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I'm new to this community but unfortunately going through almost the exact same situation! Had my phone appointment for my daughter's auxiliary benefits 14 days ago and was told it was approved for $1,198 monthly. The rep was so confident and said we'd get the approval letter "within a week" and the first payment would arrive shortly after that. Here we are two weeks later with absolutely nothing - no letter, no payment, and my online account shows zero updates. Reading through all these responses has been such a relief because I was genuinely starting to panic that something went wrong with our application. It's really eye-opening how consistently SSA seems to give these overly optimistic timelines that rarely match reality. Based on everyone's shared experiences, it sounds like 3-4 weeks is much more realistic than the one week they promised. Eva, I hope you get your letter and payment soon - the waiting is incredibly stressful when you're counting on that income for budgeting! Thank you for starting this thread, it's been so helpful to see that these delays are unfortunately normal.
Welcome to the community, Nina! I'm also new here but unfortunately dealing with a very similar situation with my child's benefits. It's both reassuring and incredibly frustrating to see how many of us are experiencing these exact same delays and unrealistic timeline promises from SSA. 14 days after being told "within a week" really demonstrates the consistent pattern that everyone in this thread has been sharing. Based on all the experiences here, it seems like we should all be mentally preparing for that 3-4 week timeline (or potentially longer) instead of the overly optimistic estimates they give during phone calls. The waiting is absolutely nerve-wracking when you're trying to plan your budget around that expected income. I hope both you and Eva get your letters and payments soon - it would be really helpful if everyone could continue updating this thread when their approvals finally come through so we can all learn from each other's actual processing times!
I'm new to this community but unfortunately experiencing something very similar! Had my phone appointment for my son's auxiliary benefits 11 days ago and was told it was approved for $1,043 monthly. The rep seemed so certain and said we'd receive the approval letter "within 5-7 business days" with the first payment following shortly after. So far absolutely nothing has arrived - no letter, no deposit, and my online Social Security account shows zero updates about the auxiliary benefits. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring because I was starting to genuinely worry that something had gone wrong with our application. It's really frustrating to see how consistently SSA gives these overly optimistic timelines that seem to rarely match the actual processing reality. Based on all the shared experiences in this thread, it's becoming clear that I should prepare for the 3-4 week timeline instead of the 5-7 days they promised during my call. Eva, I really hope you get your approval letter and first payment soon - the financial stress of waiting when you're budgeting around that expected income is absolutely nerve-wracking. Thank you so much for starting this discussion, it's been invaluable to see that these processing delays are unfortunately the norm rather than something unique to individual cases!
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One additional resource that might help with your month-by-month calculations - if you have a my Social Security account (which I highly recommend setting up if you haven't already), you can get your personalized benefit estimate and then apply these reduction percentages to your actual projected benefit amount. This gives you real dollar figures rather than just percentages. For example, if your estimated monthly benefit at FRA 67 is $2,500, then at 63 you'd get approximately $1,875 (25% reduction). The account also shows your complete earnings history so you can verify everything is accurate before making your claiming decision. It's free to set up and gives you access to official SSA projections rather than relying on generic calculators that might not account for your specific earnings pattern.
That's excellent advice about the my Social Security account! I actually just set mine up last week after reading about it in another forum, and you're absolutely right - seeing your actual projected dollar amounts makes these reduction percentages so much more real and meaningful. When you're just looking at "25% reduction" it's abstract, but when you see it means $625 less per month ($1,875 vs $2,500), it really hits home. The earnings history feature is also invaluable - I found a couple years where my earnings weren't properly recorded, which I'm now in the process of correcting with W-2s. For anyone just starting this research like I am, I'd definitely recommend creating that account as your first step before diving into all these calculations.
Just wanted to share my experience as someone who recently went through this exact decision process. I turned 62 last year and spent months agonizing over the timing. What really helped me was creating a spreadsheet with the monthly reduction percentages (thanks to info like what's shared here) and then modeling different scenarios based on my health, family longevity, and financial needs. I ultimately decided to claim at 63 and 4 months with about a 23% reduction rather than the full 30% at 62. The extra 16 months of waiting saved me about $150/month for life, which adds up to nearly $2,000 per year. For anyone in a similar situation, I'd suggest looking at your specific break-even point but also considering non-financial factors like health insurance coverage, spouse's situation, and honestly just peace of mind. Sometimes the "mathematically optimal" choice isn't the best choice for your actual life circumstances. Good luck to everyone navigating this decision!
