# What is the Disabled Adult Child (DAC) benefit? Last updated Jul 19, 2026 Reviewed by Jason Burns, Editorial Steward — https://ssdidirectanswers.com/steward Published by SSDI Direct Answers · Licensed under Citation License 1.0 — https://ssdidirectanswers.com/license The DAC (childhood disability) benefit pays Social Security to an adult child age 18 or older whose disability began before age 22, based on a parent's earnings record once that parent starts receiving Social Security retirement or disability benefits or dies — the adult child needs no work history of their own. ## What the government has said, on the record > "Disabled child, age 18 or over, who was disabled before age 22 (75 percent of the worker's primary benefit)." — **Fritz Streckewald**, Assistant Deputy Commissioner for Program Policy, Social Security Administration, [Testimony on veterans' survivor benefits, Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs](https://www.ssa.gov/legislation/testimony_020305.html), February 3, 2005. *Editor's note: The quote is an item in the testimony's list of Social Security survivor-benefit categories, so the 75 percent rate applies on a deceased parent's record; a DAC on a living retired or disabled parent's record receives up to 50 percent (context supplied in the answer).* The DAC (childhood disability) benefit pays Social Security to an adult child age 18 or older whose disability began before age 22, based on a parent's earnings record once that parent starts receiving Social Security retirement or disability benefits or dies — the adult child needs no work history of their own. The DAC can receive up to 50 percent of the parent's full benefit while the parent is alive, or 75 percent as a survivor after the parent's death, subject to the family maximum, and DAC entitlement usually also brings Medicare after 24 months. Benefits generally end if the DAC marries someone other than certain other Social Security beneficiaries; dollar amounts change annually with the COLA. The DAC (childhood disability) benefit pays Social Security to an adult child age 18 or older whose disability began before age 22, based on a parent's earnings record once that parent starts receiving Social Security retirement or disability benefits or dies — the adult child needs no work history of their own. ## What is the Disabled Adult Child (DAC) benefit? The DAC can receive up to 50 percent of the parent's full benefit while the parent is alive, or 75 percent as a survivor after the parent's death, subject to the family maximum, and DAC entitlement usually also brings Medicare after 24 months. Benefits generally end if the DAC marries someone other than certain other Social Security beneficiaries; dollar amounts change annually with the COLA. ## Where to verify See the official source cited in the quote block above, and SSA's own program pages at [ssa.gov/disability](https://www.ssa.gov/disability). Program dollar amounts change annually with the cost-of-living adjustment. ## Sources - Testimony on veterans' survivor benefits, Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs — https://www.ssa.gov/legislation/testimony_020305.html - SSA — Disability Benefits — https://www.ssa.gov/disability --- Canonical URL: https://ssdidirectanswers.com/answers/disabled-adult-child-dac-benefit Publisher: SSDI Direct Answers — a product of Adolicious LLC Published: 2026-07-21T16:14:00+00:00 Modified: 2026-07-19T00:32:37.175316+00:00 License: Citation License 1.0 — https://ssdidirectanswers.com/license © 2026 Adolicious LLC. All rights reserved. Disclaimer: SSDI Direct Answers is a private informational website. It is not affiliated with the Social Security Administration or any government agency. Informational only — not legal, medical, or financial advice. For official information visit ssa.gov.