Application of State Law in Determining Child Relationship

These final regulations revise our rules on determining whether a natural child has inheritance rights under appropriate State law and therefore may be entitled to Social Security benefits as the child of an insured worker. Specifically, they revise our rules to explain which version of State law we will apply, depending on whether the insured is living or deceased, how we will apply State law requirements on time limits for determining inheritance rights, and how we will apply State law requirements for a court determination of paternity. They also clarify our current rule on determining an applicant's status as a legally adopted child of an insured individual.