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any update??? did u get thru to them yet??
Finally got through after almost 3 hours! You won't believe this - they said it WAS a withholding issue. Somehow my withholding got changed from 15% to 25% when I turned 70. The rep fixed it immediately and said I'll get the difference back in next month's payment. What a relief it wasn't something more serious!
So glad you got it resolved! I recommend checking your payment every single month for the next few months. Their systems sometimes revert changes, especially when they're related to age milestones. And make sure to save a copy of your benefit verification letter with the corrected amount in case you need to reference it later.
That's great advice - thank you! I'll definitely keep an eye on it for the next few months and download a copy of my benefit verification letter. I appreciate everyone's help with this!
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Since you're on SSDI and working part-time, this sounds like it might be related to the Trial Work Period (TWP) or Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE) rules. If you've used up your 9 TWP months, SSA may have determined that you're engaging in SGA even if you think you're under the limit. The calculation gets complicated because they don't just look at raw earnings - they consider subsidies, impairment-related work expenses, and other factors. Also, sometimes there's a delay in how they process earnings reports, so this could be related to earnings from several months ago. I strongly recommend getting in-person help at your local SSA office or speaking directly with a representative who can access your specific case details.
Thank you - that makes a lot of sense. I did complete my TWP last year but thought I was following the rules correctly during my EPE. I'll try to get through to SSA or visit my local office. Really appreciate everyone's help with figuring this out!
My cousin works for SSA and says they've been having system issues lately with SSDI payments. Some people got underpaid, some overpaid. They're supposed to be fixing it but who knows how long that'll take with the government lol
That's interesting - I hope that's all it is. Would be a relief if it's just a system error that gets fixed automatically!
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Sorry about ur dad. That $255 is a joke these days. Barely covers anything. Been the same amount since like the 1950s with no increases for inflation. Should be at least $3000 by now if they had kept up with costs!!
You're right that the $255 hasn't increased since the 1950s. It was initially set to help with burial costs, but hasn't been adjusted for inflation. Still, it's worth claiming if eligible.
To follow up on my earlier comment - after seeing your response about not receiving benefits on your father's record, I checked the SSA rules again. Unfortunately, adult children who weren't receiving benefits on the deceased parent's record generally aren't eligible for the lump-sum death benefit unless they were disabled before age 22 and receiving SSDI based on the parent's work record. However, I still recommend contacting SSA to confirm, as there are sometimes exceptions based on individual circumstances. Focus on notifying them about your father's passing and returning any benefits paid after his death - that's more important than the $255 at this point.
Thank you for checking on this. I'll still verify with SSA, but will focus more on making sure his monthly benefits are properly handled. I appreciate everyone's help during this difficult time.
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this reminds me of that office space movie where they took all the fractions of cents that got rounded off lol 😂 except this is the government doing it to us
While the rounding down is frustrating, I'd suggest focusing on more significant aspects of your benefits. For example, make sure you've explored all possible benefits you're entitled to (spousal, survivor, etc.), and that your earnings record is accurate. Those factors can make a difference of hundreds of dollars monthly, compared to the cents lost to rounding. Also, ensure you understand how working affects benefits if you're still working, and how taxation of benefits works if you have other income. These factors have a much bigger impact on what you actually receive than the rounding issue.
That's good advice. I did review my earnings record carefully before claiming, and I'm waiting until FRA to avoid any reductions. I guess I should focus on the bigger picture, but it still annoys me that they're systematically rounding down millions of payments every month when they could easily pay the exact amount.
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wait i'm confused... I thought DAC benefits were only for adults who became disabled before age 22? Is that what ur situation is? Or are u just a minor child getting regular benefits? The rules might be different.
You're right that DAC (Disabled Adult Child) benefits are for adults who became disabled before age 22. Based on the original post, it appears they are receiving DAC benefits, not minor child benefits. The family maximum rules apply to both situations, but you're correct that it's important to be clear about which benefit type is involved as some other rules do differ.
Yes, I became disabled when I was 19, and I'm 34 now. So I receive DAC benefits because my disability began before I turned 22. Sorry if that wasn't clear!
btw has ur dad been on SSDI for 2 years already? cuz if he just got approved recently and is still in his 24month medicare waiting period, that could change things too. the whole system is so COMPLICATED!!!!!
Yes, my dad has been on SSDI for about 5 years now, so we're well past the Medicare waiting period. But you're right - this system is INCREDIBLY complicated! Every time I think I understand one part, I discover there are ten more rules I didn't know about.
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I wanted to add - while those zero years won't affect your eligibility for Social Security benefits (as long as you have 40 quarters/10 years of covered work elsewhere in your career), they can affect your benefit AMOUNT. Social Security calculates your benefit based on your highest 35 years of indexed earnings. If you don't have 35 years of covered employment, zeros will be used to fill in the missing years, which can lower your benefit calculation. Just something to be aware of for retirement planning.
