When Walz's father passed away, his family relied on Social Security. Few people realize that children are also eligible for benefits.

• After his father's death, Tim Walz's family relied on Social Security benefits.
• If one of or both of their parents pass away, children may be eligible for Social Security benefits.
• Numerous kids might not be obtaining the advantages they deserve.

On Wednesday night, at the Democratic National Convention, Tim Walz, the Governor of Minnesota, was nominated as the Democratic vice president.

In his speech, Walz acknowledged the crucial role that Social Security survivor benefits played in supporting his family's journey to their current position.

When Walz was 19, his father passed away from lung cancer, leaving the family with a significant amount of medical debt. However, Social Security benefits helped his mother and younger brother maintain a comfortable lifestyle.

During his Wednesday night speech, Walz expressed gratitude for Social Security survivor benefits.

'Lots of kids ... do not claim their survivor benefits'

Recent Social Security Administration data indicates that approximately 3.7 million children receive benefits.

If children are unmarried, younger than 18, full-time students in grades 12 or below, or age 18 or older with a disability that started before age 22, they can receive benefits.

If a deceased parent was a working parent in the U.S., 98 out of 100 children could receive Social Security benefits, according to the agency's estimate. The monthly payments are calculated based on the earnings of the deceased parent.

According to the Social Security Administration, as of July, more than 2 million children are receiving an average monthly surviving child benefit of $1,103.

Harris advocates for an expanded child tax credit of up to $6,000, while Vance suggests raising it to $5,000.

Yet families are not always aware they qualify for this financial support.

Martin O'Malley, Social Security Commissioner, stated at a National Academy of Social Insurance event in Washington, D.C., in June that many children nationwide do not receive their survivor benefits.

Up to half of orphaned children in the U.S. may not be receiving the Social Security benefits they are entitled to, according to Joyal Mulheron, founder and executive director of Evermore, a nonprofit organization that aims to enhance the lives of bereaved individuals.

"By accessing this benefit, potentially, children could be lifted out of poverty," Mulheron stated.

O'Malley stated at the NASI event in June that the Social Security Administration is working to identify those families and develop more targeted strategies to reach them.

The agency has taken several steps to promote survivor benefits, such as sending information letters to households, launching a new web page, and collaborating with states and communities to raise awareness. In Utah, a check box has been added to death reporting forms to indicate if the deceased has a minor child.

How children can qualify for Social Security benefits

According to the Social Security Administration, more than half of children who receive Social Security checks have had a parent who worked and paid taxes into the program pass away. These children may be eligible to receive up to 75% of the deceased parent's basic benefit.

According to the Social Security Administration, children can still qualify for survivors' benefits even if they do not reside with a parent or receive financial support from them, and the parents' marital status is not a factor.

Parents who care for children under 16 may also be eligible for benefits.

There are other ways in which children may qualify for benefits.

If their parent is retired or disabled and eligible for Social Security, those children may be able to receive benefits, up to half of their parent's full benefits.

The maximum family benefit and the limit on monthly benefits per family based on a worker's earnings record can affect the amount of benefits children receive. The formula for calculating these benefits varies depending on whether they are related to disabled, retirement, or survivor benefits.

'You don't want to see anybody lose out on any benefits'

A funeral director may send a family to Social Security after someone's death, as there may be a $255 lump sum death benefit available, according to Jim Blair, vice president of Premier Social Security Consulting and a former Social Security administrator.

Informative resources may be made available to widows and widowers, as well as their children, at that time, but some situations may not be fully addressed.

If children switch to a different guardian who cannot answer all of Social Security's questions, they may not access the benefits they are eligible for, Mulheron said. Additionally, families may miss out on benefits due to immigration issues, missed deadlines, or administrative errors with applications, she added.

Mulheron suggested that the Social Security Administration simplify the online application process for children's benefits.

Blair stated that it's important to prevent anyone from losing out on benefits, as that's the purpose of having them.

"If you suspect there may be something payable, call and inquire," he stated.

To apply for children's benefits, the Social Security Administration may require a birth certificate, proof of birth or adoption, the parent's and child's Social Security numbers, and, if applicable, a parent's death certificate or medical evidence of a child's disability. The agency can be reached at 1-800-772-1213.