Thank you for sharing your real-world experience! As someone who's just starting to research this at 60, it's really valuable to hear from someone who actually went through the decision-making process recently. Your point about non-financial factors is so important - I keep getting caught up in trying to find the "perfect" mathematical answer, but you're absolutely right that life circumstances matter just as much. The fact that you were able to save $150/month by waiting just 16 more months really illustrates how those month-by-month reductions add up. Can I ask how you handled the income gap during those 16 months? Did you use savings, work part-time, or find other ways to bridge that period? I'm trying to figure out my own strategy for potentially delaying past 62.
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This thread has been absolutely invaluable! I'm in a very similar situation - turning 63 next month with a 29-year-old son who's been on SSI since age 21 due to autism. Reading through everyone's experiences has helped me understand so much more about what to expect. I wanted to share one additional resource that helped me: my state's Developmental Disabilities Council has a benefits specialist who specifically works with families navigating SSI to DAC transitions. She was able to walk me through the state-specific Medicaid implications that several people mentioned, and helped me understand exactly what documentation would be most compelling for proving my son's disability onset before 22. One question for those who've been through this - did anyone have success getting their adult child's DAC benefits expedited due to financial hardship? My son's SSI barely covers his basic needs, and I'm worried about any gap in payments during the transition period. Also, I noticed someone mentioned the Ticket to Work program for DAC recipients. Has anyone had experience with how that works compared to the work incentives available through SSI? My son has expressed interest in trying to work part-time, and I want to make sure we don't jeopardize his benefits. Thank you all again for sharing your knowledge and experiences - this community is amazing!
Lauren, thank you for mentioning the Developmental Disabilities Council resource - that's exactly the kind of specialized help I've been looking for! I'm going to reach out to my state's DD Council to see if they have similar benefits specialists available. Regarding expedited processing for financial hardship, I haven't personally gone through that process, but I know SSA does have provisions for expediting certain disability-related claims in cases of dire financial need. You might want to specifically ask about "critical case" or "dire need" processing when you apply. Having documentation of your son's current financial situation and basic living expenses could help support that request. As for Ticket to Work with DAC benefits, from what I understand it can actually be more advantageous than the SSI work incentives because DAC recipients don't have the same asset limits. This means your son could potentially save money from part-time work without jeopardizing his benefits, which isn't always possible with SSI. The benefits counselor that someone mentioned earlier would be a great resource for understanding exactly how work income would affect his specific situation. Good luck with your application - it sounds like you're being very thorough in your preparation!
This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm a newcomer here but going through a very similar situation. My husband and I are both approaching retirement age (I'm 60, he's 62) and we have a 24-year-old daughter with Down syndrome who's been receiving SSI since she turned 18. Reading through all these experiences has made me realize we need to start planning this transition much more carefully than we initially thought. The information about family maximum benefits is particularly eye-opening - I had no idea that could affect the actual amounts each person receives. One thing I'm curious about that I didn't see addressed: if both parents eventually file for retirement benefits (my husband first, then me in a couple years), and our daughter is already receiving DAC benefits on his record, will SSA automatically check whether switching her to my record later would provide a higher benefit? Or is that something we need to proactively request them to review? Also, the tip about starting to gather medical records now is so smart. Our daughter has been seeing the same developmental pediatrician since she was 3 years old, so we should have a really comprehensive paper trail to establish the pre-22 disability onset. Thank you all for sharing such detailed experiences - this community is providing better guidance than anything I've found through official SSA channels!
