My wife has been collecting Social Security benefits since she turned 62, At the time, our child was 11 years old.
I checked out your book from our local Library, I read it cover-to-cover in one sitting! I believe it was the (2016 update)

"Get What's Yours: The Revised Secrets to Maxing Out Your Social Security" by Laurence Kotlikoff

She and my son became eligible for Child-In-Care Benefits when she turned 62 on April 15, 2017. Both started receiving their checks in May 2017. My son was 11 at the time. She can collect it till he is 18 or still attending school before reaching 19 years old.

Moreover, I was also eligible to receive Child-In-Care Spousal Benefits without having to "deem" on my own record in order to delay mine until FRA. In 2018, I did so without any Social Security staff help, just the information from your book..
I also found out that I was eligible to collect at the same time she initially filed in May 2017 after reading more books on the subject. The local Social Security office did not inform me of that either!!!

I applied retroactively back to May of 2017 and received a lump sum for what I missed in monthly payments, and have been receiving Child-In-Care Spousal Benefits monthly checks since May 2018 through to the present.
On March 2, 2022, my son turned 16 so I am no longer eligible to collect.

Well, on March 6th, the Social Security Administration sent me a Benefit Verification Letter and Form SSA-25,
On Form SSA-25 I do not understand the paragraph in Section 2, Under " "Print Your Full Name" and "Enter your Social Security Number"
here is the information SSA-25.PDF Certificate for the Election for Reduced Spousal Benefits

A spouse's insurance benefit may be payable for months between age 62 and full retirement age (FRA), even if you do not have in your care a child of the worker under age 16 or disabled entitled to a child's insurance benefit. Choosing to receive spouse's insurance benefits before FRA will result in a permanent reduction in your monthly benefits. Since such benefit will be at a permanently reduced rate and will continue at a permanently reduced rate even after FRA, the law requires that we obtain a certificate of election if you wish to receive the permanently reduced benefit. The amount of the reduction is 25/36 of 1 percent for each of the first 36 months from the start of the permanently reduced benefits to, but not including, the month you reach FRA. The reduction is 5/12 of 1 percent for each such month in excess of 36. In addition, if another beneficiary(ies) other than the wage earner (e.g., a student child beneficiary) is entitled to a monthly benefit on this Social Security number, election for a reduced spouse's benefit may cause a reduction in total monthly benefits. These reduced benefits may be paid for as many as 12 months before the month this certificate is filed. No reduced spouse's benefit may begin before the month you are 62. If you are eligible for retirement insurance benefits in the month this certificate takes effect, you will be considered to have applied for them.
It goes on Under #3

3. I elect to accept permanently reduced benefits as provided in Section 202(q) of the Social
Security Act, beginning with..... __Month __Year in which I would fill in

I read it as: If I elect to continue benefits at (it says) at an permanent reduced rate to start on so and so Month...and Year.
I should not accept this. I want to wait one more year to file for my FRA Benefits at 66 years 4 months to start collecting at FRA which will be March 2023.

I have 30 days from the date of that letter to fill this out, so I am checking around.
One thing I do not want to do is to call the Social Security office and ask them. I've been fore-warned never to ask anyone at the Social Security Office for any type of advice and to ONLY direct them to perform what I need. I really believe they would not be able to advise me on doing what's in my best interest.
Have you ever run across anything like this?
Would I have to "in writing" deny this and wait till my FRA to file for my own Retirement Benefits?
I looked at SSA - POMS: RS 00202.055 - Certificate of Election for Reduced Spouse's Benefits, and did not get ANYTHING out of it as it looks like instructions for the Social Security employee on how to file this.
Would there be anything you can advise? I am thinking I better draw up a letter or even check my online myssa.gov account to decline this SSA-25 Certificate of Election for Reduced Spouse's Benefits.

Appreciate this in advance for your attention to this matter

Thank you,
Tom

Hi Tom. Yes. Social Security sends a form SSA-25 to all people who are between ages 62 and full retirement age (FRA) when their child-in-care spousal eligibility is about to end.

You would be deemed to be applying for your own Social Security retirement benefits if you sign and return the SSA-25, so if you don't want to start your own benefits until later then simply don't sign or return the form. Social Security should then suspend or terminate your spousal benefits effective with the month your child reaches age 16.

It sounds like you should strongly consider using our software (https://maximizemysocialsecurity.com/purchase) to fully analyze all of your options so that you can determine your best strategy for maximizing your benefits.

Best, Jerry