Губернатор Южной Каролины отменил «налог сирот» и запретил использовать пособия на содержание детей в системе опеки

SC to end 'orphan tax' on foster kids COLUMBIA, S.C. (WACH) — Gov. Henry McMaster announced on Tuesday that South Carolina will end the "orphan tax" on foster children. The practice known as the "orphan tax" uses Social Security benefits belonging to children in foster care to reimburse the state for foster care expenses. “When a child enters foster care, our responsibility is to protect that child and give them every opportunity to build a better future. By ensuring these benefits stay with the children they were intended for, we can give them resources to help build that future," said McMaster. To help facilitate this change, the South Carolina Department of Social Services will include $1.6 million in its budget request for the upcoming fiscal year to replace the Social Security survivor benefits currently used to offset foster care costs for 301 children in foster care. “When these survivor benefits are conserved for children in foster care, they can be a very meaningful support for a child’s individual needs, and for those older youth who enter foster care it can ease their transition into young adulthood. This change will give children in foster care greater stability and more resources as they build toward a brighter future. DSS is committed to strengthening the support we provide every child in our care, and we are proud to take this step to further that mission," said South Carolina Department of Social Services Director Tony Catone. Under South Carolina’s new approach, Social Security benefits will remain available to the foster child rather than being used to reimburse the state. South Carolina’s decision follows a nationwide effort to end the practice. In December 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services called on states to stop using Social Security survivor benefits to offset foster care costs. As of July, 30 states have ended or reformed the practice.