saying - when my 16-year-old ages out next year, my 13-year-old's benefit amount will stay exactly the same. She explained that each child's benefit is calculated as a percentage of my Primary Insurance Amount, and that percentage doesn't change when a sibling becomes ineligible. The family maximum limit stays in place, but there's no redistribution of funds. It's definitely frustrating from a family budgeting perspective, but at least now I can plan accordingly. One tip the rep gave me was to make sure I report the change about 2-3 months before my older child turns 18 to avoid any overpayment issues later on.

I'm new to this community but wanted to share what I learned when I went through this exact situation last year. My daughter aged out at 18 and my son's benefits stayed the same, just like everyone is saying here. What I found really helpful was creating a detailed budget plan about 6 months before the change happened. I calculated exactly what our monthly income would be after losing one child's benefit and started adjusting our spending habits gradually. It made the transition much less shocking when it actually happened. Also, I second the advice about getting that benefit verification letter online - it shows you exactly how much each family member receives and what your family maximum is. Even though the system seems unfair, having concrete numbers really helps with planning. The silver lining is that once you adjust to the lower income, at least you know your remaining child's benefits will continue until they turn 18 (or 19 if still in high school).

I'm really sorry to hear you're going through this frustrating situation with the phone wait times and uncertainty about your family's benefits. Based on all the responses here, it's clear that your 12-year-old's benefit amount won't increase when your 15-year-old ages out - the system just doesn't work that way, unfortunately. Each child receives their own calculated benefit amount (typically 50% of your Primary Insurance Amount), and when one becomes ineligible, that portion simply stops rather than being redistributed. What I'd strongly recommend is logging into your my Social Security account online and requesting a benefit verification letter that shows your family's exact benefit breakdown and family maximum. This will give you the concrete numbers you need to start planning your budget for when your older child's benefits end. Also, definitely look into whether your 15-year-old can extend benefits until age 19 if they're still in high school - even a few extra months could help with the transition. The hardest part is accepting that this income reduction is inevitable, but having exact numbers and starting to adjust your budget 6 months ahead of time (as others have suggested) can make the financial impact much more manageable. I know it's not the answer you were hoping for, but at least you can plan accordingly now.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this frustrating situation! I went through something very similar with my own family a few years ago. My husband receives SSDI and we have three kids who were getting auxiliary benefits. When our oldest turned 18, I was devastated to learn that the money doesn't get redistributed to the younger children - it just disappears from the family budget entirely. What really helped me was connecting with other families in similar situations through online support groups. There's something comforting about knowing you're not alone in navigating these complicated benefit rules. I also started looking into local resources for families with disabled parents - some community organizations have emergency assistance funds or can help connect you with other support services. One practical tip: if you haven't already, consider opening a separate savings account specifically for the period when your benefits will be reduced. Even putting aside small amounts now can help cushion the blow when that income stream ends. It's not a perfect solution, but every little bit helps when you're planning for a significant budget change. The system definitely feels unfair, especially when you're still supporting the same household size. Hang in there - you'll find ways to adapt, even though it shouldn't have to be this difficult for families like ours.

I'm sorry you're going through this stressful situation! I can really relate to the frustration of trying to get through to SSA on the phone. I had a similar experience when my daughter was approaching 18 and I needed answers about her benefits. From my research and experience, I can confirm what others have said - unfortunately, your 12-year-old's benefit won't increase when your 15-year-old ages out. The benefits are calculated individually for each child (usually around 50% of your Primary Insurance Amount), and when one child becomes ineligible, that portion just stops rather than being redistributed within the family. What really helped me was requesting a detailed benefit statement through my online SSA account. It shows exactly how much each family member receives and what your family maximum benefit is. This gave me the concrete numbers I needed to start planning our budget for the transition. I'd also recommend checking if your 15-year-old can extend benefits until 19 if they're still in high school - it might give you a few extra months. I know it's disappointing news, but having a clear picture of what to expect financially has made it much easier for us to plan ahead. The waiting and uncertainty was honestly worse than knowing the actual situation and being able to prepare for it.

I understand how frustrating and disappointing this must be for your family. As someone who works with Social Security disability cases, I can confirm what others have shared - unfortunately, when your 15-year-old ages out, your 12-year-old's benefit amount will remain the same. The system doesn't redistribute those funds within the family. Each child receives their individual benefit calculation (typically 50% of your Primary Insurance Amount), subject to the family maximum. When one beneficiary becomes ineligible, that portion simply ends rather than being reallocated. It's one of those aspects of the system that feels particularly unfair to families who are still managing the same household expenses. I'd strongly recommend getting your benefit verification letter through your my Social Security account online - it will show you the exact breakdown of payments and help you plan your budget transition. Also, definitely explore that high school extension option others mentioned, as it could provide a few extra months of benefits if your 15-year-old is still enrolled when they turn 18. While this isn't the answer you were hoping for, having clarity now gives you time to adjust your financial planning. Many families find that gradually reducing expenses over several months before the change makes the transition more manageable than facing the full impact all at once.

