How soon do I need to notify Social Security that I am working? My 2 children are receiving benefits from their deceased father and I started working in November. Also, I’m thinking that my step-daughter’s payment is coming to me instead of to her biological mother whom she lives with.

A) Reporting Earnings for Your Children’s Benefits:

• You absolutely need to report your earnings to Social Security as soon as possible, even if it’s been since November.
• The deadline for reporting any changes that could affect your children’s benefits is the 10th day of the month after the month the change occurred. So, for your November earnings, the deadline was December 10th, but it’s best to report it now to avoid any issues or delays.
• You can report your earnings online if you have a my Social Security account. Otherwise, you can call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) Monday through Friday between 8:00 AM and 7:00 PM Eastern Time.

Step-Daughter’s Benefits:

• It’s unclear how your step-daughter’s benefits are supposed to be paid. Technically, Social Security benefits should be paid to the child’s legal guardian, which could be either you or her biological mother, depending on the court order for custody and/or guardianship.
• To clarify this, you should contact Social Security directly. Explain the situation and ask who should be receiving the payments. They can check the records and provide guidance.
• Do not try to intercept or redirect the payments if they are currently being sent to your step-daughter’s biological mother. This could cause legal problems and delays in getting the benefits to the rightful recipient.

Additional Resources:

• Social Security Administration: https://www.ssa.gov/
• Benefits Planning & Resources: https://www.ssa.gov/manage-benefits
• FAQs about SSI for Children: https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/disability/apply-child.html

Remember: It’s always best to be transparent and proactive when dealing with Social Security benefits. Reporting any changes and seeking clarification on payment recipients will help ensure smooth and accurate disbursement of the benefits to your children and step-daughter.

I hope this information is helpful.