For one teen living abroad, aging out of childhood came with an unexpected setback — the loss of Social Security survivor benefits, despite still being enrolled in high school. The student, currently residing in the Philippines, shared their experience on Reddit's r/SocialSecurity, detailing a months-long struggle to reinstate benefits and receive back pay after turning 18 in October.
The teen had been receiving Social Security benefits as a dependent of their American father, who qualified for Social Security Disability Insurance. Under Social Security rules, these benefits can continue past age 18 if the student is still enrolled full-time in high school — but only if they complete and submit Form SSA-1372, a school attendance certification form.
