As a newcomer to this community, I'm both heartened and overwhelmed by Aurora's story and everyone's incredibly helpful responses. Reading through this thread has been eye-opening about just how complex the disability benefits system really is - and how critical it is to have knowledgeable advocates and community support. What strikes me most is how Aurora's situation went from seemingly impossible to manageable once she connected with the right specialists. The distinction between regular Medicaid workers and those who specialize in disability transitions seems absolutely crucial. It's scary to think how many families might give up or fall through the cracks simply because they don't know these specialized programs exist. I'm bookmarking all the resources mentioned here - WIPA, Disability Rights offices, Centers for Independent Living, Protection & Advocacy organizations. As someone who may need to navigate similar systems in the future, having these contact points could be lifesaving. Aurora, thank you so much for sharing not just your initial panic but also your updates and solutions. Your persistence and willingness to document this journey is going to help countless other families. And to everyone who shared their experiences and expertise - this is exactly the kind of community support that makes a real difference when people are facing overwhelming bureaucratic challenges. This thread should honestly be required reading for anyone dealing with disability benefits!

As someone completely new to this community and the world of disability benefits, I'm incredibly moved by Aurora's story and the overwhelming support she received here. Reading through this entire thread has been both educational and inspiring - it's amazing how this community came together to help her navigate such a complex and frightening situation. What really strikes me is how Aurora went from complete panic about losing her son's Medicaid coverage to having multiple concrete solutions within just a few days. The difference between talking to regular staff versus specialists who understand disability transitions seems to be absolutely critical. It's both reassuring and concerning that so many specialized programs exist that most people (including frontline workers) don't know about. I'm taking extensive notes on all the resources mentioned - WIPA, Disability Rights offices, Protection & Advocacy organizations, Centers for Independent Living, and all the various Medicaid programs. As someone who may face similar challenges with family members in the future, having this roadmap could be invaluable. Aurora, thank you for your courage in sharing both your initial terror and your positive updates. Your willingness to document this journey is going to help so many other families who find themselves in similar situations. And to everyone who contributed their knowledge and experiences - this is exactly what community support should look like. You literally helped prevent a family from facing a medical coverage crisis. This thread should be pinned as a resource for anyone dealing with DAC transitions!

As someone who works with Social Security applications regularly, I want to emphasize a few critical points that could save you months of delays: **Start gathering documents NOW** - Don't wait until November. Get certified copies of your birth certificate, marriage certificate (if applicable), and divorce decrees. The SSA website has a full document checklist, but having everything ready early prevents last-minute scrambling. **Double-check your earnings record** - Log into your my Social Security account and verify EVERY year of earnings is correct. If there are errors, file a Form SSA-7008 to correct them BEFORE applying. This is probably the #1 cause of application delays. **Consider calling your local SSA office** - While online applications work great for straightforward cases, given your work situation and tight financial timeline, a phone appointment might be worth it. They can walk through the earnings test implications and catch potential issues before you submit. **Backup plan** - Given your concern about income gaps, have a contingency plan. Consider applying for unemployment benefits if you need to stop working before SS kicks in, or look into local emergency assistance programs. Your timeline is solid (November 2025 application), but don't underestimate how quickly things can go wrong. Having everything prepared months in advance gives you buffer time to fix any problems that come up.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is the importance of understanding the "do-over" option if circumstances change. If you apply for benefits at 62 and then realize within the first 12 months that you made a mistake (maybe your health improves, you get a better job, etc.), you can withdraw your application using Form SSA-521. You'd have to pay back all benefits received, but it lets you restart later at a higher benefit amount. This might give you some peace of mind knowing you're not 100% locked into the early retirement decision forever - though obviously the goal is to make the right choice from the start. Also, since you're concerned about application delays, consider setting up text or email alerts through your my Social Security account. They'll notify you of any status changes or if additional documentation is needed, which can help you respond quickly to keep things moving. And one practical tip: when you do apply in November 2025, try to submit it early in the week and early in the day. SSA systems tend to be less congested then, and if there are any technical issues, you'll have business days to resolve them rather than waiting over a weekend.

I'm dealing with a similar situation and wanted to add something important that hasn't been mentioned yet - make sure to ask SSA about the "deemed filing" rules when you do apply for survivor benefits. Since you're over your full retirement age for survivor benefits (which is different from regular retirement age), you have more flexibility in timing. You can potentially claim survivor benefits now without being forced to claim your own retirement benefits, which gives you more control over maximizing your total lifetime benefits. Also, don't forget that survivor benefits aren't subject to the earnings test once you reach full retirement age for survivors (around 66-67 depending on your birth year), so you might be able to claim them even while working full-time. The family maximum calculations are definitely tricky, but having that survivor benefit option gives you more strategic choices for when and how to claim.

As someone who just went through this process with my own family, I want to emphasize something that saved us a lot of headaches - when you do contact SSA, ask them to run a "what-if" scenario calculation for you. They can show you exactly how different claiming strategies would affect both your benefits and your son's. One thing I learned is that the timing of when you claim can make a huge difference. Since your son is likely receiving DAC benefits on your deceased husband's record at 75% of his PIA, and those are protected from family maximum reductions, you might actually have more flexibility than you think. Also, keep detailed notes of every conversation with SSA - date, time, representative's name, and what they told you. I had three different reps give me three different answers about family maximums, so having everything documented helped when I had to escalate to a supervisor to get the correct information. The calculations can be complex, but once you get the right person who understands DAC benefits, they can walk you through all the scenarios step by step.

Just a technical clarification: Social Security benefits are paid in the month following the month for which they are due. So if you apply today with benefits starting this month (April 2025), your April benefit would be paid in May, May's benefit in June, and so on. Regarding processing time, the SSA's current average is approximately 3-4 weeks for straightforward retirement benefit applications. However, if there are any issues requiring manual review, it can take longer. Once approved, your payment date is determined by your birth date, as others have explained. The retroactive benefits provision at FRA is important - you can request up to 6 months of retroactive benefits, but you must specifically request this during application or within 6 months of filing. The retroactive payments are typically included in your first regular payment.

Great advice from everyone here! I went through this process about 8 months ago and can confirm most of what's been shared. Applied online at FRA+2 months, took exactly 4 weeks for approval, then got my first payment 5 weeks after that according to my birth date schedule. One thing I wish someone had told me - even though you can request 6 months retroactive at FRA, they don't make it super obvious in the online application where to specify this. Look for the section asking "when do you want benefits to begin" and make sure you select the month you reached FRA, not the current month. I almost missed this and would have lost 2 months of benefits. Also, once you get your first payment, double-check the amount against your benefit estimate. Mine was off by about $30 due to a work credit calculation error, but they corrected it quickly once I called. The whole process was actually smoother than I expected despite all the horror stories you hear!

Anyone else notice that SSA seems to train their reps differently? I swear I've gotten different answers from different people about how GPO works! One told me it's based on the gross pension, another said it's based on net after health insurance deductions. The inconsistency is maddening!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm dealing with a similar situation with my own spousal benefits. I worked for the state government for 20 years and have been getting conflicting information from different SSA offices about how they calculate the GPO reduction. One thing I wanted to add - if anyone is still in the planning phase and hasn't filed yet, there's a "do-over" option within the first 12 months of claiming benefits. You can withdraw your application and repay all benefits received, then refile later. Obviously this doesn't help if you've already been receiving benefits for a while, but it might be worth considering for people who realize they made a mistake after learning about these calculation details. Also, I've found that bringing printed copies of the relevant POMS sections to appointments helps ensure you're talking to someone who actually understands the rules rather than just guessing.