I am 74 and my wife is 69 - both of us are receiving social security benefits. We also have been raising our two grandchildren and I wonder if that affects benefits. Please advise! Thanks, Gary

Hi Gary,

The fact that you're raising grandchildren wouldn't have any effect on your or your wife's Social Security benefits. Grandchildren can qualify for Social Security child's benefits on a grandparent's record in some cases, but only if both of the grandchild's natural parents are deceased or disabled, or if the grandchild is adopted by the grandparent. The requirements for child's benefit entitlement for a non-adopted grandchild are outlined in the following section of Social Security's handbook: https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/handbook/handbook.03/handbook-0325.html.

Best, Jerry