That's really helpful information. So I might want to work extra years under covered employment later to replace some of those zeros in my top 35? I didn't realize how complicated this system would be.
I went through EXACTLY this when I retired last year. State university professor for 22 years (non-SS job) and 13 years in private sector (SS covered). They hit me with BOTH WEP and GPO. My SS retirement benefit got cut by almost $400/month because of WEP, and my wife can't even get spousal benefits from my record because of GPO. The whole system is RIGGED against public employees!!!
thats so unfair! my cousin works for county government and is worried about the same thing
I'm sorry that happened to you. I'm definitely going to look more into WEP and GPO so I'm not surprised later. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Can my lower-earning husband claim on my SSDI? Plus questions about adult disabled child benefits
Hello everyone, I'm navigating some complicated SS benefit questions for our family. I'm currently 61 and have been receiving SSDI for the past 18 months after a serious health decline. My full retirement age is 67. My husband is 65 and started taking his regular SS retirement benefits early at 62 (his FRA was 66). His monthly benefit is around $1,850 while mine is $2,275.Two questions that have me confused:1) Since my SSDI is higher than his benefit, can he claim any additional amount as a spouse? Or is that not allowed until I reach my FRA?2) Our daughter (29) lives with us full-time due to significant disabilities. She receives both SSDI and SSI, totaling about $1,120/month. This barely covers her medications and specialized care needs, let alone her share of household expenses. Is there any way we can access additional benefits as her caregivers? The financial strain of supporting her is becoming really difficult as our medical costs keep rising.I've tried calling the SSA office twice but got disconnected both times after long waits. Any insights would be greatly appreciated!
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Thank you all for the helpful responses! I made some calls today based on your suggestions. Found out that Illinois does have a Community Care Program that might help with some of my daughter's expenses. Also planning to try that Claimyr service tomorrow to get through to SSA about the spousal benefits question - still a bit confused about how the math works there. I'll update once I know more in case it helps someone else in a similar situation.
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One thing nobody's mentioned - if your husband goes over the earnings limit in a month, ONLY THAT MONTH'S benefits are affected. It's not like you lose everything forever! And once he reaches full retirement age (66+), the earnings limit goes away completely and he can earn as much as he wants with no penalty. So even if you make a mistake, it's not the end of the world.
That's really good to know! I was envisioning worst-case scenarios where we'd have to pay back everything. It's still scary since we rely on those payments, but at least it would be limited to just the months he went over. And you're right - only 4 more years until he doesn't have to worry about this at all!
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I still don't trust those SSA people. Even if it's technically allowed, they can use ANYTHING against you in a continuing disability review. If they see you're healthy enough to donate plasma regularly, they might decide you're healthy enough to work! It's all so subjective!
While it's understandable to be cautious, medical reviews are based on your medical condition in relation to your specific disability. Many conditions allow for plasma donation while still preventing substantial gainful activity. SSA reviews medical evidence from your doctors, not just activities like plasma donation, to determine continuing eligibility.
Thanks everyone for the advice! I'm going to document all my plasma donation payments just to be safe, but it sounds like I don't need to worry about it affecting my SSDI since it's not earned income from employment. I'll probably still mention it during my next medical review just to be transparent. I'm so relieved - this extra money really helps with my medication costs that insurance doesn't fully cover.
GalacticGladiator
Anyone else notice how ALL these benefit rules seem designed to be as CONFUSING as possible?? My brother-in-law worked for SSA for 30 years and even HE says most agents don't fully understand all the rules! How are regular people supposed to figure this out?? It's CRAZY!
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Ethan Brown
•I feel you. I spent hours reading the SSA website and still had to visit the office twice because I got different answers each time I called. Wish they would simplify everything!
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Yuki Yamamoto
Based on everything discussed here, my recommendation would be: 1. Request your Social Security Statement online (if you haven't already) to see your projected benefit amounts at different ages 2. If possible, try to calculate what your ex-spousal benefit might be (approximately 50% of your ex-husband's benefit at his full retirement age, reduced if you claim early) 3. Consider whether you absolutely need the income now or if you can wait 4. Remember that for every year you delay filing between your FRA and age 70, your own benefit increases by about 8% 5. Speak directly with an SSA representative about your specific situation before making your final decision While general advice is helpful, your optimal strategy will depend on your specific benefit amounts, health status, financial needs, and other income sources.
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Mateo Rodriguez
•Thank you for this step-by-step approach. I do have my statement, and I've been trying to calculate the numbers. My benefit at 63 would be about $1,620 monthly versus $2,175 at my full retirement age. I'm not sure what my ex will get, but I know he earned significantly more than me throughout our marriage. I'm going to try to reach SSA again to discuss my specific situation before making a decision.
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