Social Security and WIC for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in Massachusetts

Federal Benefits That Apply Regardless of State

Massachusetts has strong state-level programs for kinship caregivers — TAFDC child-only grants, MassHealth, SNAP. But two federal programs also apply to grandparents raising grandchildren, and they follow their own rules.

Social Security Benefits for the Child

A grandchild may be eligible for Social Security benefits on a grandparent's record under specific circumstances. These are separate from any state benefits and do not reduce your own Social Security check.

Benefits on a grandparent's record. A grandchild may qualify on a grandparent's retirement or disability record only under specific rules. Generally, the child's natural or adoptive parents must be deceased or disabled when the grandparent becomes entitled to retirement or disability benefits or dies; if the grandparent had a disability period that continued until entitlement or death, this test applies when that period began. This parent-status requirement does not apply when the grandparent legally adopted the child. The child must have begun living with the grandparent before age 18 and lived with, and received at least half of their support from, the grandparent for the year before the grandparent became entitled to retirement or disability benefits or died, or before a disability period that continued until entitlement or death began. The usual child-benefit age rules also apply: the child must be under 18, under 19 and attending K–12 school full time, or have a disability that began before age 22. Legal custody alone does not meet the dependency test. A dependent child's benefit on a living grandparent's record is generally up to 50% of the grandparent's primary insurance amount, subject to the family maximum. Ask SSA to determine eligibility.

Survivor benefits. A child may qualify on a deceased parent's record if the parent was insured under Social Security and the child is unmarried and under 18, or under 19 and attending K–12 school full time. A child whose disability began before age 22 may also qualify. Eligible children generally receive 75% of the deceased parent's benefit amount, but the family maximum can reduce the payment.

How these interact with TAFDC. Social Security benefits paid to or on behalf of the child count as the child's unearned income for TAFDC purposes. If the child receives $200 per month in survivor benefits, that amount is subtracted dollar-for-dollar from the TAFDC child-only grant. The child still receives the same total amount of money — it just comes from two sources instead of one. If the Social Security benefit exceeds the TAFDC grant amount, the TAFDC case closes, but the child is still financially better off.

GPO and WEP are repealed. The Social Security Fairness Act, signed in January 2025, eliminated the Government Pension Offset and Windfall Elimination Provision. If you are a retired public employee — a teacher, firefighter, or state worker — with a government pension, these offsets no longer reduce your Social Security spousal, survivor, or retirement benefits. If you were previously affected, SSA should have already adjusted your benefits retroactively to January 2024. If it has not, contact SSA to verify.

WIC for Young Children

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provides free food, formula, and nutrition support for children under age 5. A grandparent or relative caregiver can apply on behalf of a child in their care.

Eligibility. WIC generally uses household income guidelines set at 185% of the Federal Poverty Level and also requires a nutrition need. If the child receives TAFDC, SNAP, or a qualifying MassHealth plan, the household is automatically income eligible; WIC staff still determine whether the child meets the program's other requirements.

What WIC provides. Monthly benefits are loaded onto a WIC card and cover specific nutritious foods: infant formula, cereal, milk, eggs, fruits and vegetables, peanut butter, whole grains, and juice. WIC also provides nutrition counseling and referrals to health care providers.

How to apply in Massachusetts. Contact your local WIC program office. You can find the nearest office through the Massachusetts Department of Public Health WIC program page (mass.gov/wic) or by calling 1-800-942-1007. Bring proof of the child's identity, proof of residence, and proof of income or current TAFDC/SNAP enrollment.

WIC benefits do not count as income for TAFDC, SNAP, or MassHealth purposes. They do not reduce any other benefit the child receives.

Applying for Both

If a grandchild in your care may qualify for Social Security dependent or survivor benefits, contact SSA directly at 1-800-772-1213 or visit your local Social Security office. Bring the child's birth certificate, Social Security card, and proof of your relationship and caregiving arrangement.

For WIC, the process is faster — most local offices can complete the enrollment in a single appointment if you bring the right documents.

Neither program requires legal guardianship. You can apply as an informal caregiver, though having a caregiver authorization affidavit or guardianship order makes the process smoother.

The Massachusetts Kinship Financial Help guide explains how federal and state benefits work together, including what counts as income for each program and how to avoid surprises when stacking multiple benefit sources.

See more Massachusetts guides →