Welcome to the community! Your situation sounds very similar to what many of us have navigated. Regarding your question about dual-parent scenarios - from what I've learned through this process, SSA should automatically check which parent's record provides the higher DAC benefit when the second parent files for retirement. However, based on everyone's experiences shared here, I wouldn't rely on "automatic" when it comes to SSA! I'd definitely recommend specifically asking them to compare both records when you file for your benefits in a couple of years. The technical experts that others have mentioned would be the best people to handle that comparison properly. You're so smart to start gathering those medical records now, especially with such a long relationship with the same developmental pediatrician. That kind of comprehensive documentation makes the pre-22 onset proof much easier to establish. One thing that might be worth considering - since you have a two-year gap between when your husband files and when you plan to file, you might want to get estimates of what the DAC benefit would be on each of your records ahead of time. That way you'll know whether it's worth requesting the comparison later, and you can plan accordingly for any potential benefit increases. Good luck with your planning - it sounds like you're approaching this much more prepared than many of us were initially!
Welcome! Your question about dual-parent DAC benefits is really important. From my experience working with families in similar situations, SSA is supposed to automatically check which parent's record provides the higher benefit when the second parent files, but in practice this doesn't always happen smoothly. I'd strongly recommend getting benefit estimates for both you and your husband's records before either of you files. You can request these through your my Social Security accounts online. This will help you understand which record would ultimately provide the higher DAC benefit for your daughter, and you can plan the timing accordingly. Also, since your daughter has Down syndrome, make sure to specifically mention this diagnosis in your application - it's one of the conditions that SSA recognizes as clearly meeting their disability criteria, which can help streamline the approval process. The comprehensive medical records from her developmental pediatrician will be invaluable for establishing the timeline. One more tip: consider reaching out to your local Down Syndrome Association or similar advocacy group. Many of these organizations have benefits counselors who are very familiar with DAC applications and can provide guidance specific to your daughter's situation. They've often helped other families navigate this exact transition and know the common pitfalls to avoid. Good luck with your planning - having two years to prepare puts you in a much better position than many families who discover these options at the last minute!
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I work as a benefits coordinator and see this situation more often than you'd think. Your proactive approach is exactly right - most people don't realize there's a problem until they're trying to claim benefits and can't prove the death occurred. One additional resource that might help: the Department of Veterans Affairs maintains better international death tracking than SSA in some cases. If your ex-husband is a veteran, they sometimes get notified of overseas deaths through different channels (VA disability payments, military records, etc.). Even if he's not receiving VA benefits now, his military service record might provide another notification pathway. Also, since you mentioned he remarried in Thailand, his Thai spouse would likely need to handle local legal matters after his death (property, bank accounts, etc.). Thai law often requires notification of foreign embassies when foreigners die, especially if there are assets involved. The US Embassy keeps records of these notifications even if they don't always flow smoothly to SSA. I'd suggest creating a simple spreadsheet now with all the contact information people have mentioned - the Federal Benefits Unit in Bangkok, the Office of Overseas Citizens Services, your local SSA office, etc. Having all these numbers in one place will be invaluable if you ever need to make those calls quickly.
This is excellent advice, especially the spreadsheet idea! I hadn't considered the veteran angle at all - that could be another important notification pathway. Creating a centralized contact list now makes so much sense rather than scrambling to find phone numbers during what would already be a stressful time. The point about his Thai wife potentially triggering embassy notifications through asset/legal matters is really insightful too. It sounds like there might be more potential notification channels than I initially thought, even if none of them are guaranteed. I'm feeling much more confident about having a plan in place now. Thank you for sharing your professional experience - it's reassuring to know this situation isn't as unusual as I feared and that being proactive really does make a difference.
This thread has been incredibly informative! As someone who's going through a similar situation (my ex moved to Japan), I'm grateful for all the practical advice shared here. I wanted to add one more resource that helped me: the American Citizens Services (ACS) unit at US embassies abroad often maintains informal networks with local hospitals and morgues that serve expat communities. While it's not an official notification system, these relationships sometimes result in quicker reporting of American deaths. I also discovered that many expats abroad maintain US-based emergency contacts through their banks, insurance companies, or even online services like ICE (In Case of Emergency) apps. If your ex is the type to be organized about these things, there might be multiple potential notification pathways you're not even aware of. The key seems to be casting a wide net of preparation rather than relying on any single system. I'm going to follow everyone's advice here and start building my own documentation folder and contact list. It's a bit sobering to plan for these scenarios, but so much better than being caught unprepared later.
