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?