Benefits for your children

To receive benefits, the child must:

• be unmarried; and
• be under age 18; or
• be 18-19 years old and a full-time student (no higher than grade 12); or
• be 18 or older and disabled from a disability that started before age 22.

Normally, benefits stop when children reach age 18 unless they are disabled. However, if the child is still a full-time student at a secondary (or elementary) school at age 18, benefits will continue until the child graduates or until two months after the child becomes age 19, whichever is first.

Benefits paid for your child will not decrease your retirement benefit. In fact, the value of the benefits he or she may receive, added to your own, may help you decide if taking your benefits sooner may be more advantageous.

Within your family, each qualified child may receive a monthly payment up to one-half of your full retirement benefit amount. However, there is a limit to the amount we can pay your family members. The total depends on your benefit amount and the number of family members who also qualify on your record. The total varies, but generally the total amount your family can receive is about 50 to 80 percent of your full retirement benefit.

Note: If you have a divorced spouse who qualifies for benefits, it will not affect the amount of benefits you or your family may receive.