Thanks everyone for the great information! I was definitely overthinking this. I'll stop worrying about the 2024 earnings not showing up yet. Does anyone know if I should be checking my earnings record for accuracy every year? I've never really paid attention to it before now that retirement is getting closer.

Great advice from everyone here! I'm in a similar situation preparing for retirement. One thing I'd add - if you do find any discrepancies when checking your earnings record, make sure to keep copies of your W-2s and tax returns as documentation. I learned this the hard way when I had to prove earnings from a job 15 years ago and had to track down old records. The SSA will accept various forms of proof including pay stubs, tax returns, and employer records, but having your own copies makes the process much smoother.

One more important point: make sure you're clear about which type of benefits your son receives. You mentioned DAC (Disabled Adult Child) benefits from his mother's record, which are Title II benefits (sometimes called SSDI). These are different from SSI (Supplemental Security Income), which has much stricter income and resource limits. For DAC benefits, the primary concern is whether he's engaging in Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA). Since he's not earning income from this activity, it's unlikely to affect his benefits, but as others have mentioned, documenting everything and potentially reporting it is a good idea for transparency. I've helped many families navigate these waters, and in your situation, I recommend: 1. Keep detailed records of all sales, expenses, and donations 2. Consider sending a letter to your local SSA office describing the activity 3. Focus on the therapeutic/social aspects of the activity in your documentation 4. Keep the business funds completely separate from personal funds Regarding forming a nonprofit - this adds significant administrative burden without necessarily providing additional protection for his benefits. A simpler approach might be to partner with the existing animal shelter as a program under their nonprofit umbrella.

I'm dealing with a similar situation with my daughter who has autism and receives DAC benefits. She's been making and selling greeting cards at craft fairs, but like your son, all proceeds go to charity (in her case, a local food bank). What I learned from our experience: SSA cares more about the structure and documentation than the actual activity itself. We created a simple written agreement with the food bank showing they receive 100% of proceeds, and we maintain a separate checking account just for this activity. Every penny in gets documented and donated. The key insight our disability attorney shared: frame this as a therapeutic/social activity rather than a business venture in any communications with SSA. Emphasize the social skills development, routine building, and community connection aspects. This helps distinguish it from competitive employment. One practical tip: consider having the animal shelter sell the birdhouses directly rather than your son selling them and donating proceeds. This removes him from the "sales" aspect entirely and makes it clearly volunteer work/donation of goods. Best of luck navigating this - it's wonderful that your son has found something meaningful to do that helps animals!

Thank you everyone for the helpful information! I'm going to create my Social Security account online tonight and look at my estimated benefits. Sounds like I need to wait until I'm 62 (and until he's 62 as well), but at least I know I have options. This is such a relief after thinking I might be out of luck because of his remarriage.

I went through this EXACT situation!!! My ex remarried a younger woman right after our divorce but I was able to claim on his record when I turned 62. The worker at my local SS office was AMAZING and explained everything. BUT she said that if I ever remarry I would LOSE the ex-spousal benefit!!! So keep that in mind if you're dating anyone... unfortunaely remarrying can actually COST you money in this situation!

As someone who just went through a similar ordeal applying for disability benefits while living in the UK, I can't emphasize enough how broken the international SSA system is right now. I had to make over 20 attempts to get through, and like many others here, had multiple "ghost appointments" where nobody called. What finally worked for me was a combination of several strategies mentioned here: calling right at 7am Eastern time, using the Claimyr service (which is legit and worth every penny), and having my sister in Florida also try calling on my behalf. The domestic lines really do seem to work better. One additional tip I haven't seen mentioned - if you're having trouble with the online my Social Security account due to foreign address formatting issues, try using a US address temporarily just to create the account and submit the initial contact request. You can update the address once you're actually speaking with someone. The important thing is getting into their system somehow. Ruby, congratulations on finally getting through! Your persistence paid off. For everyone else still struggling, don't give up. The system is absolutely terrible right now, but people are getting through eventually. Document everything, try multiple approaches, and be prepared to spend way more time on this than should be necessary.

This whole thread has been incredibly eye-opening about the state of SSA's international services. I'm a US citizen living in Australia and have been putting off applying for my retirement benefits because I keep hearing horror stories like these. Reading through everyone's experiences, it's clear this isn't just isolated incidents - there's a systematic breakdown in how SSA handles overseas applications. What really frustrates me is that we're not asking for special treatment here. We paid into the system our entire working lives just like domestic applicants, but we're getting drastically inferior service just because we live abroad. The fact that people have to pay third-party services like Claimyr just to reach their own government agency is absurd. Ruby, I'm so glad you finally got through and that your application is progressing! Your persistence is inspiring. For everyone else still fighting this battle - the strategies shared here seem to be the best available workarounds until SSA fixes their broken system. The early morning calling time, using the correct international numbers, and documenting everything seem to be the common threads among the success stories. Has anyone tried reaching out to their congressional representatives about these issues? I know we can't vote from overseas, but we're still constituents, and this seems like the kind of systematic failure that might warrant congressional oversight.

As a newcomer to this community, I'm incredibly grateful to have found this thread! I'm currently in the early stages of considering adoption for my granddaughter after my daughter's passing, and I had absolutely no idea that switching benefit records was even an option. Reading through everyone's experiences has been so enlightening. The advice about getting written estimates before making any changes seems like the most important first step - I love how multiple people emphasized this point. It's clear that every situation is unique, and having those concrete numbers upfront is the only way to make an informed decision. What really stands out to me is how supportive and detailed everyone's responses have been. From the benefits counselor explaining the family maximum calculations to people sharing their personal timelines and challenges, this is exactly the kind of real-world information that you can't get from official SSA websites or pamphlets. I'm planning to call SSA next week to start gathering information, and thanks to this thread, I now know to ask for written estimates, inquire about student benefit extensions, and request a written summary of what they tell me over the phone. I also feel much better prepared for the possibility that I might need to explain my situation to multiple representatives before getting consistent information. Thank you all for creating such a helpful community. It's clear that navigating these benefits can feel overwhelming when you're already dealing with loss and major life changes, but having access to these shared experiences makes it so much more manageable!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to express my gratitude for finding such a comprehensive and supportive discussion! I'm currently facing a very similar situation with my adopted grandson, and this thread has provided more practical guidance than weeks of trying to navigate SSA resources on my own. What strikes me most is how consistently everyone emphasizes getting written estimates before making any changes. This seems like such a crucial step that I hadn't even considered - I was ready to just walk into the SSA office and ask them to switch the benefits without really understanding the implications. The point about family maximums is particularly eye-opening. I had no idea this could limit the potential benefits, but it sounds like SSA will automatically calculate both scenarios and choose the higher amount, which is reassuring. I'm also impressed by how many people mentioned the importance of scheduling appointments rather than walk-ins, and keeping meticulous records as a representative payee. These practical tips are exactly what someone new to this situation needs to know. One question for the community: For those who have successfully switched records, did you find that your local SSA office was generally supportive of the process, or did you encounter any resistance or skepticism about the benefits of making the change? I want to go in prepared for any potential pushback. Thank you all for sharing your experiences so openly. This community is truly invaluable for navigating these complex situations during already difficult times!