One thing no one mentioned - if you're just starting on Social Security, make sure you understand that the payment schedule is based on your birth date. For people born on the 1st-10th of the month, payments come on the second Wednesday. For 11th-20th, it's the third Wednesday, and for 21st-31st, it's the fourth Wednesday. This doesn't change your tax situation, but it helps you know exactly when to expect your deposits going forward.

For anyone still confused about this timing issue, I found the IRS Publication 915 really helpful when I went through this last year. It explains Social Security taxation in detail. The key thing to remember is that you'll get that SSA-1099 form by January 31st, and it will show exactly what you received in 2024 - no guessing needed! Also, if you use tax software like TurboTax or H&R Block, they have specific sections for Social Security benefits that walk you through the calculations. They'll ask for the amount from your SSA-1099 and calculate the taxable portion automatically based on your other income. Makes the whole process much less stressful than trying to figure out those thresholds manually.

As a newcomer to this community, I've been reading through this entire discussion with great interest since I'm currently navigating Social Security benefits for the first time with my own family situation. What really stands out to me is how knowledgeable and supportive everyone here is - this has been incredibly educational! I don't have direct experience with DAC benefits, but the consistent pattern of SSA representatives giving the same incorrect explanation about "dividing the family maximum first" that multiple people have described is really concerning. It definitely sounds like there's a systematic training issue rather than just isolated calculation errors. For those of you planning to call SSA, one additional suggestion: consider recording the key points of your conversation in writing immediately after the call (date, time, representative name, what they told you, next steps, etc.). If you do need to escalate to a formal complaint or reconsideration, having that detailed documentation could be really valuable. I'm really hoping the original poster and others dealing with this issue get their benefits calculated correctly. This discussion has shown me how important it is to understand these complex rules and advocate for yourself - I'll definitely be more prepared if I encounter similar issues with my own family's benefits. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and experiences so openly!

As a newcomer to this community, I've been following this discussion closely and I'm really impressed by the level of expertise and support everyone is providing. This has been incredibly educational for someone like me who is just starting to navigate Social Security benefits. What really strikes me is how this appears to be a systematic issue rather than isolated errors. The fact that multiple families are receiving nearly identical explanations from SSA about "dividing the family maximum first" - when the correct procedure should be determining spousal eligibility first - suggests there may be widespread training problems or incorrect internal guidance at SSA offices. For everyone dealing with this issue, I wanted to add one more resource that might be helpful: the Social Security Administration's Program Operations Manual System (POMS) is publicly available online at policy.ssa.gov. The specific sections mentioned in this thread (GN 00615.060 and RS 00615.742) contain the official procedures for family maximum calculations. Having these printed out when you call or visit SSA could really strengthen your case. Also, if you do end up needing to file a formal complaint, the SSA Office of the Inspector General has an online reporting system specifically for benefit calculation errors. It's concerning that this systematic issue might be affecting many families with disabled adult children who may not realize their benefits are being calculated incorrectly. Thank you all for sharing your experiences so openly - it's helping educate newcomers like me about the importance of understanding these rules and advocating for accurate benefit calculations.

To directly answer your original question - yes, the maximum benefit for someone filing at FRA is increasing for 2025, and yes, this is separate from the COLA adjustment. The COLA applies to people already receiving benefits, while the maximum benefit calculation applies to new filers. However, this doesn't mean you'll get more than a 2.5% increase overall. Your benefit is calculated based on your own earnings history, not on what the maximum potential benefit is. The only way this affects you personally is through small adjustments to the PIA calculation formula that happens each year. For most people, these formula adjustments result in very small differences - we're talking about maybe $5-15 per month different than if you had filed with the exact same earnings history the previous year. Your claiming age and earnings history are FAR more important factors in determining your benefit amount.

Just to add another perspective here - I work in benefits consulting and help people navigate SS claims regularly. The confusion around maximum benefits vs COLA is super common, but here's the key thing to remember: unless you've been a very high earner for most of your career, these year-to-year changes in the maximum benefit calculation won't meaningfully impact your actual benefit amount. What WILL impact your benefit significantly is making sure you have an accurate earnings record with SSA before you file. I always tell my clients to create a my.ssa.gov account and review their earnings history at least 6 months before filing. I've seen cases where missing or incorrect earnings records cost people hundreds of dollars per month in benefits. Also, don't stress too much about timing your application to the exact month - focus more on whether you want to claim at FRA, delay for delayed retirement credits, or claim early with reduced benefits. That decision will have a much bigger impact on your monthly payment than any formula adjustments.

