Thanks everyone for the helpful information! Just to make sure I've got this straight: 1. Apply 3-4 months before August 2025 2. I'll be eligible for full benefits for the entire month of August even though I turn FRA on the 14th 3. My first payment will arrive in September (3rd Wednesday) 4. The earnings test won't apply to me at all once I reach FRA in August This is all much clearer now. The SSA website is so confusing with all the different rules!

One small clarification on the timing - when you apply 3-4 months early (around April/May 2025), you'll select August 2025 as your benefit start date on the application. This is important because if you don't specify, they might default to starting benefits immediately when you apply, which could result in a reduction if you're not yet at FRA. Also, make sure you have your documents ready when you apply online: birth certificate, W-2 forms or tax returns, and bank account info for direct deposit. The online application will walk you through exactly what you need. Much easier than trying to gather everything while on a phone call with SSA!

I'm new to this community but wanted to reach out because your post really resonates with me. I'm currently going through the SSDI application process myself for a different chronic condition, and the uncertainty around family coverage has been keeping me up at night. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly educational - I had no idea about auxiliary benefits for children or how the Medicare waiting period actually works. The clarification that your children's benefits would be based on YOUR work record rather than your husband's income is such important information that I don't think is widely understood. One thing that struck me from everyone's advice is how crucial it seems to be to connect with local resources. The suggestions about disability resource centers, independent living centers, and even calling 211 for local program information seem like they could uncover options that aren't obvious from federal websites alone. Your approach of keeping detailed symptom records is really smart. From what I'm learning here, the functional limitations documentation seems to be just as important as the medical records themselves. The SSA wants to see how your condition actually impacts your ability to work and perform daily activities. I know this whole process feels overwhelming when you're already dealing with health challenges, but you're clearly being proactive about planning ahead for your family. The fact that you're researching options now and asking the right questions puts you in a much better position than many people who wait until after approval to figure out next steps. This community has been such a valuable resource - I've learned more from reading everyone's responses here than from hours of searching government websites. I hope your SSDI application goes smoothly and that you find good solutions for your family's healthcare and financial needs!

I'm new to this community but wanted to reach out because I'm also navigating the SSDI application process for a chronic condition and your situation sounds incredibly challenging. Reading through all these responses has been so educational - I had no idea about the distinction between auxiliary SSDI benefits and Medicare coverage, or how the family maximum works. What really stands out to me from everyone's advice is the importance of connecting with local resources that know your state's specific programs. It sounds like there are often state-level options for both healthcare coverage and financial assistance that aren't well-publicized but can make a huge difference during waiting periods and transitions. Your approach of keeping detailed symptom and functional limitation records seems spot-on based on what others have shared. The emphasis on documenting how MS affects your daily activities rather than just medical symptoms makes so much sense for building a strong SSDI case. I'm struck by how supportive this community is - everyone has been so generous sharing their knowledge and real-world experiences. It's given me hope that even though the system is complex, there are people and resources available to help navigate it successfully. I hope your application goes smoothly and that you're able to find good coverage solutions for your whole family. Thank you for asking such thoughtful questions that have helped educate all of us newcomers about how these programs actually work!

To clarify for everyone: When you apply for benefits in your first year of retirement, you need to: 1) Tell SSA you're retiring or significantly reducing work that month 2) Stay under the monthly limit for each month you receive benefits 3) Verify they coded your application for the monthly earnings test 4) Keep documentation of your work reduction If you do all that, then yes, your pre-retirement earnings in 2025 won't count against you. But you must actually reduce your work when you say you're going to.

Just wanted to add one more important point - when you apply in June, make sure you get written confirmation from SSA that they're applying the monthly earnings test to your case. I've seen too many situations where people thought they were set up correctly but SSA was actually using the annual test. You can request this confirmation in writing or ask for a receipt showing how they coded your retirement date. This will save you a lot of headaches later if there's any confusion about which test applies to your situation.

also just wanna say the whole $2000 limit is ridiculous in 2025!!! how is anyone supposed to save anything with that stupid rule??? cant even have emergency savings without losing benefits smh

I'm new to this community but wanted to share what I learned when I had a similar situation last year. I received a $1,800 class action settlement and was terrified about losing my SSI benefits. After doing some research and talking to a benefits counselor, I found out there are actually several options beyond just the basic "spend down" rule that others have mentioned: 1. **Irrevocable burial/funeral trusts** (as many have mentioned) - completely exempt from resource limits 2. **ABLE accounts** - if you became disabled before age 26, you can put up to $18,000/year into these special savings accounts that don't count toward SSI limits 3. **Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS)** - even for smaller amounts, you might be able to use this to set aside money for work-related goals The burial trust option sounds perfect for your situation since the money originally came from a pre-need plan anyway. Just make sure it's set up as an irrevocable trust specifically for burial/funeral expenses. Also, definitely report it within the 10-day window - that's mandatory regardless of which option you choose. The SSA takes unreported resources very seriously and will eventually find out through data matching with banks and other agencies. Good luck! The system is complicated but there are legitimate ways to handle this without losing your benefits.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that you should also be aware of how bonuses, vacation pay, or sick pay might be handled if any of that comes into play with your December work. Sometimes these payments follow different timing rules than regular wages. Also, if you're planning to work similar extra shifts in the future, it might be worth asking your employer if they can adjust the pay period cutoff dates to help you manage your earnings limits more predictably. Some employers are willing to work with employees on Social Security to help with timing issues like this.

I'm dealing with a similar situation but with a twist - I'm 64 and will turn 65 next April. My employer offers holiday pay for working Christmas and New Year's, but those premium payments don't come until mid-January. Since I'll still be under my FRA, I assume the same "when paid" rule applies, meaning that holiday premium would count toward 2025 earnings even though the work happens in 2024. Has anyone dealt with holiday premium pay timing before? I want to make sure I understand this correctly before I commit to working those holidays.