Social security help Discussion of the basics
There are many applicants who do receive back payments for benefits, since the process of applying for benefits can often take quite a while. Q: Are my dependents eligible for benefit payments? A: Payments to dependents are determined by the amount of your Social Security contributions. In some cases, children are eligible for up to 50 percent of the amount of benefits you receive. There is a cap on the amount for which dependents are eligible. As previously mentioned, that amount is dependent upon how much you have contributed to Social Security over your time in the workforce.