Can my minor children receive Social Security benefits if I retire at 64? Will my ex-wife get any of their payments?

Yes, your children can receive benefits once you start collecting! Each child could get up to 50% of your full retirement benefit amount. Since you have two children, there's something called the 'family maximum' that might come into play - usually this caps the total family benefits at 150-180% of your full benefit. The money for minor children goes to their representative payee (probably you as the custodial parent). Your ex-wife has no claim to this money whatsoever - these are your children's benefits, not yours or hers. Just make sure when you apply that you have their birth certificates and your divorce decree handy. The process was pretty straightforward when I did it for my grandson.

my brother did this last year. kids got their own payments but SSA reduced them because of the family maximum thing. his 3 kids each got less than 50% of his check amount. something like 150% total for all of them combined, cant remember exact numbers tho

Just to clarify some important points: When you apply for retirement benefits, you should file for your children at the same time - they don't automatically get enrolled. The SSA provides auxiliary benefits to dependent children under 18 (or 19 if still in high school). Each child is eligible for up to 50% of your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which is your benefit at full retirement age, NOT your reduced benefit if you claim early. However, as others mentioned, there is a Family Maximum Benefit (FMB) that caps the total. And yes, the benefits for your children are THEIR benefits, not yours or your ex-wife's. As the custodial parent, you would be the representative payee for your minor children. Your ex-wife has no legal claim to these funds. One thing to consider: claiming at 64 means you'll take a permanent reduction to your own benefit (about 13.3-15% less than your full amount), though this doesn't affect the calculation for your children's benefits.

I went through this exact situation last year when I retired at 66. The children's benefits are calculated based on your PIA (Primary Insurance Amount), not your actual payment. So even if you take reduced benefits at 64, your children still get calculated on your full retirement amount. However, because you have two children, the family maximum will definitely apply, which means each child will get somewhat less than the full 50%. When I applied, I brought both kids' birth certificates, my divorce decree (showing custody), and my own ID. You will need to apply for their benefits when you apply for yours - there's a section in the application for dependents. They'll set you up as the representative payee since you have custody. I've been through the process of reaching the SSA, and I finally found a service called Claimyr that helped me get through to an actual person at SSA without the typical 2+ hour wait. Check out their demo video at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. Using their service, I got a callback from SSA within 30 minutes and got all my questions answered about the children's benefits. Made the whole process so much easier.

Be careful about collecting early! I did this at 63 and my benefit was reduced by like 18%. But my kids did each get their own payments which was nice extra income. Just know that you'll have to file as representative payee and submit a form each year showing how you spent the money for the kids. SSA is serious about this - they want proof the money went to the kids' food, clothing, shelter, etc. You can't use it for yourself. Also make sure you understand the earnings limit if you're still working - both your benefits AND your children's benefits can be reduced if you earn over the annual limit (about $22,320 for 2025). That caught me by surprise.

good luck getting any answers from ssa lol... i spent 3 weeks trying to get someone on the phone about my daughters benefits. website is useless too. ended up having to go to the local office and wait 4 hours!!! and then they told me i didnt have the right paperwork. what a joke

My sister went thru this. Her ex tried to claim the kids' money since he pays child support - said it should offset what he pays!!!! Social Security told him NO WAY. As long as OP has primary custody those benefits go to him as the representative payee FOR the children. They'll make you report how its spent every year tho so KEEP RECEIPTS!!! Also BTW - once your youngest turns 16, you might also qualify for a spousal benefit as a parent caring for a child under 16, even though you're divorced. Ask about that when you apply!

After reading through everyone's responses, let me summarize the key points for clarity: 1. Your children are eligible for benefits when you start collecting Social Security retirement (up to 50% of your PIA each) 2. The family maximum will likely limit the total to around 150-180% of your PIA 3. Your ex-wife has no claim to these benefits 4. You must apply for your children at the same time you apply for your benefits 5. As custodial parent, you'll be the representative payee for your children 6. You must keep records of how you spend the children's benefits 7. Be aware of the earnings limit if you're still working ($22,320 for 2025) 8. If you exceed the earnings limit, both your benefits and your children's benefits can be reduced Does this help clarify things?

