Retired with children?

The idea of someone being "retired with children" may seem like the seed of another television sitcom or reality show. But the fact is that it's becoming more and more common for older people to have minor children in their care, whether by bringing new children into the world, taking over the care of grandchildren or adopting children who need nurturing parents.

Those who receive Social Security benefits and have minor children who depend on them might be able to receive benefits for them, too.

This is true whether the adults receive benefits as a retiree or receive Social Security disability or survivors benefits.

To get benefits, a child must have a parent, or in some cases a grandparent, who is disabled or retired and entitled to Social Security benefits, or died after having worked long enough in a job where he or she paid Social Security taxes.

The child also must be unmarried and younger than age 18, or 18 to 19 years old and a full-time student in elementary, middle or high school, or age 18 or older and disabled. The disability must have started before age 22.

Within a family, a child may receive up to one-half of the parent's full retirement or disability benefit, or 75 percent of the deceased parent's basic Social Security benefit.

There is a limit to the amount of money that can be paid to a family. The maximum family payment can be from 150 to 180 percent of the parent's full benefit amount. If the total amount payable to all family members exceeds this limit, each child's benefit is reduced proportionately until the total equals the maximum allowable amount.

For example, if a person retires with a minor child and their benefit payment is $1,000 a month, the minor child could get up to half of that each month, or $500.

However, if the adult was caring for two minor children, the maximum the entire family could receive would be between $1,500 and $1,800: $1,000 for the adult and between $250 and $400 per child.

For more information, read Social Security's online publication, "Benefits for Children," at www.socialsecurity.gov/ pubs/.

Landry is a Social Security public affairs specialist in West Los Angeles.pecialist in West Los Angeles.