{"abstract":"The Social Security Administration (SSA) proposes to amend its regulations to incorporate the changes to the entitlement and termination requirements for stepchild's benefits introduced by the Contract with America Advancement Act of 1996. Under the changes, a stepchild is considered dependent upon a stepparent for Social Security benefit purposes only if he or she receives at least one-half support from the stepparent. The fact that a stepchild may be living with a stepparent is no longer a basis for a dependency determination. The changes also require benefit termination when the stepchild's natural parent and stepparent divorce (unless the stepchild has been adopted by the stepparent and can qualify for benefits as his or her adopted child). We propose to extend the termination requirement to include: A divorce that ends the marriage between a stepchild's adoptive parent and stepparent; and a prospective annulment that ends the marriage between a stepchild's natural or adoptive parent and stepparent. We also propose to include in the regulations our longstanding practice of terminating a stepchild's benefits when the marriage between the stepchild's parent and the stepparent is annulled from the beginning (ab initio). These rules would reflect enacted legislation and provide accurate and complete guidelines for determining entitlement to benefits.","action":"Notice of proposed rulemaking.","agencies":[{"raw_name":"Social Security Administration","name":"Social Security Administration","id":470,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/social-security-administration","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/470","parent_id":null,"slug":"social-security-administration"}],"body_html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/html/2003/08/12/03-20490.html","cfr_references":[{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":404,"title":20}],"citation":"68 FR 47877","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":"2003-10-14","correction_of":null,"corrections":[],"dates":"In order for your comments to be considered, you must submit them on or before October 14, 2003.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":[],"dockets":[],"document_number":"03-20490","effective_on":null,"end_page":47881,"executive_order_notes":null,"executive_order_number":null,"full_text_xml_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/xml/2003/08/12/03-20490.xml","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2003/08/12/03-20490/entitlement-and-termination-requirements-for-stepchildren","images":{},"images_metadata":{},"json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/03-20490?publication_date=2003-08-12","mods_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/metadata/granule/FR-2003-08-12/03-20490/mods.xml","not_received_for_publication":null,"page_length":5,"page_views":{"count":514,"last_updated":"2026-10-22 16:15:06 -0400"},"pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2003-08-12/pdf/03-20490.pdf","presidential_document_number":null,"proclamation_number":null,"public_inspection_pdf_url":null,"publication_date":"2003-08-12","raw_text_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/2003/08/12/03-20490.txt","regulation_id_number_info":{"0960-AF78":{"issue":"201010","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/0960-AF78/entitlement-and-termination-requirements-for-stepchildren-934f-","title":"Entitlement and Termination Requirements for Stepchildren (934F)","xml_url":"http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=201010&RIN=0960-AF78&operation=OPERATION_EXPORT_XML","priority_category":"Other Significant"}},"regulation_id_numbers":["0960-AF78"],"regulations_dot_gov_info":{},"regulations_dot_gov_url":null,"significant":true,"signing_date":null,"start_page":47877,"subtype":null,"title":"Entitlement and Termination Requirements for Stepchildren","toc_doc":"Stepchildren; entitlement and termination requirements","toc_subject":"Social security benefits:","topics":["Administrative practice and procedure","Blind","Disability benefits","Old-age, Survivors and Disability Insurance","Reporting and recordkeeping requirements","Social security"],"type":"Proposed Rule","volume":68}