As someone who went through this exact transition with my autistic daughter two years ago, I want to emphasize something that really helped us - start keeping a detailed "Activities of Daily Living" journal RIGHT NOW. Document every single thing your son needs help with over the course of a week: Does he need reminders to shower? Help managing his schedule? Assistance with grocery shopping or meal planning? Problems with social interactions at work or school? The SSA disability examiners really focus on functional capacity, and having concrete examples of daily limitations is incredibly powerful. We kept a simple notebook for about a month before the application, writing down things like "needed help understanding bus schedule," "required step-by-step guidance to prepare a sandwich," "became overwhelmed and had meltdown when routine changed." This documentation was crucial during the interview process because it showed the real-world impact of his autism beyond just the medical diagnosis. The examiner specifically asked for examples of daily challenges, and we had pages of specific incidents to reference. Also, if your son has any repetitive behaviors, sensory issues, or communication difficulties that would interfere with work, make sure those are thoroughly documented by his doctors. Good luck - you're already ahead of the game by starting this process early!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now with my 17-year-old son who has autism! Reading through all these responses has been so incredibly helpful - I had no idea about so many of these resources and requirements. I especially appreciate the advice about starting the Activities of Daily Living journal and contacting the developmental disabilities services office. My son needs help with so many things that I just do automatically now - like helping him understand social cues at his part-time job, reminding him to take breaks when he gets overstimulated, and walking him through any changes to his routine. One thing I wanted to add that our family support coordinator mentioned - if your son is currently receiving services through your state's autism waiver or similar program, those service coordinators are often really knowledgeable about the SSI transition process too. Ours has been helping us understand how his current support services might change or continue once he transitions to adult benefits. The timeline everyone mentioned (starting 3-4 months early) seems so important. I'm definitely going to try that Claimyr service to get through to SSA since our local office has been impossible to reach. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - it's making this scary transition feel much more manageable!

what medical condition do u have? my brother got approved for back problems but my friend with fibromyalga keeps getting denied

One more important point: if your SSDI is approved, when you reach full retirement age (67), your benefit won't convert back to reduced retirement benefits. You'll continue receiving the full PIA amount. This is a significant advantage of qualifying for SSDI after taking early retirement. Also, the 5-month waiting period for SSDI may not apply to you since you're already receiving retirement benefits, but this depends on your established onset date. Make sure you understand how all this affects Medicare eligibility too.

Thanks everyone for all this helpful information! I'll make sure to keep my earnings under $2,340 each month during 2025, and then stay below the annual limit for 2026 and beyond. I'm going to keep careful records of all my earnings and I'll ask my employer to help make sure I don't accidentally go over. This part-time job sounds like it will work out perfectly with these limits. Really appreciate all the detailed explanations and personal experiences!

Just wanted to add one more tip that helped me when I was in a similar situation - consider asking your employer if they can structure your pay to help you stay within the limits. For example, if you're close to the monthly limit in a particular month, they might be able to defer some pay to the next month (as long as it doesn't put you over that month's limit either). Also, make sure you understand what counts as "earnings" - things like bonuses, commissions, and overtime all count toward the limit, but vacation pay for unused time might be treated differently depending on when it was earned. The SSA has a detailed publication (Publication 05-10069) that explains exactly what income counts if you want the official guidance. Good luck with your new job! It sounds like you've got a good handle on the rules now.

Good question about the earnings test! Benefits withheld due to the earnings test are NOT permanently lost. Once you reach FRA, Social Security recalculates your benefit amount to credit you for months when benefits were withheld. Your monthly benefit amount increases to account for those months you didn't receive benefits.

As someone who went through a similar situation with my spouse, I'd recommend creating a spreadsheet to model different scenarios with your actual numbers. Don't forget to factor in cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) and potential changes to your health insurance coverage when you retire. One strategy worth considering: since your husband's PIA is higher, you might explore having him delay until 70 (getting those 8% annual increases) while you claim at 67. This could maximize your household's total lifetime benefits AND provide you with the highest possible survivor benefit if he passes first. The math gets complex, but the peace of mind knowing you've optimized your strategy is worth the effort. Also, consider consulting with a fee-only financial planner who specializes in Social Security - they can often spot opportunities that aren't obvious from online calculators. Best of luck with your planning!

Thanks everyone for the helpful responses! This has given me a lot to think about. I'm going to: 1. File about 3 months before my FRA date (so around July 2025) 2. Continue working without worrying about the earnings test 3. Talk to a tax professional about managing the tax implications 4. Consider the survivor benefit implications for my wife I really appreciate all the advice and personal experiences shared here!

Great summary of your plan! One additional tip since you mentioned filing in July 2025 - double-check your exact FRA date. Born November 10, 1958 means your FRA is July 10, 2025 (66 years + 8 months). So filing 3 months early would be around April 2025, not July. You want your benefits to start the month you reach FRA, so timing the application correctly is important to avoid any delays or complications. Also, since you're planning to work several more years, keep an eye on your annual Social Security statement to see how those continued earnings might boost your benefit amount through the automatic recalculations mentioned earlier. Good luck with everything!