# Concerned Father

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concerned-father/693859>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [July 23, 2014, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concerned-father/693859 "2014-07-23T18:51:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Need\_my\_children\_Safe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Need\_my\_children\_Safe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Need_my_children_Safe)\
**Post date:** [July 23, 2014, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concerned-father/693859/1 "2014-07-23T18:51:46Z")

</div>

I need to know how and if it’s possible to set up a trust for my children to include my Soc Sec Survivors beneifits? Can anyone help?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![JerrySTL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@JerrySTL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerrySTL)\
**Post date:** [July 23, 2014, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concerned-father/693859/2 "2014-07-23T18:53:07Z")

</div>

A lawyer can help.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\
**Post date:** [July 23, 2014, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concerned-father/693859/3 "2014-07-23T19:12:42Z")

</div>

I believe - but don’t know for certain and IANALTG - that Social Security benefits have to be directed to an individual, even those that are unable to care for themselves.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\
**Post date:** [July 23, 2014, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concerned-father/693859/4 "2014-07-23T19:14:02Z")

</div>

Advice is best suited to IMHO.

Colibri  
General Questions Moderator

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\
**Post date:** [July 23, 2014, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concerned-father/693859/5 "2014-07-23T19:42:57Z")

</div>

Your children can continue to receive your benefits up to at least age 18:

> **[EN-05-10085.pdf](https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10085.pdf)**
>
> 772.66 KB

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\
**Post date:** [July 23, 2014, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concerned-father/693859/6 "2014-07-23T20:33:01Z")

</div>

Are you meaning that if you die before your children reach the age of 18, you want their Social Security benefits to go into some kind of trust until they’re adults? I don’t think it works that way - the SSI is supposed to help provide for your children because you aren’t there. Make sure they have money for shoes and books and a roof over their head. It’s not some sort of savings fund.

StG

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\
**Post date:** [July 23, 2014, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concerned-father/693859/7 "2014-07-23T20:52:36Z")

</div>

I’d suggest calling a lawyer. But the surviving parent is generally the one who files for those benefits. And that parent (or other relative) receives the payment, to help support the child.

Are you “concerned” about an ex-wife? Or a not-yet-ex-wife?