I'm new to this community and this thread has been absolutely invaluable! I'm 69 and have been getting so much conflicting information about working past 70. What really helped me understand this was realizing that there are actually THREE different ways your Social Security benefit can change after you start collecting: 1) delayed retirement credits (stop at 70), 2) annual COLA adjustments (continue for life), and 3) earnings recalculations (also continue for life). I think a lot of the confusion comes from mixing these up. Thanks to everyone who shared their real experiences - it's so much more helpful than the generic information on SSA's website. I'm particularly grateful for the practical tips about tracking changes in October/December and using the online Social Security Statement to compare current vs. historical earnings. As someone who had several years of part-time work in my early career, I'm now confident that continuing to work will benefit my long-term financial situation.

This has been such an enlightening thread! As someone who's 68 and planning to work until 73, I was really worried that I might be wasting my time financially after hitting 70. Reading everyone's real experiences has been incredibly reassuring. What strikes me most is how many people mentioned having low-earning years early in their careers - whether from part-time work, graduate school, or child-rearing - and how working longer actually helps replace those years. I had about 6 years in my twenties when I was barely making $15,000-20,000, so my current salary of $85,000 should definitely help my long-term benefit calculation. The practical tips shared here are gold - especially checking the Social Security Statement online, setting October reminders to watch for recalculations, and understanding that this is completely separate from delayed retirement credits. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and cleared up the confusion between the different types of benefit changes. This community is such a valuable resource!

I'm new here but wanted to share that I went through something very similar with my disabled son's SSI application last year. Our initial representative told us the same thing about property taxes and insurance not being needed, and we ended up with a benefit calculation that seemed too low. After reading stories like yours in various forums, I called back and specifically asked for a Technical Expert. The difference was night and day - the TE immediately recognized that all housing costs should have been included and corrected our case. It took about 6 weeks to get the adjustment processed, but my son's monthly benefit increased significantly once they factored in our complete housing expenses. The key things that helped me were: 1) Being persistent but polite when asking for a specialist, 2) Having all my documentation ready (property tax bills, insurance statements, utility bills), and 3) asking them to note in the file that incomplete information was collected during the initial interview due to rep error, not parent oversight. Don't wait - call as soon as possible before they finalize the determination. Once it's processed incorrectly, fixing it takes much longer. Your grandson deserves the full benefit amount he's entitled to, and you're absolutely right to question this. Good luck!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm both relieved and frustrated to find this discussion. I'm currently dealing with the exact same issue for my disabled stepson's SSI application. Our representative also dismissed property taxes and homeowners insurance as "not necessary," which immediately raised red flags for me since these are substantial monthly expenses when averaged out. Reading through everyone's experiences, especially Emma Wilson's insider confirmation that ALL housing expenses should be included, has given me the ammunition I need to call back and get this corrected. The fact that Isaac Wright successfully got his son's benefits increased after working with a Technical Expert proves this is absolutely worth fighting for. I had no idea Technical Experts even existed until finding this thread - that information alone makes this discussion invaluable. It's deeply concerning how many families are getting identical misinformation from representatives across different offices, but I'm grateful we have this community to share knowledge and support each other. I'm calling tomorrow morning and will specifically ask for a TE who handles childhood SSI claims. I'll have all my housing expense documentation ready and will request they note that incomplete information was collected during my initial interview due to representative error. Thank you to everyone who has shared their experiences - your advocacy is helping other families like mine ensure our children get the full benefits they deserve!

I'm new to this community but had to jump in because this discussion has been so incredibly helpful! My 26-year-old daughter has autism and works part-time at a local craft store making about $780/month. I've been absolutely terrified about her saving money because everyone kept telling me about the $2,000 limit - she currently has $3,400 in her account and I was literally losing sleep over it! Reading through all these responses has been such a massive relief. I can't believe how much misinformation is out there mixing up DAC and SSI rules. My daughter's been so proud of saving for a gaming computer setup, and I was about to crush her dreams by making her spend it all down. Thank goodness I found this thread first! The ABLE account suggestions throughout this discussion are amazing - her autism was diagnosed at age 5, so she'd definitely qualify. I'm going to start researching Ohio's program and others mentioned here. One thing I'll add that might help other newcomers - I called three different SSA offices and got three different answers about asset limits before finding this community. The confusion even exists among their own representatives! This discussion has provided clearer, more consistent information than any official source I've contacted. Thank you all for saving my daughter's computer fund and my sanity! This community is absolutely invaluable for families trying to navigate these complex systems.

