Skip to main content
Level 1
January 23, 2026
Solved

I am raising my little brother's kids and they recieve death benefits from social security. Is this taxable income for me the guardian

  • January 23, 2026
  • 1 reply
  • 36 views
No text available
Best answer by rjs

The Social Security death benefit is not your income, even it's paid to you. It's the kids' income. (On the SSA-1099, box 2 at the top should have the child's Social Security number, not yours.) If the child has no other income, he or she is not required to file a tax return. In that case, the Social Security benefits don't get reported anywhere.

 

1 reply

rjs
Level 15
rjsLevel 15Answer
Level 15
January 23, 2026

The Social Security death benefit is not your income, even it's paid to you. It's the kids' income. (On the SSA-1099, box 2 at the top should have the child's Social Security number, not yours.) If the child has no other income, he or she is not required to file a tax return. In that case, the Social Security benefits don't get reported anywhere.