Thank you everyone for the helpful responses! I called my local SSA office this morning and got some additional information. They confirmed what many of you said - my son can receive both benefits, but the SSI amount will be reduced. They also explained that the autism diagnosis doesn't affect his current benefits from his dad at all. I'm going to go ahead with the SSI application mainly for the Medicaid coverage. Really appreciate all your help navigating this complicated system!

I'm so glad you got the confirmation you needed from SSA! Just wanted to add that when you do apply for SSI, make sure to ask about expedited processing if available. Some offices can fast-track applications for children with certain conditions like autism, especially if you have all the medical documentation ready. Also, don't be discouraged if the first application gets denied - it's unfortunately common and doesn't mean your son doesn't qualify. Many families have to go through the appeals process. The most important thing is that you're getting him the services he needs. Wishing you and your son all the best!

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.

I wanted to share something that might be helpful - when dealing with complex Social Security situations like yours, consider requesting a formal benefit estimate in writing rather than just calling. You can submit a request through your my Social Security account online or by visiting a local SSA office. This forces them to provide you with documented calculations rather than verbal estimates that might vary between representatives. Also, since you mentioned you're 62 and still working full-time, make sure to ask about the "do-over" rule if you do decide to claim survivor benefits early. If your financial situation changes or you get better information later, you have a limited window to withdraw your application and repay any benefits received, which could allow you to restart with a different strategy. The interaction between survivor benefits, your future retirement benefits, and your son's DAC benefits is definitely one of the more complex scenarios in Social Security. Don't feel bad about being confused - even SSA representatives sometimes need to consult with specialists for these multi-generational family maximum situations!

Just wanted to add one more important consideration that hasn't been mentioned yet - if your wife is caring for your child who is under 16 or disabled, she could potentially receive survivor benefits immediately (regardless of her age) as a "mother's benefit" or "caregiver benefit." This benefit would be 75% of your PIA and wouldn't have the same age restrictions as regular survivor benefits. Also, don't forget that any unmarried children under 18 (or up to 19 if still in high school, or any age if disabled before 22) would also be eligible for survivor benefits of 75% of your PIA each. These family benefits are subject to a family maximum, but it's something to factor into your overall planning. The planning you're doing now is really smart - having all this information ahead of time can make an incredibly difficult situation much more manageable for your wife.

This is such valuable information everyone is sharing! As someone who works with families going through these situations, I want to emphasize one key point that might not be obvious: the timing of when you pass away can significantly impact the survivor benefit calculation. Since you're 63 and haven't claimed yet, if something happened to you now, your wife's survivor benefit would be based on your current PIA (Primary Insurance Amount). But if you wait until, say, age 67 or 70, she'd get the benefit of any delayed retirement credits you've earned - which could be 24-32% higher than your PIA. However, there's a balance to consider: waiting longer means fewer years of potential survivor benefits. It might be worth running the numbers both ways - claiming earlier vs. waiting for delayed retirement credits - to see what maximizes the total lifetime benefit for your family situation. Also, make sure your wife knows where to find all the important documents she'd need (your Social Security number, marriage certificate, death certificate, etc.) and consider creating a simple guide for her about the steps to take with SSA. The last thing you want is for her to be searching for paperwork during an already difficult time.

Great questions! I'll try to help based on what I learned when my mom went through this process: 1. There isn't a specific form to fill out beforehand - it's all handled during the phone appointment. The SSA rep will gather all the info and process the application during that call. They'll send any paperwork that needs signatures by mail. 2. For documents, definitely have ready: marriage certificate, death certificate, birth certificates (yours and spouse's), Social Security cards, last few years of tax returns, bank account info for direct deposit, and any military discharge papers if applicable. Also helpful to have your spouse's W-2s or self-employment records to verify earnings history. 3. You absolutely need to ask them to verify the delayed retirement credits calculation! Don't assume they'll get it right automatically. My mom had to specifically ask them to walk through the math showing how they calculated her benefit amount. The first rep got it wrong and we had to call back to get it corrected. I'd also suggest creating a simple one-page summary with all your key info (SSNs, dates of birth, marriage date, etc.) so your wife doesn't have to hunt for details during an already stressful call. The more organized and prepared she is, the smoother the process will go. The SSA website really doesn't prepare you for the reality of dealing with their system. These real-world experiences are invaluable!

As someone who just went through the survivor benefits process 6 months ago, I can confirm that bringing someone with you is EXTREMELY helpful. My sister came with me to the SSA office and it made all the difference. She took notes while I focused on answering questions, and she caught several things the rep glossed over quickly. A few additional tips from my experience: - Write down the rep's name and direct number if they give one - Ask for a written summary of what benefits you'll receive and when - If they say you're not eligible for something, ask them to explain exactly why in writing - Don't leave without a clear timeline of when your first payment will arrive One thing that really helped was that my husband had written a simple letter before he passed explaining our situation and what benefits I should be entitled to. When the SSA rep tried to shortchange me on the delayed retirement credits calculation, I was able to reference his notes and push back confidently. The rep "suddenly" found the error and corrected it. The whole system is unfortunately designed to wear you down, but being prepared and having support makes it manageable. Document everything and don't be afraid to advocate for yourself!

As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to add some perspective on the documentation process that might be helpful. I just completed my Social Security retirement application last month at age 62 and successfully applied for my 16-year-old daughter's benefits simultaneously. Beyond the basic documents others mentioned (birth certificate, Social Security card), I found it helpful to bring a copy of my most recent tax return showing my daughter as a dependent, and her school enrollment verification. The SSA representative said this helped streamline the process since it clearly established both the relationship and her student status. One thing that surprised me was that they were able to provide a detailed breakdown of the family maximum calculation right there in the office. Since you mentioned having just one child and no ex-spouse collecting benefits, you're likely in a very favorable position - I was told that single-child families rarely hit the actual family maximum limits. The representative also explained that child benefits automatically stop the month your child turns 18 (or graduates high school if still under 19), so that's built into their calculations when they show you the projected benefit amounts. This timing consideration might be important for your college planning since benefits could potentially stop before or during your daughter's freshman year depending on her birthday and graduation timing. I'd definitely recommend calling ahead to schedule an appointment rather than walking in - the wait times have been much better with scheduled appointments, and they can dedicate more time to walking through all the scenarios and calculations with you.

As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to share some insights that might help with your decision-making process. I recently helped my brother navigate a very similar situation when he was considering early retirement at 62 with a 14-year-old son. One thing we discovered that hasn't been fully discussed here is the impact of your daughter's age on the total benefit period. Since she's currently 13 and you're planning to retire at 62 next summer, she would potentially receive benefits for about 4-5 years (until she turns 18 or graduates high school). This relatively short benefit period is important when weighing the FAFSA implications that others have mentioned. We found it helpful to create a spreadsheet comparing scenarios: taking early retirement now with child benefits versus waiting until full retirement age. While waiting would increase both your benefit and hers, you'd lose several years of actual payments. In my brother's case, the math actually favored taking early retirement because the cumulative benefits over those extra years outweighed the higher monthly amounts from waiting. Another consideration is that if you're planning to work part-time or have any earnings after claiming at 62, there are earnings limits that could reduce your benefits (and consequently your daughter's). For 2025, if you're under full retirement age, you can earn up to $23,400 without any reduction in benefits. I'd recommend getting that written estimate from SSA and then perhaps consulting with a fee-only financial advisor who can help you model out the long-term financial impact, including college costs and aid implications. This decision involves too many variables to make without running the actual numbers for your specific situation.