I'm new to this community and this discussion has been an absolute lifesaver! My 23-year-old son has autism and I'm planning to retire next year, which is when he'll become eligible for DAC benefits. He works at a local sandwich shop making about $650/month and has managed to save $2,600 over the past year and a half. Like so many others here, I was completely panicked about his savings because I kept hearing about asset limits from various sources. I actually had an appointment scheduled with a financial advisor next week to figure out how to "spend down" his savings before applying for benefits! Reading through all these responses has been such a huge relief - I had no idea that DAC benefits don't have the same $2,000 restriction as SSI. The ABLE account recommendations throughout this thread are fantastic. Since my son's autism was diagnosed when he was 3, he should definitely qualify. I'm going to cancel that financial advisor appointment and instead spend time researching the different state ABLE programs mentioned here. What really strikes me is how much clearer and more consistent the information is in this community compared to what I've gotten from official sources. I called our local SSA office twice and got completely different answers both times about asset limits. It's honestly shocking how much confusion exists even among the people who are supposed to be the experts! Thank you to everyone for sharing your experiences so openly. My son is going to be so relieved that he can keep saving toward his goal of eventually moving into his own apartment. This community is providing invaluable support for families trying to navigate these incredibly complex benefit systems!

You've got a great plan laid out! One more resource I'd recommend is the ABLE National Resource Center website (ablenrc.org) - if you qualify for an ABLE account, you can save up to $100,000 without affecting your DAC benefits. This could be really helpful for building long-term financial security while working part-time. Also, when you do start working, ask your employer about direct deposit if possible. Having a clear paper trail of your earnings makes the monthly reporting to SSA much smoother. Some employers are also more familiar with accommodating workers with disabilities than others - don't be afraid to ask about their experience during interviews. You're taking all the right steps by getting proper guidance before jumping in. Best of luck with your work journey!

I'm so glad to see this conversation! As someone who's been on DAC benefits for 8 years and recently started working part-time at a local nonprofit, I wanted to share my experience. I was terrified at first too, but it's been really positive. A few things that helped me: - I started with just 6 hours a week to see how I handled it physically and mentally - My employer was very understanding about my need for flexible scheduling - I set up automatic monthly reporting through my SSA online account which makes it super easy - Having that WIPA counselor was invaluable - they walked me through everything step by step The work has actually improved my confidence and given me a sense of purpose beyond just managing my disability. Plus, I'm earning those work credits you mentioned for future security. You're asking all the right questions and taking a smart, cautious approach. The fact that you're planning ahead shows you'll do great with this transition!

As someone who went through this exact decision process two years ago, I can share what we learned. My wife and I had a similar PIA gap ($850 vs $3,900), and after consulting with a fee-only financial planner who specialized in Social Security, we ended up with the "62/70 split" strategy that others have mentioned. The key insight was realizing that the break-even calculations change dramatically when you factor in the survivor benefit scenario. Yes, the lifetime benefit difference might seem small when both spouses are alive, but the protection for the surviving spouse (likely you) is substantial. We also discovered that having other retirement assets actually makes delaying MORE valuable, not less, because you can afford to let the higher benefit grow while living off savings. The enhanced survivor benefit essentially becomes a form of longevity insurance that you can't buy anywhere else. One practical tip: Get your actual benefit estimates from SSA (not calculators) and run the numbers assuming you live to 90-95, not just average life expectancy. The differences become much more meaningful over longer time horizons. Given your solid retirement savings, I'd strongly consider having your husband delay to 70 while you file at 62. The survivor benefit protection alone is probably worth it.

I'm a newcomer here but this discussion really resonates with me as I'm facing a similar decision with my spouse. We have a comparable PIA gap (mine around $900, his around $4,200) and I've been struggling with the same confusion about why the "standard advice" doesn't seem to clearly apply to our situation. Reading through everyone's responses has been incredibly enlightening, especially the points about survivor benefits being the key consideration and how having other retirement assets actually makes delaying MORE valuable rather than less. I hadn't thought about Social Security as "longevity insurance" before, but that framing really helps clarify the decision. One question I have after reading all these thoughtful responses: For those who have implemented the 62/70 split strategy, how did you handle the psychological aspect of "leaving money on the table" by filing early for the lower earner? I keep running the numbers and logically understand why it makes sense, but there's still that nagging feeling that filing at 62 means accepting a "reduced" benefit forever. Did anyone else struggle with this mindset shift? Also, has anyone found good resources for modeling the tax implications of different filing strategies? Several people mentioned taxation effects but I'd love to understand that aspect better. Thank you all for sharing such detailed and helpful insights - this community is a goldmine of real-world experience!