Dear Savvy Senior: I’m getting acceptable to commencement my Social Security status benefits and person 2 children astatine home, ages 17 and 15. I’ve heard they mightiness besides beryllium eligible for benefits connected my grounds portion I’m collecting. Is that true, and if so, however does it work? How agelong would they person benefits, and is determination thing I request to bash to use for them? — Retiring Parent
Dear Retiring Parent: Yes. If you’re 62 oregon older and raising kids, Social Security tin enactment a small other currency successful your family’s pocket.
When you file for your retirement benefit, each of your children may receive as much as half of your primary insurance amount—the benefit you would get at full retirement age. Even if you claim a reduced payment by filing early, the children’s amounts are still calculated from your full‑retirement benefit, which is 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later. You can apply for the children’s benefits at the same time you submit your own retirement claim, or you can file for them later if that is more convenient; submitting together is usually the simplest route. To qualify, a child must be unmarried and younger than 18. If the child is 18 or 19 and still attending high school, benefits continue until graduation or until the child reaches 19 years and 2 months, whichever occurs first. If the child works, the standard earnings test applies. In 2026, Social Security deducts $1 from benefits for every $2 earned above $22,320. Special provisions exist for children with disabilities. Because your youngest is 15, your spouse may also qualify for a benefit on your record—even if she has not yet reached full retirement age. This is the “child‑in‑care” spousal payment, available when a spouse is caring for a child under 16. The spousal amount can be up to 50 percent of your primary insurance amount and ends when the youngest child turns 16. It can be especially helpful in households where one parent has reduced work hours to focus on caregiving. There is also a ceiling on how much Social Security can pay a family, known as the family maximum, which generally falls between 150 percent and 180 percent of your primary insurance amount. If the combined benefits exceed that ceiling, payments to family members other than you are reduced proportionally. For example, if your full‑retirement benefit is $3,000 per month, the family maximum might be roughly $5,289. That leaves $2,289 to be divided among the children—about $1,144.50 each. If your spouse also qualifies for the child‑in‑care benefit, her payment will further reduce the amount available to be split among the children, although the total family outlay remains capped by the maximum. Children may also receive benefits if a parent becomes disabled—typically up to 50 percent of the parent’s disability benefit—or if a parent dies, in which case they may be eligible for up to 75 percent of the deceased parent’s basic benefit. While these payments will not cover all expenses, even modest assistance can make a meaningful difference for a family. Keeping benefits on track Social Security automatically ends children’s benefits when they reach age 18 or graduate from high school. Knowing when payments start and stop helps you plan your budget and make the most of this support. If your children’s circumstances change—for instance, they graduate early, marry, or begin full‑time work—be sure to inform Social Security so that payments remain accurate. For more information, visit ssa.gov. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org.
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