I've been collect SSA since I was 62 years old. Now I'm almost 66. When I applied for SSA, no one told me that I can collect benefit for my kid. At that time she was 3 years old. I also never receive any papers that indicated I could collect. Now a friend of my just apply for SSA, they told him that he can claim benefit for his child until 18. I found this out when he told me. I really don't know this before. I'm going to see SSA agency in the next 10 days. If this is true, can I request to collect SSA for my kid benefit since 4 years ago? as a prorate (lump sum) until today? Thank You.

Hi,

Social Security retirement benefit applications contain a question that asks whether or not you have any children who are under age 18 or disabled, so I don't know what went wrong in your case. Anyway, unless a protective filing of some sort was established for your daughter or if you could establish a deemed filing date based on misinformation (https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0200204008), any back pay for your daughter would be limited to 6 months prior to the month in which you file her application.

Best, Jerry