Orphaned Black Children Could Be Deprived Of Social Security Payments

The equivalent percentage for non-black children is 46%. Nearly 30,000 fewer black children are receiving survivor benefits since 2009 when data were last analyzed by race.

Black Children ( Photo: Vox )

Eligible surviving children received an average of $957.05 per month

There are about 10.1 million black children nationwide, and by 2021, a staggering 9.6% of them, or about 975,000, will have lost at least one parent, according to Census data. That number has doubled over the past decade, compounded by a surge caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One study found that from April 2020 to the end of 2022, black children were twice as likely to lose a loved one as white children. All workers in the United States pay Social Security taxes, and those who have worked long enough are entitled to monthly benefits when they retire or become incapacitated. If they die, their survivors may also be entitled to benefits. Whether a child under the age of 18 is eligible depends on several factors. However, the beneficiary usually receives 75% of the benefits the deceased parent was receiving.

The quiet issue of the disproportionate number of black children

Patrice Willoughby, senior vice president of global policy and impact at the NAACP, told CBS News that the Social Security Administration is working to identify more appropriate family caregivers and foster care programs to care for black orphaned children. He said he needed to work. 

“The issue itself is urgent because we cannot allow children to fall into the ditch, but the lack of an advocacy component that holistically addresses the needs of black children makes the issue quiet. It’s a problem,” Willoughby said. To raise awareness of survivor benefits, an SSA spokesperson said that since 2021, it has implemented “hundreds” of outreach efforts to serve the African-American community.  

READ ALSO: Food Stamps In May Across The Country: Check Exact Dates Here!