Eva St. Cyr
As someone who just completed my FBU Manila interview last week (March 2025), I wanted to add some current insights to this incredibly helpful thread! **Recent process updates**: The document checklist timing seems to have standardized - they sent mine exactly 8 days before the interview, which included all the standard documents others mentioned plus a new requirement for proof of current address (utility bill or bank statement from the last 3 months). **International calling success**: I used Google Voice over WiFi as my primary method from Southeast Asia, with WhatsApp calling as backup. The Google Voice connection was surprisingly stable and clear - might be worth adding to your technology toolkit alongside the Skype and other options mentioned here. **Interview flow**: My call lasted about 40 minutes and followed the same structure everyone described, but they also spent extra time discussing the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) since I had some foreign pension income. Make sure you're prepared to discuss any non-US retirement benefits you might have. **Practical tip**: I created a simple one-page "cheat sheet" with all my key information (SSN, employment history timeline, spouse details, direct deposit info) that I could reference quickly during the call. Really helped me stay organized when they jumped between topics. The preparation advice in this thread is spot-on - being proactive with communication and having multiple backup plans really pays off. The FBU staff continue to be professional and patient with overseas applicants. You're in great hands with all this preparation!
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Javier Cruz
•Thank you for sharing such recent and current information! It's really valuable to hear about the March 2025 experience and any process updates. The addition of proof of current address to the document requirements is something I hadn't seen mentioned before - I'm glad you pointed that out so I can make sure to have a recent utility bill or bank statement ready. Google Voice over WiFi is a great addition to the technology toolkit! I've been collecting all these different calling options (Skype, WhatsApp, Google Voice) and it's reassuring to know there are so many reliable backup methods for international calls. Your point about the Windfall Elimination Provision discussion is really important - I do have some foreign pension income that I should research and be prepared to discuss. The one-page cheat sheet idea is brilliant too - having all the key information organized and easily accessible during the call would definitely help reduce stress and keep me focused. It's so encouraging to keep hearing that the FBU staff are professional and patient. This thread has been incredibly helpful for preparation, and your recent experience confirms that all this advance planning really does make a difference. Thanks for taking the time to share these current insights with the community!
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Joshua Wood
As someone who's been following this conversation closely, I wanted to add my perspective as a newcomer to the Social Security overseas application process. I'm planning to apply through FBU Manila later this year and this thread has been absolutely invaluable for understanding what to expect. The consistent themes I'm seeing across everyone's experiences are really helpful: - Having multiple communication backup methods (Skype, WhatsApp, Google Voice over WiFi) - Being proactive about requesting the document checklist early if you're traveling - Creating organized reference materials (like that one-page cheat sheet idea) - Testing your technology setup before the actual interview What strikes me most is how supportive and understanding the FBU Manila staff seem to be with overseas applicants. Reading through all these positive experiences, even when there were minor hiccups, gives me confidence that this process is very manageable with proper preparation. For those of you who have completed the process - did you find that having this level of detailed preparation made the interview feel less stressful than you initially expected? I'm curious if all this advance planning actually translates to a more relaxed experience during the actual call. Thank you all for sharing your experiences so openly. This community knowledge is making what seemed like a daunting process feel much more approachable!
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Aisha Mahmood
•As another newcomer to this community and the Social Security overseas process, I really appreciate you summarizing those key themes from everyone's experiences! I've been taking notes throughout this thread and those are exactly the same patterns I noticed. To answer your question about whether detailed preparation reduces interview stress - from what I'm gathering from all the successful experiences shared here, it absolutely does. Multiple people mentioned that the actual interview was "much more straightforward than expected" and "more conversational than anticipated." It seems like having all those backup communication methods and organized documents really allows you to focus on the actual conversation rather than scrambling for information. What I find most encouraging is how many people emphasized that the FBU Manila staff genuinely want applicants to succeed. That collaborative approach rather than an adversarial one makes such a difference in reducing anxiety. I'm also planning to apply through FBU Manila in the coming months, and this thread has given me a clear roadmap for preparation. The technology testing, document organization, and proactive communication strategies seem like they would work for any overseas applicant, not just those dealing with travel complications. Thanks for highlighting those key takeaways - it's helpful to see the common threads across all these different experiences!
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