Can children switch from drawing on mom's Social Security to dad's retirement benefits if the amount is higher?

YES! You absolutely can switch them to your record! My husband and I went through this exact thing last year. The kids were initially on my record when I retired at 63, but then when my husband filed 7 months later his benefit was higher. We went to our local SSA office (made an appointment first) and filled out the paperwork to have the kids switched to his record. The change took effect 2 months later. They'll automatically give them whichever parent provides the higher benefit amount.

The previous commenter is correct. According to SSA rules, eligible children can receive up to 50% of a parent's PIA as auxiliary benefits. When both parents are entitled to benefits, SSA will pay based on whichever record provides the higher amount. This is called the Maximum Family Benefit rule application. You'll need to contact SSA when you file for your own benefits and specifically request that they evaluate whether your children should be switched to your record. Bring birth certificates and your marriage certificate to verify relationships. The process isn't automatic - you need to initiate it.

not an expert but i think theres a family maximum amount u can get? so maybe check that first cuz it might not be as much as ur thinking. my neighbors kids got less than expected bcuz of that family max thing.

I went through this NIGHTMARE last year! SSA told me my kids could switch to my ex's record when he filed, but then they claimed I never notified them properly. Took SEVEN PHONE CALLS and three office visits to fix!!! The system is COMPLETELY BROKEN. Make sure you document EVERYTHING and get names of who you talk to. FWIW, my kids did eventually get the higher amount on their dad's record, but the back payments took 4 months to process after they admitted their mistake.

If you've been trying to call SSA and getting nowhere, try using Claimyr (claimyr.com). I was in a similar situation trying to switch my daughter's benefits and kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours. Their service connected me to an agent in under 30 minutes instead of waiting for hours. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU - it saved me so much time and frustration.

You should know that there might be a delay between when you apply for your retirement and when the kids can switch. My son had to wait almost 2 months after I filed before they could process his switch from my wife's record to mine. During that time, he still received benefits on her record, and there was no gap in payments. Just make sure to specifically tell them you want to switch the children when you apply for your own benefits.

Yes, your children can switch to your record once you begin receiving retirement benefits. Here's what you need to know: 1. This falls under what's called the 'Larger Benefit Rule' - children receive benefits based on the parent's record that provides the higher auxiliary amount. 2. It's not automatic - you must notify SSA when you file for retirement that you have children already receiving on your spouse's record. 3. The switch doesn't affect your wife's personal retirement benefit - she'll continue to receive her full amount. 4. There is generally a 1-3 month processing time before the switch takes effect. 5. Be prepared to provide your children's Social Security numbers, birth certificates, and documentation showing they're currently receiving on your wife's record. If there's any overpayment or underpayment during the transition, SSA will make the appropriate adjustments.

when my husband retired our daughter was already getting benefits from my disability (SSDI). we switched her to his record bc it was like $230 more per month. but it took forever!!! almost 3 months to process and the lady at ssa said they dont do any retroactive payments for the difference during that waiting period. just so u know!

Something else to consider - check if you're at full retirement age (FRA) when you file. If you're filing early, your benefit is reduced, which also reduces what your children can receive. If you can wait until your FRA (probably 66 and some months for you), the kids would get the maximum 50% of your PIA. My husband waited until his FRA specifically for this reason, even though he wanted to retire earlier.

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who works in benefits administration (though not SSA). When you file for your retirement benefits, make sure to explicitly ask the representative to review which parent's record would be more advantageous for your children. Don't assume they'll automatically check this - you need to specifically request it. Also, bring a copy of your wife's award letter showing her current benefit amount and the kids' auxiliary amounts. This will help the SSA worker calculate the comparison more quickly. One last tip: if you're filing online, there should be a section asking about dependents - make sure to indicate that your children are already receiving benefits on another record so the system flags this for manual review.

I went through this exact situation two years ago! My kids were getting benefits on my record when I retired early at 62, but when my husband filed at his full retirement age, his benefit was substantially higher. The switch was definitely possible, but here's what I learned: 1) You MUST specifically request the comparison when your husband files - it's not automatic, 2) Bring documentation of the current benefits the kids are receiving, 3) The processing took about 6-8 weeks in our case, but the kids continued getting their original benefits during the transition with no gap. The key thing that helped us was calling ahead to the SSA office and explaining the situation when we scheduled the appointment. They were able to have someone there who was familiar with these types of switches. Also, don't be surprised if you get different answers from different representatives - we had to speak with a supervisor to get consistent information. Good luck with your application next month!