I went through something similar with my son who became disabled at 19. The key thing that helped us was getting everything in writing from SSA. When you do talk to them (whether through that Claimyr service someone mentioned or directly), ask them to send you a written summary of what benefits your daughter will be eligible for as a survivor. Also, since her father has other dependents, you might want to consider consulting with a disability attorney who specializes in Social Security cases. Many will do a free consultation and can help you understand exactly how the family maximum will affect her benefits. The peace of mind is worth it when you're dealing with your child's financial security. One more tip - start keeping detailed records of all her medical appointments and treatments now. If they do a continuing disability review after her father passes, having everything organized will make the process much smoother during what will already be a difficult time.

I work as a benefits counselor and see these situations frequently. Your daughter's benefits will definitely increase when her father passes away - she'll move from auxiliary benefits (50% of his PIA) to survivor benefits (75% of his PIA). The fact that you weren't married to her father doesn't matter since paternity was legally established. However, with his current wife and two minor children also eligible for survivor benefits, the family maximum will likely apply. Each survivor would normally get 75%, but if that total exceeds the family maximum (usually 150-180% of his benefit), everyone's benefit gets reduced proportionally. I'd strongly recommend getting a benefit estimate in writing from SSA before any changes occur. Also, make sure your daughter's disability onset date is clearly documented as before age 22 - this is crucial for maintaining her eligibility as a disabled adult child throughout these transitions.

One more important detail based on your situation: Since you're reaching FRA in January 2026, you'll be eligible for Medicare in January 2025 (Medicare eligibility starts at 65). The Initial Enrollment Period for Medicare starts 3 months before your 65th birthday month and extends 3 months after. So you'll need to decide about Medicare about a year before you reach FRA. If your employer has 20+ employees, you can decline Part B during this period without penalties, but you'll need to get that employer coverage verification I mentioned. Just be aware of this timeline so you're not caught off guard by Medicare decisions before your FRA.

I'm actually going through something very similar right now! I reached my FRA last month and have been researching this extensively. One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned yet is to double-check with your HR department about how your employer handles Medicare coordination. Some employers automatically make you the primary insurance once you're Medicare-eligible, even if you don't enroll, which can create coverage gaps. Also, since you mentioned your part-time job has "pretty good" benefits, make sure to compare the actual coverage details with what Medicare would provide. Sometimes employer plans for part-time workers have higher deductibles or limited networks that might make Medicare + a supplement plan more attractive financially, even if the employer plan seems "free." The good news is you have plenty of time to research since you're not hitting FRA until January 2026. I'd recommend creating a timeline with key dates (Medicare eligibility, FRA, any employer benefit deadlines) so you can make informed decisions without rushing.

Update: I called SSA this morning and finally got through after trying for 3 days! The rep confirmed what many of you said - they look at net earnings for self-employment. She also explained that they'll take the adjustment from future benefits next year after I file my taxes. I'm going to track my hours and income more carefully going forward, and I might talk to my accountant about restructuring. Thanks everyone for your help!

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that you can request a waiver if the overpayment creates a financial hardship. I had to do this when I got hit with a $2,800 overpayment notice. You file Form SSA-632 and provide financial documentation showing that repaying would cause undue hardship. Also, keep detailed records of when you work vs. when you don't work each month. If you have months where you truly don't work at all in your consulting business, you can get full benefits for those months under the monthly earnings test that @Luca Bianchi mentioned. This saved me about $1,200 last year during the three months I took off due to a family emergency. The key is being proactive - don't wait for the overpayment notice. Report your estimated annual earnings to SSA early in the year so they can adjust your monthly payments accordingly.

u might try county records office where u got married they can give u copy of marriage license. also check old tax returns that's how my aunt found my uncles ssn

Just wanted to add my experience - I was in a very similar situation when my ex-husband passed. We'd been divorced for years and I had no idea where any of his paperwork was. The SSA office was actually really helpful once I got there. They were able to locate his record using just his full name, date of birth, and our marriage date. I brought my driver's license, our marriage certificate, and his death certificate. The whole process took about 45 minutes once I got called back (the wait was longer than the actual appointment!). Don't stress too much about having his exact SSN - they have ways to work around that. Good luck with your application!

I see a lot of confusion in this thread about earnings records. To clarify: 1) Employers report wages to SSA quarterly 2) Processing takes time, especially for paper filings 3) The MySocialSecurity portal updates irregularly 4) Complete 2024 earnings won't finalize until mid-2025 5) Small amounts like $646 are typically partial reports 6) This won't affect your future benefits as long as complete W-2 information is eventually processed If you're within 3 years of retirement, I'd recommend requesting an official earnings record by mail to verify everything is accurate for the years that actually count toward your benefit calculation.

I work in HR and see this confusion a lot! Just to add some context - when you see taxes being withheld from your paycheck, that money goes to the IRS immediately, but the REPORTING of your wages to SSA happens on a different timeline. Think of it like this: the government gets your tax money right away, but the paperwork about how much you earned gets filed later in batches. That $646 could be from your employer's first quarterly report, or even from a small 1099 job if you did any freelance work. The key thing is that your employer's year-end W-2 will have your complete 2024 earnings, and THAT'S what ultimately gets used for your Social Security record. The partial amounts you see during the year are just snapshots, not the final picture.