As someone completely new to dealing with SSA, this entire thread has been an absolute goldmine of practical information! I've been putting off calling about setting up my Social Security account online because I was terrified of the wait times everyone talks about. Reading through all these real experiences and strategies has given me so much confidence. The Tuesday-Thursday 10am calling window seems to be the clear consensus from multiple successful experiences, and I love all the tactical advice like calling back immediately after disconnections and having documents ready beforehand. What really impressed me is how this community balances honesty about the system's problems with genuinely helpful solutions. Understanding that staffing shortages and technical issues cause many of the problems helps set realistic expectations while still providing actionable strategies. I'm planning to try the online setup first through my.ssa.gov since several people mentioned it's faster for account creation, but if I need to call, I'll definitely use the Tuesday 10am strategy with all my paperwork organized. Thank you all for sharing such detailed, real-world advice - this kind of community support makes navigating SSA so much less intimidating for newcomers like me!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm so thankful for finding this incredibly detailed and helpful thread! I've been dreading making my first SSA call about applying for spousal benefits, but reading through everyone's real experiences has completely changed my perspective and given me a solid game plan. The consistent advice about Tuesday-Thursday mornings around 10am seems to be the golden standard from multiple successful experiences, and I really appreciate all the strategic tips like calling back immediately after disconnections, mentioning urgent situations upfront, and having all documentation organized beforehand. It's also reassuring to learn that the official policy is to complete calls in queue before closing, even when technical issues sometimes interfere. What strikes me most is how this community balances honest acknowledgment of the system's challenges with genuinely actionable solutions. Understanding that staffing shortages and technical limitations cause many of the problems helps set realistic expectations while still providing hope for success. I'm planning to call this Wednesday morning at 10am with all my marriage certificate, work history, and other relevant documents ready. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this kind of community wisdom is so much more valuable than anything you find on official websites! Wish me luck, and I'll report back with my experience to help the next newcomer who finds this thread.

Great question! As a fellow SSDI recipient who works part-time, I can confirm that PTO absolutely counts toward SGA when you actually use it and receive payment. The key thing to remember is that SSA looks at when you're PAID, not when you earned the time off. Here's what I've learned from my own experience: spreading out your PTO usage across multiple months is definitely the safest approach. Since you're already at $1,200/month with regular hours, using all 30 PTO hours at once would likely push you over the $1,550 SGA limit for that month. A few practical tips: - Keep detailed records of ALL income including PTO payments - Consider using just a few PTO hours each month to stay comfortably under the limit - Remember that going over SGA for one month isn't an automatic benefit termination, but it's still risky - If you haven't used all 9 Trial Work Period months yet, you have some flexibility The most important thing is to stay in communication with SSA about your work activity. I report my earnings every month through their online portal to avoid any surprises. Better to be overly cautious than risk your benefits!

I've been dealing with similar PTO questions for years! One thing that really helped me was creating a simple spreadsheet to track my monthly earnings including any PTO usage. I calculate my projected monthly total BEFORE taking any PTO to make sure I won't go over the SGA limit. Also wanted to mention that some employers are flexible about PTO policies for employees with disabilities. I was able to work with HR to cash out small amounts of PTO periodically (like 4-5 hours per month) rather than taking large chunks of time off. This keeps me safely under the SGA limit while still allowing me to use my earned benefits. If your employer offers this option, it might be worth exploring. Just make sure any PTO cash-outs are properly documented on your pay stubs since SSA will want to see exactly when and how much you received.

Thanks everyone for clearing this up! Sounds like I don't need to do anything and my payment will stay the same. I was worried I might have to choose between two different benefit amounts.

Just to add some clarity - the reason both SSDI and retirement benefits use the same calculation is that they're both based on your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which comes from your highest 35 years of earnings. Think of SSDI as getting your retirement benefit early due to disability. When you hit full retirement age, you're just switching from the "early access due to disability" program to the regular retirement program, but the underlying benefit calculation remains identical. The Social Security Administration makes this transition seamless - you'll get a letter notifying you of the change, but your monthly payment amount stays the same.

