I have custody of my grandson. He is 5 years old. Both parents are on disability. Can I receive SS on him to help support him? I have never received child support and looks like I never will.
Thank you for your time

Hi,

It sounds like Social Security would likely consider your grandson to be your dependent, but you would have to be drawing your Social Security benefits in order for him to potentially qualify for child's benefits on your record (https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/handbook/handbook.03/handbook-0325.html). If you aren't drawing Social Security but one or both of his parents are drawing Social Security disability benefits, then your grandson might qualify for child's benefits on their records. Children aren't always able to be paid benefits on a disabled parent's record, though, due to the disability family maximum benefit formula (https://www.ssa.gov/OACT/COLA/dibfamilymax.html).

I don't have enough information to be able to give you a definite answer, so you should probably contact Social Security to see whether or not your grandson could qualify for any benefits.

Best, Jerry