As Children

• The SSA allows siblings to collect benefits based on the work records of their parents. The SSA views a qualified worker's biological or legally adopted children and dependent stepchildren as eligible to receive benefits based on the worker's record if they satisfy certain criteria. To receive SSA benefits, a worker's children must be unmarried, younger than 18, or 19 if enrolled as a full-time student at an elementary or secondary school, or disabled before turning 22.
  
  If a qualified worker is alive while his children receive SSA benefit payments, the SSA considers each of his children eligible to receive up to 50 percent of her parent's accrued benefit. If the worker dies, the SSA provides each of his children with income of up to 75 percent of the deceased's retirement benefit.
  
  

Lump-sum Benefit

• Siblings receive a one-time, lump-sum payment of $255 from the SSA if their parent qualified to receive SSA benefits and expired without a surviving spouse. The SSA divides the total payment of $255 among the deceased's children.
  
  

As Grandchildren

• If they do not receive benefits based on their parents' work records, siblings are eligible to receive SSA benefits based on the work history of their grandparent in certain situations. The SSA considers a qualified worker's grandchildren and step-grandchildren eligible if the children's natural parents are dead or disabled, or if they have been legally adopted by the worker, their grandparent. In addition, the SSA requires the grandchildren to live with their qualified grandparent before turning 18 and to receive at least one-half of their support from their grandparent during the year before which the grandparent begins receiving SSA benefits as a consequence of retirement, disability or death. Finally, an SSA requirement is that the grandchildren's parents failed to make regular contributions to support their children.
  
  If the SSA already makes benefit payments to a grandparent, the SSA requires him to legally adopt his grandchildren for them to qualify to receive SSA benefits based on his work history.
  
  

Family Benefit

• The SSA limits the total amount paid to the family members of a qualified worker to a figure between 150 percent and 180 percent of the worker's accrued benefit. If the aggregate amount paid to all family members, excluding the worker and his former spouses, exceeds the limit, the SSA reduces the payments each family member receives.