hey my sons redetermination was last week! they asked bout his bank account, if he got food stamps, if he had a job, and bout his medications. super easy took like 20min

I've been a representative payee for my disabled son for 5 years and have been through several redeterminations. Here's what helped me prepare: Create a simple one-page summary showing: - Monthly SSI amount received - How it's allocated (rent, food, personal care, medical, etc.) - His living situation and any changes - List of his accounts and current balances They typically ask about work activity, other income sources, living arrangements, and resource limits. Since your brother has intellectual disabilities, they'll likely ask if his condition has changed and confirm he still needs a payee. The key is being organized and honest. They're not trying to trick you - they just need to verify eligibility continues. Most interviews are straightforward if you can show the funds are being used appropriately for his needs. Don't let the horror stories scare you too much. While it's good to be prepared, most redeterminations go smoothly when you have your documentation ready.

Just to add some information that may be helpful - make sure when you apply that you also ask about CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program) or your state's equivalent if you don't already have this coverage. Even if you're denied SSI due to financial reasons, your child might still qualify for some health coverage programs based on his disabilities. Also, don't forget to look into state-specific disability programs. Many states have supplemental programs beyond what SSA offers. Your local Developmental Disabilities Administration or Community Services Board might have resources regardless of SSI eligibility. Lastly, document EVERYTHING about how his disabilities impact daily living - not just medical appointments, but things like: needs help with dressing, cannot be left unsupervised, requires assistance with meals, has difficulty following multi-step instructions, etc. These functional limitations are just as important as the medical diagnoses for SSA's disability determination.

I'm new to this community but wanted to share what I learned when my disabled nephew went through a similar situation. One thing that really helped us was getting a letter from his school documenting his need for special education services and accommodations. SSA considers educational records as part of their disability determination, especially for children. Also, I'd suggest contacting your local PACT (Protection and Advocacy for People with Disabilities) office. They often provide free advocacy services for SSI applications and can help you navigate the appeals process if needed. They know all the ins and outs of how these programs work together. Good luck with your application! It sounds like you're already getting great advice here about applying now to establish the protective filing date. The process is frustrating but definitely worth pursuing given your son's conditions.

I want to thank everyone for all the helpful responses! I understand now that my stock trading profits and CD interest won't count against the earnings limit (unless I somehow became a professional trader, which I'm definitely not with my tiny account). I'm going to look into the tax implications and also check if survivor benefits might be higher than my own retirement benefits. This community has been so helpful - I would have struggled to get clear answers otherwise!

Just wanted to add another perspective as someone who went through this recently. I'm 63 and took early retirement last year, and I was also confused about what counts as "earned income" for the earnings test. The key thing to remember is that Social Security distinguishes between "earned" and "unearned" income. Your stock trading profits and CD interest are considered unearned income (investment income), so they won't affect your Social Security benefits under the earnings test. The earnings test only applies to wages from employment or net earnings from self-employment. However, I'd echo what others have said about checking into survivor benefits. When I applied, the SSA representative calculated both my own retirement benefit and my potential survivor benefit from my deceased spouse. The survivor benefit ended up being about $200/month higher, which makes a real difference over time. Also, definitely plan ahead for the tax implications that Vanessa mentioned. While your investment income won't reduce your SS benefits, it will count toward determining how much of your Social Security is subject to federal income tax. With your CD interest and potential trading profits, you'll want to keep track of your total income to avoid surprises at tax time. Good luck with your retirement planning!

I did save my confirmation number, thankfully! Good advice though - I'll make sure I have it handy if I need to call.

Just wanted to add my recent experience - I applied online in February and got approved in exactly 18 days! The key thing that helped me was making sure I had all my documents ready before I even started the application. I scanned everything in advance (birth certificate, W-2s, etc.) and uploaded them all at once. My mySocialSecurity account updated about 3 days before I got the physical approval letter. One tip I haven't seen mentioned - if you have a complex work history with multiple employers or self-employment, consider calling SSA before applying to make sure your earnings record is accurate. I did this and caught an error from 2020 that could have delayed my application. The wait time wasn't too bad - about 45 minutes on hold, but way better than dealing with delays later. Good luck with your application!

The social security rules are so confusing!!! I'm 55 and haven't even started thinking about this stuff yet. Should I be worried?

Just wanted to add some clarification about the timing of survivor benefit applications. You mentioned wondering if you'd need to provide a death certificate - yes, you will need to provide certified copies of the death certificate when you apply. The SSA typically requires these to be recent (within the last 2 years) so if there's a delay in applying, you might need fresh copies. Also, regarding the automatic notification issue others mentioned - this is why it's smart to maintain some connection to mutual contacts or periodically check obituaries if you're in a situation where survivor benefits would be significant. Some people even set up Google alerts for their ex-spouse's name, though that might feel awkward. One more tip: if your ex-spouse does pass away and you're eligible for survivor benefits, don't delay in applying. While there can be some retroactive payments, you generally want to get the process started as soon as possible to avoid losing months of benefits.