SLEDGE: Children can also qualify for benefits

Q: I am a 68-year-old Social Security recipient. My wife and I have been raising our 10-year-old grandson since he was three. I have legal custody and we are his only means of support. Why can’t he get a Social Security benefit on my record?

A: There are any number of ways for children to qualify for Social Security benefits, the most common being as natural, legitimate children; adopted children; stepchildren; and children whose parents weren’t married. Among the other, less frequently seen ways that children can qualify for child’s benefits is as a dependent grandchild. For benefits to be payable here, though, both of the child’s natural parents must be either disabled or deceased. If the parents are still living and aren’t disabled, the child can still become eligible on the record of the supporting grandparent if that grandparent legally adopts him. Simply having legal custody, however, doesn’t meet the requirement. And if the supporting grandparent dies before adoption takes place, the child can often become eligible on his record if he’s adopted by the grandparent’s surviving spouse.

Short of legal adoption, though, entitlement on a grandparent’s record – regardless of how complete the support and how long it’s been provided — requires that both of the child’s parents be disabled or deceased.