New Baby Checklist: Benefits, Coverage and Tax Breaks to Claim

1The checklist, by deadline

Swipe sideways to see the whole table.

The rest of this guide covers each item. If you do only three things, do the Social Security number, the health coverage and the tax return.

2A Social Security number, from the hospital

The simplest way to get a number is to ask the hospital when you fill out the birth certificate application. The state birth records agency passes the information to the Social Security Administration, which mails the card. The hospital should give you a receipt, Form SSA-2853, that shows you asked for it. The agency says the processing time varies by state and averages about two weeks, plus up to two more for the card to arrive by mail.

If you wait and apply later, the agency has to verify the birth certificate, which adds delay. You need the number to list the baby on your tax return, to claim the Child Tax Credit and to enroll in many benefits, so do not postpone it. If the card has not arrived after several weeks, contact your local Social Security office.

3Health coverage for the baby

Check three routes at once, since the deadlines differ.

• An employer plan. Most group plans must let you add a newborn for a period after birth, and 30 days is the usual window. Ask your benefits office the day you get home, and ask whether the baby's coverage begins on the birth date.
• The Marketplace. A birth opens a special enrollment period of 60 days. If you enroll within it, coverage can begin on the day the baby was born. If you already have a Marketplace plan, you can add the baby to it. See our guide to special enrollment periods for the documents the Marketplace may ask for.
• Medicaid and CHIP. You can apply at any time, and children in households with moderate income often qualify. A baby born to a mother who is covered by Medicaid on the date of birth is automatically covered until the first birthday, with no application and no income test. Our guide to CHIP explains how the program works for children.

Many states also cover mothers for a full year after delivery under Medicaid, so ask about your own coverage as well. If you are on a Marketplace plan, tell the Marketplace about the baby, since a bigger household changes your premium tax credit.

4Paying for the birth itself

The hospital bill is a separate problem, and there are two things to try before paying it in full. Nonprofit hospitals must have a financial assistance policy, so ask the billing office for the application and the income limits. And if you think you qualify for Medicaid, apply even after the birth: many states can cover medical bills from up to three months before the month you apply, though some limit it. Ask the hospital or the state Medicaid office what applies where you live, and do not pay a large bill until you know.

5Food and nutrition: WIC and SNAP

WIC serves pregnant women, new mothers, infants and children up to five. It provides food, nutrition counseling and breastfeeding support. To qualify, household income must be at or below 185 percent of the poverty level, which for July 2026 through June 2027 is $50,542 a year for a household of three in the 48 states and DC, and a state may set it lower. A family on SNAP, Medicaid or TANF may already meet the income test. A mother can stay on WIC for up to six months after birth, or up to a year if she breastfeeds, and the baby stays until the fifth birthday. Our guide to WIC explains the application.

If you receive SNAP, report the baby so your benefit reflects the larger household, and ask about the deadline for reporting changes. Our guide to reporting changes lists how each program handles it.

6If the other parent is not in the home

Parents who are not married can establish legal fatherhood at the hospital by signing a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity, which makes it easier to claim benefits and to ask for child support later. If the other parent is not helping, the state child support office can find the parent, set an order and collect, usually at little or no cost. Our guide to child support services explains how it works and when to apply.

7Time off and child care

The Family and Medical Leave Act gives eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for the birth of a child. Some states and employers also offer paid family leave, so ask your employer and your state labor agency about it before you decide how much time to take. Our guide to FMLA explains who is covered.

Child care is the next big cost. Child care subsidies and Early Head Start, which serves pregnant women, infants and toddlers, can have waiting lists, so ask about them early. Our guides to child care assistance and Head Start explain how to apply.

8Taxes, and a new federal account

A baby born in the tax year counts for the whole year, as long as the baby lived with you for more than half the time after birth. Claiming the baby as a dependent can bring the Child Tax Credit of up to $2,200 for a child under 17, of which up to $1,700 can be refunded, and it can change your filing status and the Earned Income Tax Credit. The credit requires a Social Security number for the child. Our guides to the Child Tax Credit and to who counts as a dependent explain the rules.

After you have the baby, update your withholding at work so it reflects the new dependent, because your paycheck is otherwise calculated as if nothing changed. A birth is also a qualifying life event, so you can usually start or change contributions to a dependent care or health flexible spending account in the weeks afterward, even outside open enrollment. Ask your benefits office for the deadline.

There is also a new federal account. Children born from January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2028 who are U.S. citizens with a Social Security number can receive a one-time $1,000 deposit from the Treasury Department into a Trump Account. A parent, guardian or other authorized person elects it by filing IRS Form 4547, with a tax return or through the IRS online account, and the form must be filed before the calendar year in which the child turns 18. The accounts and the rules are new, so check irs.gov/trumpaccounts for the current steps, and be careful with emails or calls about the account that do not come from the official sources the Treasury names.

In practice the first weeks follow a rhythm. The Social Security number request is made at the hospital with the birth certificate paperwork. Within days the baby is added to a family health plan, usually from the birth date, and a WIC application follows once the family is home. The next piece of paperwork comes the following winter, when the baby is claimed as a dependent, the Child Tax Credit is figured and Form 4547 is filed for the $1,000 deposit.

10What to confirm

Deadlines and benefits differ by employer, plan and state, and the agencies decide each application. The Trump Account rules were new when we checked, and details may change. This is general information and not legal or tax advice.