Parent Focus: Turning 18

The Basics

At 18, your child becomes an adult. Around the same time, there might be other life changes, such as high school graduation, a first job, or moving out of the family home.

As these happen, your child’s benefits might change:

  • Supplemental Security Income (SSI) has different rules for children and adults.
  • Your child can manage their own Medicaid benefits and medical care and the Working Disabled Medicaid Buy-In program lets adults make more money and keep getting Medicaid coverage.
  • Some benefits are only for children, so if your child gets them now, they will stop getting them as an adult.
  • Other benefits are only for adults, so your child may start getting them.

This doesn’t mean your child will be worse off: After turning 18, your child may qualify for the same benefits as before and possibly more.

Getting a job does not mean benefits will stop

Benefits programs are designed to make sure your child will be better off when working. Your child can get a job and still get the benefits they need as an adult.

Learn more