Full question: Hi Martha, I am 62 years old and recently applied for retirement. My daughter is 9 y.o. and my wife is 47 y.o. I understand that both can collect social security benefits. Question is, do they need to apply separately? Can you please advise how to proceed? Thanks.

Hi there,

Thank you for the question.

Yes, it sounds like your daughter is eligible for a minor child benefit and your wife is eligible for a child-in-care spousal benefit.

The amounts of these are up to 50% of your PIA, the amount you would receive at your FRA.

The total received by all three of you will be subject to the family maximum benefit.

We recommend that you apply for these benefits by calling your local SSA office to apply over the phone or make an appointment to apply in person.

If you are interested in a Social Security analysis to determine the most optimal filing strategy for your family, please reach out to us at help@rssa.com

Take care,
Martha

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