H0558 Protecting Social Security Benefits for Foster Youth

SUPPORT -This bill safeguards Social Security and Veteran survivor benefits for children in state custody.

Idaho has long appropriated federal Social Security and Veterans benefits on behalf of foster children and applied them toward the cost of care. HB 588 ends this practice.  The law requires the state to ensure that each child in its custody who is eligible for federal benefits has applied for and is receiving them and that those benefits are held in a savings account for the child.  

We support this bill because it recognizes these benefits as earned support tied to a parent’s work or service and ensures they are directed toward the child’s future. Preserving these funds provides young people leaving foster care with a modest but meaningful financial foundation—helping support stability, independence, and long-term opportunity at a critical transition point.

This legislation was signed into law on March 17, 2026.