Child-in-Care Social Security Benefit Calculator
A spouse or divorced spouse caring for a worker's young or disabled child can claim a full, unreduced spousal benefit at any age — see how much and how long it lasts.
Estimated monthly benefit
$1,200Eligible for child-in-care rate
YesRate applied
50% of PIA, unreducedPaid at the full 50% of the worker's PIA with no age reduction, at any age of the spouse or divorced spouse, while a qualifying child (under 16, or disabled) is in care. Ends the month after the youngest qualifying child turns 16, unless that child is disabled.
How this differs from the standard spousal benefit
The standard spousal benefit is capped at 50% of the worker's PIA at the spouse's full retirement age, and reduced for claiming before then — see the spousal benefits calculator. The child-in-care exception skips both the age-62 minimum and the early-claiming reduction entirely while a qualifying child is in your care, because SSA treats caring for the worker's dependent child as the basis for eligibility rather than your own age.
Child-in-care questions
Can I get a spousal Social Security benefit before age 62?
Yes, if you're caring for the worker's child who is under 16, or disabled and entitled to child's benefits on the worker's record. The usual age-62 minimum for spousal benefits doesn't apply in this case.
Is the child-in-care benefit reduced for claiming early?
No. It's paid at the full 50% of the worker's PIA regardless of your age, with no early-claiming reduction.
Does this apply to divorced spouses too?
Yes, if the child is the worker's own (biological or adopted) child. See the divorced-spouse calculator for the standard eligibility rules that apply once the child ages out of the exception.
When does the child-in-care benefit end?
It generally ends the month after the youngest qualifying child turns 16, unless that child is disabled — in which case the exception can continue.
Sources
Related Calculators
Social Security Spousal Benefits
Compare a spouse’s own retirement benefit with up to 50% of the worker’s PIA
Divorced Spouse Social Security
The 10-year marriage rule, remarriage rules, and independently entitled divorced spouse — living or deceased ex-spouse
Social Security Full Retirement Age
Find FRA by birth year and compare monthly benefits at age 62, FRA, and 70