Will having a baby affect my Social Security retirement benefits? Questions about unmarried parents

Yes, your child will qualify for benefits on your record even if you're not married to the mother. The child benefit is typically 50% of your full retirement amount, and it won't reduce your own benefit. Since the child is a minor, SSA will appoint a 'representative payee' to receive the funds on the child's behalf - usually the custodial parent (likely your girlfriend). The baby needs a Social Security number before you can apply for benefits. You'll need to provide proof of paternity, which can be done with a birth certificate listing you as the father or other documentation SSA accepts. No marriage required!

MY SISTER went through this EXACT same situation last year!!!! SSA made it SOOO complicated for her - they kept asking for more and more documents to prove her boyfriend was the father (even with his name on birth certificate!!) and they didn't approve the childs benefits for FOUR MONTHS!!! Make sure you bring EVERY document you can think of when you apply - birth certificate, your ID, hospital records, anything!!! The local office was awful to deal with.

congrats on the baby! my cousin had his kid at 65 and got benefits for him no problem. they didnt even ask many questions just needed birth certificate. maybe different states have different rules?

Wait, nobody's mentioning the family maximum! There's a limit to how much can be paid on your record. Usually 150-180% of your PIA. Since it's just you and one child, you're probably under that limit, but worth knowing about if more children come along. Also, if your girlfriend works, the child's benefit might be reduced by the earnings test if she becomes the representative payee. The rules get complicated.

Just to add some important details: You'll want to apply for the child's benefits as soon as possible after your retirement benefits are approved. There's no automatic process - you need to specifically apply for the child's benefits. You can do this at the same time you apply for your own benefits in October. For documentation, you'll need: 1. The child's birth certificate 2. Your and the child's Social Security numbers 3. Documentation establishing paternity (birth certificate naming you is usually sufficient) Since the child's mother isn't your spouse, she'll need to apply to be the representative payee for the child. The SSA will typically assign the parent who has primary care responsibility. The funds must be used for the child's needs. One more thing: any benefits the child receives will not reduce your retirement benefit amount.

I went through something similar and had the WORST time trying to get through to Social Security to get my questions answered. I wasted DAYS on hold, getting disconnected, and once waiting for 3 hours in the office just to be told I was missing documents. I ended up using a service called Claimyr to reach an agent quickly (claimyr.com). They got me through to SSA in under 20 minutes when I'd been trying for days. There's a video demo here if you're interested: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU It saved me so much frustration, especially with a newborn at home. I just couldn't sit on hold for hours with a crying baby. Might be worth considering if you run into trouble reaching someone at SSA to get your specific questions answered.

dont forget the kid needs a social security # first! hospital should help u apply when baby is born

Another thing to be aware of: if you're claiming at your Full Retirement Age in October (I'm assuming you're turning 67 which is FRA for those born in 1956-1957), you'll receive 100% of your benefit. If your child qualifies for benefits on your record, they'll receive up to 50% of your primary insurance amount. The process works like this: 1. You apply for your retirement benefits 2. Once approved, you then apply for benefits for your dependent child 3. Provide documentation proving your relationship to the child 4. SSA will determine who should be the representative payee (likely the mother) 5. Monthly payments will be sent to the representative payee on behalf of the child The benefits can continue until the child turns 18 (or 19 if still in high school).

i always thought you had to be married for the kid to get benefits thats interesting

Congratulations on your upcoming baby! Just wanted to add that you might also want to consider applying online through the SSA website (ssa.gov) for your retirement benefits if you haven't already. They've improved their online services quite a bit, and you can often get the process started without having to visit an office or wait on hold. Once your retirement benefits are approved, you can then follow up with the child's benefit application. The online portal lets you track the status of your applications too, which is really helpful. Good luck with everything - having a baby and dealing with Social Security paperwork at the same time can be overwhelming, but it sounds like you're getting good advice here!