Congress narrows Social Security for college-age kids of wealthy retirees
H.R. 571 — ____ Act · Filed by H. Griffith (R-VA) · Introduced Jan 21, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill restricts child Social Security benefits for children aged 18+ who are full-time students. Specifically, if a parent is 67 or older, receiving Social Security, and earned more than $125,000 in the tax year, their child cannot receive student benefits based on that parent's earnings. The restriction applies to benefits paid after the bill becomes law.
Why we flagged it
The bill's sole operative mechanism is to narrow eligibility for child Social Security student benefits by introducing an income and age threshold tied to the parent's earnings. It is a targeted eligibility restriction, not a broad policy reform.
What the text implies
- The $125,000 earnings threshold is not indexed to inflation, so over time the restriction will apply to a broader swath of middle-class families as nominal incomes rise.
- The restriction applies only when the parent is 67 or older AND receiving Social Security AND earned >$125k — a narrow slice of households, but the combination of conditions may create perverse incentives (e.g., delaying Social Security claiming to avoid the restriction).
The full analysis lists 3 implications of this text.
Who it affects
Families with a parent aged 67+ earning over $125,000 lose access to child student benefits they currently receive. While the restriction targets higher-income households, it reduces a public benefit (Social Security) available to dependent children, making those families worse off relative to current law.