Both my children receive survivor benefits from their father who passed earlier this year. They are the only 2 survivors to receive his benefits . My question is This… When my daughter turns 18 what will happen to her portion of the benefits? Will the funds be redistributed to my son?

Thank you

Hi. No, your son's benefit rate will not go up when your daughter's benefits stop. The maximum surviving child's benefit rate is equal to 75% of the deceased worker's primary insurance amount (PIA). Up to 2 surviving children can always be paid their full maximum benefit rate if they are the only survivors drawing benefits on a deceased worker's record. The only time that a surviving child's benefit amount is reduced below 75% of the worker's PIA is if there are more than 2 eligible children, or at least 2 eligible children plus a surviving spouse drawing benefits. In that case, they must split the family maximum benefit (FMB) amount that can be paid on the worker's record.

Therefore, your son's benefit rate won't go up when your daughter's benefits end because he's apparently already being paid his maximum rate of 75% of his father's PIA. The only times that a child's benefit goes up when another child stops getting benefits is if their benefit rates were reduced due to the FMB.

Best, Jerry