Spouse’s, mother’s, and father’s benefits end when the youngest child-in-care attains
age 16, but child’s benefits continue to age 18, regardless of disability status.
A disability determination for the alleged DMC is necessary to entitle the mother
or father to continue to receive benefits. If the DMC continues as disabled at age
18, convert the DMC to childhood disability beneficiary (CDB) status. For a child
age 18 or over, the CDB provisions apply. See complete CDB instructions in “Childhood
Disability Benefits (CDB)” per DI 10115.000.
When a disability determination is necessary for a child age 15 1/2 to age 18, the
field office (FO) sends the case to the disability determination services (DDS) in
the state where the child resides. The FO may identify these cases on the SSA-3367 (Disability Report – Field Office) with the remark: “For (Spouse's, Mother's, or
Father's) Benefits Only. First possible month of entitlement for mother or father
(mm/dd/yyyy).