One important thing I don't see mentioned yet - when you file for your children's benefits, make sure you have certified copies of their birth certificates, not just regular copies. SSA requires certified copies for proof of age and relationship. Also, if your divorce decree doesn't clearly show custody arrangements, you may need additional court documents proving you have primary custody. I learned this the hard way when I applied for my daughter's benefits and had to make multiple trips to get the right paperwork. It's worth calling ahead to your local SSA office to confirm exactly what documents they need in your specific situation to avoid delays.

As someone who just went through this process last year, I can confirm most of what's been said here is accurate. My situation was similar - I started benefits at 64 with two minor children from my previous marriage. A few additional tips that might help: 1. When you apply online, there's a specific section for dependent children - don't skip this! You can't add them later without a lot of hassle. 2. The family maximum in my case worked out to about 175% of my PIA, so my kids each got around 37.5% instead of the full 50% each. 3. The children's payments do come as separate deposits - they're not combined with your payment. Each child gets their own monthly payment. 4. Make sure you understand the "student benefit" rules too - if your kids are still in high school when they turn 18, they can continue receiving benefits until age 19 or graduation, whichever comes first. 5. One thing that surprised me: if you're still working and hit the earnings limit, they don't just reduce your benefit - they can actually suspend all family benefits temporarily until you're under the limit again. The whole process took about 6 weeks from application to first payment. Good luck with your decision!

Wow, this conversation is incredibly informative! As someone who's been considering early retirement myself, I had no idea about the complexity of the family maximum benefit calculations or how the earnings test could impact children's benefits too. The detail about needing certified birth certificates and proper custody documentation is something I never would have thought of. It sounds like the key takeaway is to really understand all the moving pieces - especially the earnings limit implications - before making the decision to file early. Thanks to everyone who shared their real experiences here, this is exactly the kind of practical advice you can't find on the SSA website!

My husband is 64yrs old we have two minor kids. I am a SAHM. If he signs up for retirement benefits when should he leave his job? Will the first social security check be reduced? I am trying to not have a month with no income. Thanks

I've been following this thread and wanted to add one more important consideration that I don't think has been fully addressed - the long-term impact of claiming at 64 vs waiting. While everyone's focused on the immediate family benefits (which is great!), remember that your reduced benefit at 64 is permanent. You'll receive roughly 13-15% less for the rest of your life compared to waiting until your full retirement age. However, there's a potential silver lining with your situation: even though YOUR benefit is permanently reduced, your children's benefits are still calculated on your full PIA. So in a way, claiming early actually maximizes the total family benefit during the years your kids are eligible (until they turn 18/19). Once they age out, you'll be left with just your reduced benefit, but you'll have had several years of additional family income. Given that you're making $30K annually and would face the earnings test, you might want to run the numbers both ways: 1) Start now with reduced benefits but potential earnings test issues, or 2) Wait until full retirement age when there's no earnings test and your personal benefit is maximized. The "break-even" point might be closer than you think when you factor in the family benefits you'd receive in the interim years.

I actually ran those numbers when I was in a similar situation a few years ago! For a family with two minor children, the break-even point often falls around 7-9 years after claiming early, depending on your benefit amount and the family maximum. Here's why: Let's say your PIA is $2,000. At 64, you'd get about $1,700, but your kids would still get benefits based on the full $2,000. With the family maximum, you might see total family benefits of around $3,500/month vs just your $1,700 if you waited. That extra $1,800/month for several years can add up to $50,000-70,000 by the time your youngest turns 18. Even accounting for your permanently reduced benefit afterward, it often takes 7-9 years of the higher individual benefit to make up that difference. Of course, this assumes you can manage the earnings test issue - if you're losing benefits due to working, the math changes completely. I ended up claiming early and it worked out well for our family's cash flow during those expensive teenage years!