I'm really sorry you're dealing with this situation - it's incredibly frustrating when you can't get through to SSA and you're trying to plan for your family's financial future. I went through something very similar with my own kids a couple years ago, and unfortunately, what others have said is correct. When your 15-year-old ages out at 18, your 12-year-old's benefit won't increase to absorb that amount. Each child gets their own calculated benefit (usually around 50% of your PIA), and when one becomes ineligible, that money just stops flowing rather than being redistributed. What really helped me was getting the benefit verification letter through my online SSA account - it shows exactly how much each person receives and what your family maximum is. Having those concrete numbers made it so much easier to start planning our budget for the transition. I'd also suggest looking into whether your 15-year-old can extend benefits until 19 if they're still in high school when they turn 18. I know it's disappointing news, but at least knowing what to expect gives you time to adjust gradually. We started reducing some expenses about 6 months before the change, which made the actual transition much less shocking. The uncertainty was honestly worse than dealing with the reality once we knew what was coming.

I'm so sorry you're going through this difficult situation - the phone wait times with SSA are absolutely brutal right now, and it's incredibly stressful when you're trying to plan for your family's financial future. Unfortunately, I can confirm what others have shared: your 12-year-old's benefit won't increase when your 15-year-old ages out at 18. The system treats each child's benefit as an individual calculation (typically 50% of your Primary Insurance Amount), and when one child becomes ineligible, that portion simply ends rather than being redistributed to other family members. I know this isn't what you were hoping to hear, especially when you're still supporting the same household and planning for college expenses. What I'd recommend is logging into your my Social Security account online and requesting a benefit verification letter - this will show you the exact breakdown of how much each family member receives and what your family maximum is. Having those concrete numbers will help you start planning your budget transition. Also, definitely look into whether your 15-year-old can extend benefits until age 19 if they're still enrolled in high school when they turn 18. It won't solve the long-term issue, but even a few extra months of benefits could help with the transition. Many families find it helpful to start adjusting their budget gradually over the 6 months before the change happens, rather than facing the full financial impact all at once. The uncertainty is honestly often worse than dealing with the reality once you know what to expect.

I'm really sorry you're facing this frustrating situation with SSA's phone system and the uncertainty about your family's benefits. As a newcomer to this community, I can see from all the responses that this is unfortunately a very common issue that many families deal with. From what everyone has shared, it's clear that your 12-year-old's benefit won't increase when your 15-year-old ages out - the system just doesn't work that way. Each child receives their own calculated benefit (typically 50% of your Primary Insurance Amount), and when one becomes ineligible, that money simply stops rather than being redistributed within the family. I'd definitely recommend getting that benefit verification letter through your my Social Security account online that several people mentioned - it will give you the exact numbers you need to start realistic budget planning. The suggestion about gradually adjusting your expenses over the next 6 months before the change happens seems really practical too. Also worth checking if your 15-year-old can extend benefits until 19 if they're still in high school when they turn 18 - even a few extra months could help with the transition. I know it's not the answer you were hoping for, but at least having clarity now gives you time to prepare. The uncertainty and phone wait times sound like they've been the worst part of this whole situation.

I'm new to this community but wanted to share some information that might help with your situation. I work as a benefits counselor, and I see families dealing with this exact issue regularly. Unfortunately, what everyone has confirmed is correct - your 12-year-old's benefit won't increase when your older child ages out. The Social Security system calculates each child's auxiliary benefit individually (typically 50% of your PIA), and these don't get redistributed when a sibling becomes ineligible. What I always recommend to families in your situation is to create a "transition timeline" starting about 8-10 months before the anticipated change. This gives you time to gradually adjust spending, explore supplemental income options, and research local assistance programs. Many states have specific transition assistance for families experiencing benefit reductions due to aging out. I'd also suggest documenting everything when you do get through to SSA - ask for written confirmation of benefit amounts and termination dates. Sometimes there are small delays or extensions (like the high school provision others mentioned) that can provide a few extra months of breathing room. The system definitely has gaps that hurt families like yours who are still supporting the same household. Planning ahead is really your best strategy for managing this transition successfully.