Can I receive both Social Security retirement and CIC benefits or are CIC benefits only for spouses?

CIC benefits are specifically for spouses (or divorced spouses) who are caring for the children of a worker who is receiving retirement or disability benefits. These benefits are NOT something you can claim in addition to your own retirement benefits. They're part of spousal benefits with special rules when young children are involved. What you should look into is survivor benefits for your grandson since he lost his mother. As his guardian, you can apply for these benefits on behalf of your grandson based on his mother's work record. The child survivor benefit is generally 75% of what your daughter's full benefit would have been.

my sister got benefits for her grandkids after their mom died. not called CIC tho, think its just regular survivor benefits for the kids. SSA is confusing with all these different names!!

To expand on the previous answers, here's what you need to know about this specific situation: 1. You cannot receive both retirement and CIC benefits yourself. CIC benefits only apply to spouses or ex-spouses caring for the worker's child. 2. What your grandson likely qualifies for is a child survivor benefit based on your daughter's earnings record. This is generally 75% of what your daughter would have received at her full retirement age. 3. As your grandson's legal guardian, you would apply for these benefits on his behalf and manage them for him, but they belong to him. 4. Your claiming retirement benefits will not affect your grandson's survivor benefits in any way since they're based on different earnings records. 5. There is a family maximum limit (around 150-180% of the worker's benefit) that applies when multiple people receive benefits on one person's record, but since it's just your grandson claiming on your daughter's record, this likely won't be an issue. I suggest making an appointment at your local SSA office specifically to apply for child survivor benefits for your grandson. Bring his birth certificate, your daughter's death certificate, and documentation of your legal guardianship.

I think ur confused about what CIC actually is. It's not a separate benefit type, it's a situation that lets spouses get benefits early without reduction. If ur taking care of a kid under 16 who gets benefits on ur spouse's record, then u can get ur spousal benefit without early claiming penalties. But it doesn't sound like that's ur situation at all.

I went through something similar with my grandkids last year. You should apply for survivor benefits for your grandson ASAP because they can only backpay up to 6 months!!! So you might have already lost out on 4 months of payments since it's been 10 months. The local office was completely booked when I tried but I finally got through on the phone by using this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com). They connected me to a real person at SSA in under 20 minutes when I had been trying for weeks. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The SSA rep helped me file everything right over the phone and we got the benefits started for my grandkids much faster than waiting for an in-person appointment.

The SSA system is INFURIATING with all these complicated rules and impossible phone lines!!!! I spent THREE MONTHS trying to get survivor benefits for my nephew after my sister died. They kept losing paperwork and giving me wrong information. One office told me he qualified, another said he didn't. Complete bureaucratic nightmare!!! DefInitely apply RIGHT AWAY because they limit retroactive payments and you're already at 10 months. And don't take the first answer they give you if it doesn't sound right - sometimes the reps don't know all the rules either!!!

To answer your earlier question about time limits - yes, there is unfortunately a limit on retroactive benefits. For survivor benefits, SSA can only pay up to 6 months retroactively from the date of application. Since it's been 10 months since your daughter passed, you've potentially lost 4 months of payments for your grandson. One other important thing to note: if your grandson receives survivor benefits, you might be eligible for something called a "representative payee fee" since you're managing his benefits. It's a small amount, but it acknowledges the responsibility of managing the funds properly. You'd need to specifically ask about this when you apply for his benefits. Also, these benefits will continue until he turns 18 (or 19 if he's still in high school).

my neighber gets Survivor benefits for her grand kids to. but be careful they make you account for every penny spent from those benefits! keep all reciepts for clothes school stuff etc as proof

I'm sorry for your loss and the challenges you're facing with navigating the SSA system. Based on what others have shared, it sounds like you should definitely prioritize applying for child survivor benefits for your grandson right away, especially given the 6-month retroactive payment limit. One thing I wanted to add that might help: when you do get through to SSA (whether by phone or in person), ask specifically about auxiliary benefits. Sometimes there are additional benefits available to family members that aren't immediately obvious. Also, since you mentioned your grandson is 9 and you're his legal guardian, make sure to ask about any potential caregiver benefits that might be available in your specific situation. The documentation others mentioned is key - having everything ready (birth certificate, death certificate, guardianship papers) will make the process much smoother. And definitely keep detailed records of any expenses related to your grandson's care once benefits start, as others have noted. Hang in there - the system is frustrating but you're asking the right questions and getting good advice from this community!

I'm so sorry for the loss of your daughter and the confusion you've been dealing with regarding benefits. As others have clarified, you're absolutely right that CIC benefits don't apply to your situation - those are specifically for spouses caring for their spouse's children. However, I want to emphasize something critical that others have mentioned: you need to apply for your grandson's survivor benefits IMMEDIATELY. The 6-month retroactive limit means you've already potentially lost several months of benefits that could have helped with his care. One additional point I didn't see mentioned - if your daughter had limited work history, your grandson might also be eligible for survivor benefits based on your deceased son-in-law's record (if applicable) or even potentially SSI if the family income qualifies. When you call SSA, make sure to mention all possible benefit sources. Also, once your grandson starts receiving survivor benefits, these will continue until he's 18 (or 19 if still in high school), and the amount won't be affected by your own retirement benefits since they're on completely different records. The current maximum family benefit shouldn't be an issue since he'd likely be the only beneficiary on your daughter's record. Good luck getting through to SSA - definitely try that phone service others recommended if the regular lines keep failing you!

I'm really sorry for your loss, and I can see how overwhelming this whole process must be. The community has given you excellent advice here - you're definitely on the right track focusing on survivor benefits for your grandson rather than CIC benefits. One thing I wanted to add that might help you prepare for your call tomorrow: when you speak with SSA, be very clear that you're applying for SURVIVOR BENEFITS for a minor child whose parent is deceased, and that you are the child's legal guardian. Sometimes using the exact terminology helps get you transferred to the right department faster. Also, if the first representative seems confused or gives you conflicting information, don't hesitate to politely end the call and try again with someone else. Unfortunately, not all SSA reps are equally knowledgeable about all benefit types, and you want to make sure you're getting accurate information given the time-sensitive nature of the retroactive payments. Keep us updated on how it goes - this community is really helpful for navigating these complicated situations, and your experience might help other grandparents in similar circumstances!

I'm so sorry for the loss of your daughter and can completely understand how frustrating the SSA phone system can be when you're already dealing with so much. Everyone here has given you excellent guidance - CIC benefits definitely don't apply to your situation since those are specifically for spouses. What you really need to focus on is getting those survivor benefits for your grandson started ASAP. One small tip that might help when you call: if you're getting disconnected frequently, try calling right when they open (8 AM local time) or during lunch hours when call volume might be slightly lower. Also, once you get connected, ask the representative for a direct callback number in case you get disconnected - sometimes they can provide one. The fact that you're his legal guardian puts you in a good position to handle this application. Just make sure you emphasize that this is for CHILD SURVIVOR BENEFITS and that there's urgency due to the retroactive payment limits. You've got all the right information now thanks to this community - you're going to get through this! Please do update us on how it goes. Sending you and your grandson my best wishes during this difficult time.