I'm new to this community but currently dealing with this exact transition situation with my daughter who turns 18 in about 2 weeks while finishing her senior year! This entire thread has been absolutely invaluable - I had no idea about the paper check transition period and was getting really worried about payment gaps. Reading through everyone's experiences, it's clear that this is a pretty standard (if unnecessarily complicated) part of the process. The consistency of the paper check for the transition month across so many different experiences is both reassuring and frustrating at the same time. I wanted to add one thing that might help others - when I called SSA last week, the representative mentioned that if there are any delays in the paper check arriving, they can sometimes expedite a replacement if you call within 10 business days of the expected payment date. She said to ask specifically about "expedited reissuance" rather than just saying the check is missing. Also, for those dealing with banks being cautious about these checks - I found that bringing a copy of the SSA award letter or benefit verification letter along with the check can help establish legitimacy. Our bank's customer service manager said that extra documentation often helps their tellers feel more confident about processing the deposit. Thank you to everyone who has shared their real experiences here - this community has been more helpful than multiple calls to SSA! It's such a relief to know what to expect during this transition period.

I'm currently preparing for this exact transition with my son who turns 18 in about 6 weeks while still finishing high school! This thread has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea about the paper check transition period and was starting to get anxious about potential payment interruptions. Based on everyone's shared experiences, I'm creating a checklist for our transition: 1. Confirm mailing address is current with SSA (doing this next week) 2. Have son call SSA the day after his 18th birthday 3. Prepare documents: SS card, ID, birth certificate, and bank account info 4. Call our bank ahead of time to flag the account for the government check 5. Expect the paper check to be 3-5 days later than usual direct deposit timing 6. Don't panic if MySocialSecurity account takes 24-48 hours to be fully functional One question I have - has anyone experienced any issues if the 18th birthday falls during a federal holiday week? I'm wondering if that might delay either the paper check processing or the ability to reach SSA to set up the new account. The consistency of everyone's experiences with the paper check transition is actually quite reassuring, even though it seems like an unnecessarily complicated system. Thank you all for sharing such detailed, practical advice - this community has been far more helpful than the conflicting information I've gotten from multiple SSA representatives!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to thank everyone for this incredibly informative discussion! My 25-year-old son has autism and has been on SSI since he aged out of school services at 21. I'm 60 and was planning to work until my full retirement age, but this thread has completely opened my eyes to DAC benefits as an option I never fully understood. The terminology clarification is so helpful - I've gotten different explanations from SSA reps over the years, with some calling it SSDI and others mentioning "child's benefits." Now I know to specifically ask about DAC or Childhood Disability Benefits to get accurate information. What's absolutely shocking to me is learning that DAC benefits have no asset limits. We've been living under the constant stress of that $2,000 SSI restriction for years, having to turn down monetary gifts from family and being unable to save anything for his future care needs. The idea that he could actually have savings and we could potentially set up a special needs trust is incredibly hopeful. I'm taking notes on all the advice about notifying agencies early and getting everything in writing. My son receives services through our state's developmental disabilities program and vocational rehabilitation, so I want to ensure a smooth transition without any service interruptions. One question - for those who retired early specifically to trigger DAC benefits, how did you decide on the timing? I'm trying to weigh the trade-offs between my reduced retirement benefits versus getting him off SSI sooner with the asset limit advantages. This community has provided more practical guidance than years of trying to navigate the system alone. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge so generously!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm absolutely amazed by the wealth of knowledge shared in this thread! My 29-year-old daughter has Down syndrome and has been on SSI since she turned 18. I'm currently 62 and just filed for my Social Security retirement benefits last week, but I had no idea about DAC benefits until reading through this entire discussion. The terminology confusion finally makes complete sense - I've spoken with numerous SSA representatives over the years who have given me wildly different explanations. Some called it SSDI, others said "dependent benefits," and one even mentioned "auxiliary payments." Now I understand that DAC (Disabled Adult Child) or CDB (Childhood Disability Benefits) are the correct terms to use. What's absolutely life-changing for our family is discovering that DAC benefits have no asset restrictions whatsoever. We have been completely constrained by that $2,000 SSI limit for over a decade - declining financial help from her grandparents, unable to save anything for her future needs, constantly worried about accidentally exceeding the cap. The possibility that she could actually have real savings and we could establish a special needs trust without losing benefits is honestly overwhelming in the best possible way. I'm incredibly grateful for all the practical advice about the transition process. My daughter receives services through multiple programs including our state's DD waiver, a day program, and vocational training. The suggestions about contacting Medicaid first and getting everything documented in writing seem absolutely crucial. Since I literally just filed for retirement benefits last week, I'm hoping I can still add her DAC application without any complications. Has anyone successfully added DAC to an existing retirement claim, or do I need to start a completely separate process? This community has provided more actionable information in one thread than I've gathered from years of dealing with the system directly. Thank you all for being so generous with your experiences and knowledge!