Make sure you ask about retroactive benefits too! They don't always tell you that you can get up to 6 months of retroactive survivor benefits from your application date IF you're past your FRA. They never volunteer this information!

Thanks everyone for all this helpful information. I've called SSA three times today and can't get through. I'm going to try that Claimyr service to get an appointment scheduled. I've gathered all the documents mentioned and ordered certified copies of my birth certificate and our divorce papers. I'll update once I get an appointment and go through the process in case it helps someone else.

one more thing - make sure u keep copies of EVERYTHING u submit!!! i lost my brothers medicaid for 3 months because they "never received" our paperwork (they did). now i send everything certified mail or submit in person and get receipts. the system is a mess!!

I specialize in benefits coordination for adults with disabilities, and there are several nuanced points to consider with your situation: 1) Work history: You must disclose all work, but don't stress too much about details from decades ago. Provide what you have and explain the gaps. The SSA primarily wants to verify your son never engaged in SGA (Substantial Gainful Activity). 2) Medicaid protection is automatic when transitioning from SSI to DAC, but you must ensure the system properly codes this special status. Many beneficiaries lose coverage because of administrative errors, not actual eligibility issues. 3) Important timeline considerations: - DAC application processing: typically 3-5 months - 5-month waiting period after approval - 24-month Medicare waiting period 4) When your husband passes away, your son's benefits will indeed increase to 75% of your husband's PIA as a survivor benefit. This increase doesn't affect the Medicaid protection, but document everything during this transition as it's another point where administrative errors commonly occur. 5) The ABLE account is still beneficial for quality of life expenses and as a backup strategy if there are issues with the protected Medicaid status.

Have you looked into your state's emergency assistance programs? Some states have emergency funds for people waiting on SSDI decisions. Also check with your county's Department of Social Services - they might have emergency housing assistance to help with your mortgage payment. Don't be too proud to apply for SNAP benefits (food stamps) too - that's what these programs are for!

One more important thing to consider: If you take early retirement at 63, your benefit is reduced by about 20-25% permanently. However, if your SSDI is approved later, you'll receive the full disability benefit (which equals your FRA benefit amount with no reduction). The difference between these amounts over years could be significant. For context: If your FRA benefit would be $2,000/month, early retirement at 63 might give you around $1,500/month permanently. But SSDI would give you the full $2,000/month, plus back pay for the waiting period. That's a $500/month difference for the rest of your life. Have you checked your estimated benefit amount on your my Social Security account at ssa.gov? That would give you a better idea of what you're looking at financially.

I think everybodys missing a HUGE factor here. If you take the retroactive payment, you'll lose 6 months of delayed retirement credits!!! Each month past FRA adds 2/3 of 1% to your benefit. So 6 months = 4% PERMANENT increase lost!!!!! That could be tens of thousands over your lifetime!!!!!

Thanks everyone for the helpful advice! I called our tax accountant this morning and ran the numbers. Taking the lump sum now would push us into a higher tax bracket this year since we're both still working. We'd end up paying about 32% of that lump sum in additional federal and state taxes. We've decided to stick with the original plan of starting benefits in January when he's fully retired. Our tax rate will be lower then, and we don't need the money urgently right now. The difference in taxes makes waiting worth it for our specific situation. I really appreciate all the insights about the FRA rules, retroactive benefits, and earnings limits. This forum has been incredibly helpful!

i just remembered somethin else important - if your husband takes early retirement now but then gets approved for disability later, his RETIREMENT benefit after he reaches FRA will STILL be reduced!!! the reduction doesnt go away!!! my brother almost made this mistake but luckily he waited

Thank you all for the helpful information. I think we're going to continue waiting for the disability decision and not file for reduced retirement benefits yet. The potential long-term reduction isn't worth it if we can manage financially for a few more months. I'm going to try that Claimyr service to see if we can get through to someone about possibly expediting his case based on financial hardship. And we'll make sure our lawyer knows about the FRA timing issues so they can advise us properly. It's so frustrating that the system is this complicated and slow, especially for someone who worked and paid into it for 45+ years. But at least now I understand what happens with the timing better.

You're right - widow(er) benefits are reduced if claimed before Full Retirement Age. At age 61, the reduction is approximately 28.5% from the full 100% survivor benefit. The exact reduction percentage depends on birth year and exact age when claiming.

I want to thank everyone for all this helpful information. I'm going to call SSA tomorrow to schedule an appointment to discuss advance planning. It's a relief to understand what to expect, even though it's hard to think about. I'll make sure to keep all the necessary documentation organized and ready. I appreciate the tip about Claimyr too - sounds like it might save a lot of frustration when the time comes to make these changes.

u should tell him to go to ssa.gov n make an account if he doesnt have 1 already. thats the fastest way to see what options r available. the website shows u everything ur eligible for

One thing nobody's mentioned - since your ex-husband is 70 and has health problems, he might also qualify for SSI (Supplemental Security Income) depending on his total assets and income. It's meant for people with limited resources. The benefit amount isn't huge but every bit helps when someone's struggling financially with health issues.

Sorry I'm a bit confused... So the check for March (received in April) should go to the estate, but the check for April won't be paid at all because he died during April? Is that correct? Just trying to understand how this all works for when I need to deal with this someday.

Update us when you finally get this resolved! These bureaucrats need to be held accountable for making grieving families jump through hoops for money they're owed!!!

wait so does the payment amount change when u hit 62 on disability? cuz I heard u get less if u take ss retirement at 62 instead of waiting til later

Thank you all for the helpful information! I'll definitely make sure my wife stays on SSDI until her Full Retirement Age rather than switching at 62. And we'll be super careful about documenting all her work hours and reporting everything properly during her trial work period. It sounds like the most important things are: 1) Keep good records, 2) Report all work activity to SSA right away, and 3) Understand that the trial work period rules continue as normal even after turning 62. I'll check out that Claimyr service too - anything to avoid days of busy signals when trying to clarify questions with SSA!

Isn't this what's called the "family maximum" thing where there's a cap on how much can be paid out on one person's record? I think I read somewhere that if multiple people are collecting on one person's record there's a maximum amount that can be paid out total. Might want to check that.

I really appreciate everyone's insights here! I'm feeling much more confident about what will happen when Dad files next month. I'll definitely make sure we keep documentation of everything in case there are any payment delays or calculation issues. One last question - should Dad mention my brother's situation when he files for his own benefits, or will the SSA system automatically identify that my brother should be switched over?