I'm a caseworker who's dealt with this exact scenario many times. Here's what you absolutely need to know: Ohio has what's called the "DAC Medicaid continuation" provision under OAC 5160:1-3-05.6. When your dad files at 70 and your sister's DAC increases, she should NOT lose Medicaid if she was previously eligible for SSI. Here's the critical step everyone's missing: You need to file a "Medicaid Protection Request" form (JFS 07200) WITH the county office BEFORE your dad files for Social Security. This form specifically addresses benefit increases for DAC recipients. Also, make sure the county office runs her case through the CRIS-E system using the DAC eligibility code. Many caseworkers don't know to do this automatically. One more thing - if by chance she does temporarily lose coverage, Ohio allows retroactive reinstatement for up to 90 days for DAC recipients if the proper protections should have applied. But prevention is always better than cure. The phone number for Ohio Medicaid's DAC specialist unit is 1-800-324-8680 ext. 47291. They're the ones who really know these rules inside and out.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm actually dealing with a similar situation with my nephew who receives DAC benefits. Reading through all these responses, I wanted to add one more resource that might be useful - the Ohio Disability Rights organization (disabilityrightsohio.org) has advocates who specialize in benefits issues and can help navigate these complex Medicaid/DAC interactions if you run into problems with the county office. Also, I learned the hard way that timing really matters here. When my nephew's DAC benefits increased due to his father's retirement, we waited until after the increase took effect to contact Medicaid, and it created a gap in coverage that took months to resolve. The advice about filing the Medicaid Protection Request BEFORE your dad claims is spot-on. One last tip - if you do end up needing to appeal any Medicaid decisions, Ohio has a expedited appeal process for people who might lose medical coverage due to benefit changes. The deadline is only 10 days after receiving a negative decision, so don't wait if something goes wrong. Your sister is lucky to have someone advocating for her like this. The system is complicated but there are definitely protections in place for DAC recipients.

has anyone noticed if benefits are calculated differently depending on how u apply?? my neighbor said she got more money by going in person bc the agent found some missing earnings in her record.

I just went through this process last month and ended up doing a combination approach that worked really well. I started by creating my Social Security account online to review my earnings record first (as Jace suggested - great advice!). Found one missing year from a small employer in the 90s. I then called the SSA to get that earnings issue resolved before applying. Used that Claimyr service someone mentioned - definitely worth the small fee to avoid hours on hold. The agent was super helpful and got my earnings record corrected within a week. Finally, I completed my application online once everything was clean. The whole process from start to finish took about 3 weeks, and I felt confident everything was accurate. For someone in your situation, I'd recommend checking your earnings record first online, then deciding if you need to call with questions before applying. The online application really is straightforward if you don't have any complicated issues to resolve first.

Just went through this exact same process! A few things that helped me: 1. You can actually check your SSN status online at ssa.gov/myaccount if you create an account (though it's sometimes finicky) 2. The 1-800-SSA number (1-800-772-1213) has a "check application status" option - best to call early morning 3. If you're in a rush, some local SSA offices do same-day processing for urgent cases (like job start dates) The waiting is definitely frustrating but 3 weeks is still within normal timeframe. Good luck! 🍀

Just wanted to add my experience for anyone else going through this! I got my EAD in March and was in the same boat - no SSN after 3 weeks. Called the SSA number (1-800-772-1213) and they confirmed my application was still processing. What worked for me: I made an appointment at my local SSA office after 4 weeks of waiting. Brought my EAD card, passport, and I-94. The whole process took about 45 minutes and I had my SSN card in the mail within a week! Pro tip: When you call, have your A-number ready from your EAD card - it speeds up the process. Don't stress too much @1c02b0eafc8b, 3 weeks is still normal timing. But definitely call tomorrow to check status and consider scheduling an appointment if you're getting close to needing it for work or other applications. Hope this helps! The waiting game is tough but you're almost there! 💪

Since your sister is already 66, if she was born in 1957 or earlier, she's already at her full retirement age. This means: 1. She can take her own retirement benefit with no reduction (though it would continue growing if she waited until 70) 2. She can take the full survivor benefit with no reduction 3. The earnings test no longer applies, so her work income won't reduce either benefit In this case, the optimal strategy is likely to take the higher of the two benefits now. If her own benefit at age 70 would exceed the survivor benefit due to delayed retirement credits, she could take the survivor benefit now and switch to her own at 70. This is definitely a situation where she should get her exact numbers from SSA before deciding.

I'm so sorry for your sister's loss. Having just gone through this myself when my mom passed last year, I understand how overwhelming it can be during such a difficult time. One thing I'd add to the excellent advice already given is that your sister should consider requesting a "benefit estimate" from SSA that shows her projected monthly amounts for different scenarios. They can calculate: - Her current retirement benefit if taken now - Her retirement benefit if delayed to age 70 (with the 8% annual delayed retirement credits) - The survivor benefit amount This will give her the concrete numbers needed to make the best financial decision. In my mom's case, her own benefit with delayed credits would have eventually exceeded the survivor benefit, so we took the survivor benefit first and planned to switch at 70. Also, don't forget that she may be eligible for a one-time lump sum death benefit of $255 if she hasn't already applied for it. It's not much, but every bit helps with funeral expenses. The switching strategy really is legitimate - it's called "deemed filing" rules don't apply to widow(er)s, giving them unique flexibility that other beneficiaries don't have.

Thanks everyone for the helpful responses! I'm feeling much more optimistic about this legislation now. Sounds like I should expect a modest increase to my Social Security check if it passes, with no negative impact on my pension. I'll keep following the progress of the bill but won't count on the extra money until it actually becomes law.

As someone who's been tracking this legislation closely, I wanted to add that the Social Security Fairness Act has actually gained significant momentum recently. The House version (H.R. 82) has over 300 cosponsors, which is really encouraging. For CSRS Offset retirees like Victoria, this is definitely good news - the elimination of WEP should result in a meaningful increase to your Social Security benefits while your OPM pension remains unaffected by the legislation itself. One thing I'd recommend is creating a my Social Security account online if you haven't already - you can see your current benefit calculation and it will help you estimate what your increase might be once WEP is eliminated. The difference between your current WEP-reduced amount and what the standard formula would give you is roughly what you could expect to gain.