Benefits That End and Benefits That Start

Some programs help children, while others help adults. When your child becomes an adult, he or she will no longer qualify for some benefits and may qualify for others instead.

Your Child Will Not Qualify You for MFIP

If your family gets benefits from the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP), when your child turns 18 (or 19 if still in school), he or she will no longer count as a child for MFIP. This means your family’s MFIP benefits may go down or stop.

Social Security Child’s Benefits Are Only for Children

If your child gets Social Security Child’s Benefits based on your or your spouse’s Social Security work record, these benefits will end when your child turns 18, unless he or she is still in high school or doing another form of secondary education. In that case, they end at 19. If your child stops getting Child’s Benefits, he or she may be able to start getting Disabled Adult Child (DAC) benefits instead.

Disabled Adult Child (DAC) Benefits Might Start

Social Security Disabled Adult Child (DAC) benefits help adults with disabilities who are 18 or older with money each month. If your child gets DAC benefits for two years, he or she will also qualify for Medicare health coverage.

Your child may qualify for DAC if he or she:

• Has a disability that began before turning 22 and meets Social Security’s definition of disability for adults
• Is not married, unless the spouse also gets DAC or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits, and
• Has a parent who gets Social Security retirement benefits or SSDI. If your child’s other parent is deceased, your child could also qualify.

Your child can apply for DAC at the local Social Security office.

Minnesota Supplemental Aid (MSA) Might Start

Adults with disabilities who are 18 or older may qualify for MSA if they have low income and low assets. Like SSI, MSA gives money each month to help pay for basic expenses. A person living alone who also gets SSI will usually qualify for $81 each month in MSA benefits. If your child gets MSA, he or she will automatically qualify for MA as well.

To get MSA, your child must apply online at MNbenefits or at the local county or tribal human services office.