I'm sorry for your loss and understand your concern about planning ahead for your family's financial security. From my experience working with families in similar situations, your stepchild's DAC benefits will absolutely remain on your deceased husband's record when you file for your own retirement benefits. These are completely separate entitlements that don't interact with each other. What's particularly important to understand is that DAC benefits are survivor benefits, not dependent benefits. Once established on a deceased parent's record, they stay there permanently unless the beneficiary loses eligibility due to marriage, earnings above SGA, or medical improvement that removes their disability status. I'd also echo the suggestion about looking into widow's benefits. At 63, you could potentially file for reduced widow's benefits now (if you haven't already) while allowing your own retirement benefit to grow with delayed retirement credits until age 70. This strategy often maximizes lifetime benefits, but it depends on your specific earnings history and current financial needs. Consider speaking with a financial advisor who specializes in Social Security planning to run the numbers for your particular situation.

I'm a newcomer to this community and found this discussion incredibly informative as I'm facing a similar situation. My husband passed away two years ago, and we have a disabled adult son who receives DAC benefits based on his father's record. I've been so anxious about how my eventual retirement filing might affect his benefits, but reading everyone's experiences here has been tremendously reassuring. What strikes me most is how consistent everyone's real-world experiences have been - in every case shared here, the DAC benefits remained unchanged when the surviving spouse filed for retirement. It's also eye-opening to learn about the distinction between DAC survivor benefits versus regular disability benefits, and how important it is to use the correct terminology when speaking with SSA representatives. I'm particularly grateful for the suggestions about widow's benefits and working with a Social Security specialist. Like many of you, I've struggled with the SSA phone system and gotten conflicting information, so having these community insights and professional resources to explore gives me a much clearer path forward. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and experiences - it's made navigating this complex system feel much less overwhelming.

Have you considered that maybe you were actually eligible for Medicare earlier than you thought? Sometimes they backdate coverage if you were eligible but didn't sign up right away.

This is so frustrating! I'm dealing with something similar right now. When I called Medicare, they basically said "not our problem" and when I called SSA, they put me on hold for 2 hours before disconnecting. Has anyone tried filing a complaint with Medicare directly? I'm wondering if that might light a fire under them to actually coordinate with SSA properly. It's ridiculous that we have to be the middleman between two government agencies that should be talking to each other!

Don't forget that the taxable thresholds for Social Security have not been adjusted for inflation since they were introduced in 1984!!! The $25,000/$32,000 limits would be over $70,000/$90,000 if they had been indexed for inflation. More and more middle-class retirees get pushed into paying taxes on their benefits every year because of this. It's a total scam by the government!

I'm just starting to research this topic as I approach retirement in a few years, and honestly, this thread has been eye-opening! Like Lydia, I had no idea that Social Security benefits could be taxable. I always assumed they were completely tax-free since we pay into the system our whole working lives. Reading about those income thresholds from 1984 never being adjusted for inflation really puts things in perspective. It explains why so many retirees today are caught off guard by the tax implications. For those of you who've been through this already - what's your biggest piece of advice for someone who's still in the planning stage? Should I be adjusting my retirement savings strategy now to account for this, or is it better to just plan on having taxes withheld when the time comes? Also, does anyone know if there are any proposed changes to these rules in Congress? It seems like updating those 40-year-old thresholds would be a common-sense reform.

I'm in a similar situation as you, Abby! I'm 64 and started taking my benefits at 62, getting about $1,200/month. My husband is 66 and just filed for his benefits last month. I had to specifically apply for the spousal benefit - it definitely wasn't automatic like I thought it would be. The process was actually pretty straightforward once I got through to someone at SSA (took a few tries though). They calculated my spousal benefit based on his PIA minus what I'm already getting, then reduced it because I filed early. I ended up getting an extra $89/month, which isn't huge but every little bit helps! One tip: when you call, have your Social Security statements handy for both you and your husband. They asked for specific numbers from our earnings records to verify the calculations. Good luck!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm also navigating spousal benefits and had no idea about the deemed filing rule that Sadie mentioned. One thing I'm wondering about - if your husband is still working while collecting Social Security, does that affect your spousal benefit calculation at all? I know there are earnings limits that can reduce his benefits if he's under FRA, but I'm not sure if that impacts the spousal portion. Also, for those who've actually gone through the application process - did SSA require any documentation beyond the marriage certificate? My husband and I have been married for 15 years but I want to make sure I have everything ready before I call. The horror stories about wait times are making me want to be super prepared!

I know this isn't directly related to your question, but have you looked into whether that Nevada government job might make you eligible for Medicare Part B premium reduction through the Medicare Savings Program? Some state/local government retirees qualify for help with Medicare costs even with small pensions.

Just want to add that when you contact SSA about your pension, ask them to put a note in your file about when you reported it and what documentation you provided. I've seen cases where people reported their pensions properly but there was no record of it in the system later, which caused problems. Getting a receipt or confirmation number when you report it can save you headaches down the road. Also, since you mentioned the Medicare supplemental coverage from your county job is valuable, that's probably worth keeping even with the GPO reduction. Those government health plans often have better coverage than what you'd pay for privately, so the math might still work in your favor overall.