social security - FOD Sociale Zekerheid

C. Qualifying childThe third distinctive person - and the most important, else there cannot be any family benefits - isthe qualifying child. A qualifying child has to meet particular conditions.In the first place, there must be a degree of kinship between the qualifying child and thebeneficiary. This means that you are entitled to family benefits for:- your children;- adopted children or foster children;- grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nephews and nieces;- brothers and sisters (at least if some particular conditions are being met);- children placed in a family and children over whom you exercise parental authority byvirtue of a judicial decision.The qualifying child must always have such a link of kinship with the beneficiary himself, with hisspouse or with the person with whom he forms a household or with whom he legally cohabits.Conditions with regard to education and age are imposed. From a legal point of view, due tothe compulsory school attendance, a child is entitled to family benefits until 31st August of thecalendar year in the course of which it reaches the age of 18. There are many extensions of thisrule.In the civil servants' scheme, until February 2010 child benefits were paid out until the end of themonth in which the child reached the age of 21 (and not until 31 August of the year in which thechild reaches the ages of 18).The child did not have to justify his situation (certificate from school, apprenticeship contract, …),but had to remain dependant of the beneficiary.As from 1 March 2010, every child as to justify its situation in order to remain its entitlement tofamily benefits as from 31 August of the calendar year it reaches the age of 18.You are entitled to family benefits until the age of 25, when you belong to one of the followingcategories:- apprentice boys or girls;- children who go to school or follow a training period for appointment in a function(candidate-bailiff);- students who prepare a paper at the end of their college studies;- during the waiting period, i.e. the period between the diploma and the firstunemployment allowance (you have to be registered as unemployed).A disabled child is always entitled to family benefits until the age of 21.It should be noted that family benefits are not due for children who are raised or educated outsidethe Kingdom.However, this principle is tempered by general measures taken notably for children temporarilystaying outside the Kingdom, when the stay does not exceed 2 months in the course of onecalendar year or six months for health reasons, for children who stay abroad during the school23