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.
Don’t Miss:
Today’s Best Finance Deals
Form Submitted — But Lost in the Shuffle
“I’ve followed the rules, submitted everything (twice!), called for help, and done everything I was supposed to—but I’m still being left in the dark,” the student wrote.
They say they followed the steps precisely: their school completed its section of the SSA-1372 form on September 5, and the student mailed it shortly after. After some delivery concerns, they resent it using a more secure courier service later that month.
Despite this, a termination notice from the Social Security Administration arrived just before the student’s 18th birthday. A second attempt to submit the form was made in October. Still, by June this year — more than eight months later — no benefits had resumed and no back payments had been received.
“We also tried calling the SSA toll-free number multiple times, but every agent seems to say something different,” the student wrote. “One agent told us they could see a note and that the documents were being processed. But when we called again and spoke to someone else, they claimed they didn’t see any record of receiving my forms at all.”
Trending: Named a TIME Best Invention and Backed by 5,000+ Users, Kara’s Air-to-Water Pod Cuts Plastic and Costs — And You Can Invest At Just $6.37/Share
Miscommunication and Misdelivery
A key issue may be where the form was sent. The student followed mailing instructions that pointed to a Veterans Affairs office in Manila. Some commenters on Reddit urged the student to send the form to the U.S. Embassy in Manila, rather than the VA office.
This confusion isn’t unusual, according to commenters in the thread. One noted that if the case ends up at the Program Service Center — the office that handles student benefits — it can take months due to a growing backlog.
“It’s not uncommon if it takes up to a year,” the commenter said. “But once they get to your case, you’ll get a lump sum payment for the 6 months you were a full time high school student at an accredited school.”
See Also: Tired of Grid Failures and Charging Deserts? This Startup Has a Solar Fix and $25M+ in Sales — Now Raising at $3/Share
Living Abroad Adds Another Layer of Complexity
Receiving Social Security benefits while living overseas is possible — but it comes with additional rules. U.S. citizens are generally eligible to receive payments abroad, and the Philippines is one of the countries where payments can be sent. However, for non-citizen dependents or survivors, eligibility may depend on meeting specific requirements — such as having lived in the U.S. for at least five years.
In this case, the student believes their high school meets all the necessary SSA requirements. Their principal even confirmed that a similar situation had occurred before — and the previous student was eventually paid in full.
Still Waiting, Still Hoping
The teen graduated from high school in May and should have remained eligible for benefits until then. Despite multiple submissions, confirmation attempts, and a missed callback appointment from SSA, they are still waiting for resolution.
Their story highlights the frustration many beneficiaries face when navigating the SSA system from abroad — especially when timelines matter and communication is inconsistent.
Read Next: The average American couple has saved this much money for retirement — How do you compare?
Image: Shutterstock