I'm also navigating this exact situation and wanted to share something that might be helpful - when I finally got through to SSA (after many attempts), the representative told me that they can do a "benefit estimate" over the phone before you actually file. This gives you the projected amounts for all three benefits (your husband's retirement, your son's DAC, and your DCIC) after the family maximum reduction is applied. The key is to ask specifically for a "family benefit estimate with disabled adult child and child-in-care benefits" - apparently using that exact terminology helps them pull up the right calculation tools in their system. Also, regarding the Medicare transition for your son - I learned that if he's currently receiving Medicaid through SSI, there's usually a seamless transition to Medicare once he's been on DAC for 24 months, and in many cases he can have both Medicare and Medicaid (dual eligibility) which provides better coverage than either alone. One more thing - make sure to ask about retroactive benefits when you file. Depending on timing, your son might be eligible for some retroactive DAC payments, which can help bridge any financial gaps during the transition period. The whole process is definitely overwhelming, but getting that phone estimate beforehand really helped me feel more confident about the decision. Good luck!

I'm in a very similar situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! My husband is 63 and we're planning his retirement filing next month. Our 26-year-old disabled son has been on SSI for 4 years. After reading everyone's experiences here, I called SSA yesterday using Melody's exact terminology - "family benefit estimate with disabled adult child and child-in-care benefits" - and finally got someone who knew exactly what I was asking for! They were able to give me specific dollar amounts for all three benefits after the family maximum reduction. For anyone still trying to get through to SSA, I called at 8:02 AM (right after they opened) on a Wednesday and only waited about 12 minutes. The representative said Wednesday mornings are typically their least busy time. One thing I learned that wasn't mentioned yet: if your disabled adult child has any earnings from work (even minimal amounts from supported employment), make sure to report this when getting your benefit estimates. It doesn't necessarily disqualify them from DAC benefits, but it can affect the calculations. Also wanted to confirm what others said about the financial improvement - even with the family maximum reductions, our projected total household benefits will be about $800 more per month than what our son currently gets from SSI alone. That's a significant improvement for our family's financial stability. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - this discussion gave me the confidence and knowledge to finally move forward with the process!

As someone who just turned 66 last month, this thread has been incredibly enlightening! I had no idea about the January-only DRC processing until reading everyone's experiences here. I've been going back and forth on my claiming strategy for months, and like many others, I was under the impression that delayed retirement credits would show up in my monthly payments right away. The fact that SSA doesn't clearly communicate this timing issue on their website or in their calculators feels almost deceptive. When you see "earn 2/3% per month for delaying," the natural assumption is that you'll see that increase reflected in your payments immediately, not nearly a year later! @Connor Gallagher, I think you made the absolutely right decision to start at FRA. After reading through all these responses, I'm convinced that the peace of mind and immediate cash flow of starting at full retirement age outweighs the complexity and uncertainty of trying to optimize around these bureaucratic delays. This thread should honestly be pinned or featured prominently somewhere - it contains more practical, actionable information about Social Security claiming strategies than anything I've found on the official SSA website. Thank you to everyone who shared their real-world experiences. It's made my decision much clearer!

This entire discussion has been absolutely eye-opening! I'm 64 and approaching my own Social Security claiming decision, and I had no clue about the January-only DRC processing until reading through everyone's experiences here. What really gets me is how this essentially turns the "delay for higher benefits" advice on its head. The standard retirement planning guidance always emphasizes how you can earn 8% more per year by waiting, but they never mention that you won't actually see those increases until January of the following year. That's a huge detail to leave out! @Connor Gallagher, your decision to start at FRA was absolutely the right call. After seeing all the complexity and bureaucratic delays involved with trying to optimize the timing, I'm convinced that the straightforward approach is often the best one. The certainty of receiving your full benefit right away has real value, especially when the alternative involves navigating SSA's confusing processing timelines. This thread should be required reading for anyone approaching retirement age. The collective wisdom shared here is far more practical and actionable than anything I've found in official SSA materials. Thank you everyone for taking the time to share your real-world experiences - it's going to help so many people make better-informed decisions!