RS 00203.025 Amount of Child's Benefits

A. General policy regarding the amount of child’s benefits

1. Number holder (NH) alive

Each child's benefit is one-half the NH’s Primary Insured Amount (PIA) subject to the family maximum provision (for information on maximum family benefits, see RS 00615.730).

2. Number holder deceased

a. General rule for benefits when the NH is deceased

Each child's benefit is three-fourths of the NH's PIA subject to the family maximum provisions. For more information, see RS 00615.730.

NOTE: For months before 12/60 where more than one child was entitled, each child's benefit was one-half the PIA, and one-fourth of the PIA divided by the number of children.

b. Sole survivor rate (before 01/79)

If the child is the only survivor entitled to benefits on the NH's earnings record (ER), the minimum benefit for months prior to 01/79 was as follows:

Period	Rate
01/79 - on	See sole survivor’s rate, RS 00615.650
06/78 - 12/78	121.80
06/77 - 05/78	114.30
06/76 - 05/77	107.90
06/75 - 05/76	101.40
06/74 - 05/75	93.80
03/74 - 05/74	90.50
09/72 - 02/74	84.50
01/71 - 08/72	70.40
01/70 - 12/70	64.00
02/68 - 12/69	55.00
01/65 - 01/68	44.00
08/61 - 12/64	40.00

B. Entitlement to child's and another type benefit

A child age 18 or over and disabled may be entitled to a child's benefit and another benefit at the same time. However, adjust actual payment as shown below.

1. Other benefit is a disability insurance benefit or retirement insurance benefit

If the other benefit is a disability insurance benefit or retirement insurance benefit, we reduce the child's benefit by the amount of the disability insurance benefit or retirement insurance benefit.

If the disability insurance benefit is subject to S7/EPESGA suspension for a given month, we compute the child’s benefit as if the disability benefit is payable in that month (see RS 00605.238C.2.).

2. Other benefit is not a disability insurance benefit or retirement insurance benefit

If the other benefit is not a disability insurance benefit or retirement, insurance benefit, although the child remains entitled to both benefits, pay only the higher benefit.

C. Entitlement to child's benefits on more than one ER

A child who is entitled to child's benefits on more than one ER for any month will receive benefits on only one ER for that month. Pay the child on the ER of the NH based on the following rule:

1.

the NH who has the highest PIA; or
2.
an NH, on a lower PIA, but only if:
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  it results in a larger unreduced child's benefit for such month, and would not result in a lesser benefit for such month, for any other person entitled to benefits on any of the ER's involved, than the child would receive if they were being paid on the ER with the highest PIA; or
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  the NH of the higher PIA is suspended due to extended period of eligibility (EPE).

NOTE: During a period of actual entitlement on an ER, a child cannot receive child's benefits simultaneously on any other ER. This applies even during months with no benefits paid because of a deduction or other event (for example, suspension of benefits while a disability beneficiary is undergoing a continuing disability review). Technical entitlement or combined family maximum may apply. Withdrawal of the application may be appropriate under certain circumstances. (For more information on withdrawal, see GN 00206.001.)

D. Reference

Complete discussion of the above provision is in RS 00615.772.

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RS 00203.025 - Amount of Child's Benefits - 09/09/2011
Batch run: 09/07/2023
Rev:09/09/2011

Social Security

Program Operations Manual System (POMS)