Hi Sean! I'm new to this community but wanted to add my voice to what seems like a really supportive discussion. I'm facing a similar situation with my disabled daughter who receives DAC benefits - I'll be transitioning from SSDI to retirement in about 18 months and have been getting the same runaround from SSA that you described. What really strikes me about all the responses here is how consistent the actual experiences have been, even though SSA reps keep giving conflicting information. It seems like in practice, the DAC benefits really do stay at 50% of your PIA when you transition at FRA, and your PIA doesn't change during that conversion. I'm taking notes on all the great advice here - especially the tips about requesting written documentation, asking for a Claims Specialist, and bringing the original disability determination letter. The suggestion about asking them to show you the actual calculation on their computer screen is brilliant too. Thank you for posting this question and creating such a helpful discussion! I'm definitely going to follow your lead and come back to update the community when I go through my own transition. It's clear that we get much better information from each other's real experiences than from the inconsistent responses at SSA. Best of luck with your appointment next month!

Hi Sean! I'm new to this community but wanted to share my recent experience since it directly relates to your situation. My husband transitioned from SSDI to retirement benefits at his FRA last year, and our 31-year-old son with Down syndrome continues to receive DAC benefits. I was incredibly anxious about this transition after getting wildly different answers from SSA reps - one told me the benefits would decrease, another said they'd increase, and a third said they'd stay the same! The reality was that both benefits stayed exactly the same amount. Our son continues to receive 50% of my husband's PIA, which didn't change when he converted from disability to retirement at FRA. The SSA rep at our local office explained that the PIA calculation is the foundation for both SSDI and retirement benefits, so there's no recalculation of that base amount when you transition at full retirement age. One thing that really helped us was requesting a printout of both benefit records during our appointment, showing the current amounts and how they're calculated. We also made sure to get written confirmation that our son remained coded as a DAC beneficiary. I'd definitely recommend asking for these documents at your appointment next month - having that paper trail gave us tremendous peace of mind. The waiting and uncertainty was stressful, but the actual transition was completely seamless. You're asking all the right questions and seem well-prepared!

What an incredible resource this discussion has become! As someone who works with seniors navigating benefits, I can't tell you how often I see people miss out on these optimization strategies simply because they don't know about the different FRA timelines for survivor benefits. @Natasha Kuznetsova, I'm so sorry for your loss, and I want to commend you for being so proactive about understanding your options. The strategy you're implementing - taking survivor benefits at 66 and 6 months while letting your own benefits grow until 70 - is exactly what financial planners recommend for situations like yours. One additional resource that might help: the SSA has a phone line specifically for survivor benefits questions (1-800-772-1213) where representatives tend to be more knowledgeable about these specific rules than the general customer service line. When you call, ask specifically for someone who handles "survivor benefit elections" - this can help ensure you get connected with someone who really understands the nuances. Also, since you mentioned being the higher earner, you'll want to factor in that your delayed retirement credits will compound with any cost-of-living adjustments between now and age 70. The math really works in your favor here - you're essentially getting paid to wait while still receiving income through the survivor benefit and your continued employment. This thread should be required reading for anyone approaching these decisions. Thank you all for creating such a comprehensive and supportive discussion!

Thank you so much for that specific phone number and the tip about asking for someone who handles "survivor benefit elections"! Having a direct way to reach knowledgeable representatives is incredibly valuable - I've heard horror stories about getting conflicting information from different SSA staff members. Your point about the delayed retirement credits compounding with cost-of-living adjustments is something I hadn't fully appreciated. It's encouraging to know that the financial benefits of this strategy extend beyond just the basic delayed retirement credits. Every year I wait until 70, I'm not just earning those credits but also getting the annual COLA increases applied to a larger base benefit. This entire discussion has been such an education. When I walked into that SSA office months ago, I never imagined I'd learn so much about survivor benefits strategy. What started as confusion about conflicting timelines has become a comprehensive retirement plan that I feel truly confident about. I can't thank this community enough for the incredible support and detailed guidance. Knowing that financial professionals like yourself validate this approach gives me tremendous peace of mind as I move forward with filing in September. This thread really has become a masterclass in survivor benefit optimization!

Another thing to keep in mind - if you do decide to go through with the withdrawal, you might want to check if your employer offers any kind of phased retirement or flexible work arrangement. Since you mentioned getting a really good contract position, it sounds like you have valuable skills that are in demand. Some people in your situation negotiate reduced hours or consulting arrangements that keep them under the earnings limit while still allowing them to collect benefits. This could be an alternative to the full withdrawal if the math doesn't work out perfectly in your favor. Just a thought - sometimes there are creative solutions that let you have the best of both worlds!

Just want to emphasize something important that others have touched on - make absolutely sure you understand the timeline here. You said you started collecting in December 2024, which means your 12-month window to withdraw closes in December 2025. Don't wait until the last minute to make this decision! The SSA can take several weeks or even months to process Form SSA-521, so if you're serious about this, I'd recommend starting the process soon. Also, keep in mind that once you withdraw, you can't change your mind again - this is truly a one-time opportunity. Given that you're doing well financially with this new contract position, it sounds like you're in a good position to repay the benefits, but just make sure you've thought through all the scenarios before pulling the trigger.

Thanks everyone for clearing this up! So if I understand correctly: 1. SSA uses my highest 35 years of earnings (not 5) 2. They adjust the older earnings for inflation 3. If I don't have 35 years, they use zeros for missing years 4. Working longer could help if I replace lower earning years This changes my retirement planning quite a bit - in a good way! Actually makes me feel better about my situation since my income went down in recent years but I had some good income years in the past.

Great summary Oliver! Just wanted to add one more helpful detail - when you do create your my Social Security account (once the website cooperates!), you'll also see your estimated benefits at different retirement ages. This can help you decide whether it makes sense to work a few extra years to replace some lower-earning years in your calculation, or if you're better off claiming benefits earlier. The tool shows you exactly how much your monthly benefit would increase if you delay retirement, which is really useful for planning.

I'm in a similar boat with foreign work credits! I worked in Japan for 4 years in the early 2000s and was panicking about the same documentation issues. One thing that really helped me was contacting my old university's career services office - they actually had records of international placement programs and could provide letters confirming my participation in their overseas work program. Also, if you filed US tax returns while abroad (even if you didn't owe anything due to foreign earned income exclusion), the IRS has those records going back years and they show your foreign addresses and can help establish your timeline. You can request transcripts online. Another tip - if you used any international money transfer services like Western Union to send money home to family or to transfer funds between countries, they sometimes keep transaction records that can show regular income patterns. It's worth checking! The key is building a complete picture from multiple small pieces of evidence rather than relying on one perfect document.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm dealing with a similar situation - worked in Australia for 8 years in the late 90s/early 2000s and lost all my paperwork in a flood a few years back. Reading through everyone's experiences, I'm realizing I have way more options than I thought. I still have my old passports with entry/exit stamps, and I just remembered I was part of a professional accounting association there. I'm going to start with gathering whatever documentation I can find and then make an appointment with SSA requesting someone who specializes in international cases. One question though - for those who have been through this process, did you find it helpful to organize all your evidence into a timeline or folder system before your SSA appointment? I want to make sure I present everything in the most helpful way possible.