I'm going through a very similar situation with my 8-year-old daughter who has severe autism and intellectual disability. We were initially worried about our income disqualifying her, but we got approved after appeal! Here's what helped us: The SSA worker explained that they use a "parental allocation" formula - they don't just look at your total income. They subtract amounts for basic living expenses for you, your spouse, and any other children before determining what counts against your disabled child's eligibility. For the medical side, make sure your son's evaluations use specific language about his "marked" or "extreme" limitations in areas like social functioning, communication, and activities of daily living. The SSA has very specific criteria they're looking for in autism cases. Also, start tracking EVERYTHING autism-related financially - copays, gas to appointments, special foods if he has dietary restrictions, weighted blankets, sensory equipment, respite care, etc. These can sometimes be deducted as disability-related expenses. The whole process took us about 8 months with the appeal, but the monthly payment plus automatic Medicaid coverage has been life-changing for accessing services. Don't give up if you get that first denial letter - most autism cases I know of got approved on appeal with better documentation.

I want to add something that hasn't been mentioned yet - timing can be really important with SSI applications for children with autism. If your son is approaching age 18, the eligibility criteria completely changes and they'll evaluate him as an adult rather than using the childhood disability rules. Adult evaluations are often harder to qualify for since they focus more on work capacity rather than developmental milestones. Also, I'd strongly recommend applying even if you're unsure about income eligibility. The worst they can say is no, but if you don't apply, you'll never know if those deeming rules would have worked in your favor. Plus, if your family's financial situation changes in the future (job loss, medical expenses increase, etc.), having an established case file can make reapplying much faster. One practical tip: when you call SSA or visit the office, bring a detailed list of questions written down beforehand. The workers deal with so many cases that having specific questions about deeming calculations, medical documentation requirements, and timeline expectations will help you get clearer answers. Good luck with your application process!

wait i'm confused about something - if you're making 65k why do you even care about survivor benefits? thats way more than most of us get from ss and work combined. just curious

Just wanted to chime in as someone who works in retirement planning - you're absolutely making the right call to wait until FRA. With your current income situation, the earnings test would essentially negate any benefit from claiming early anyway, so you'd be taking a permanent reduction for no real gain. One thing I'd add that others haven't mentioned: when you do switch to your own retirement benefit at 70, make sure you understand that your survivor benefit stops at that point. You can't collect both simultaneously. But given that your own benefit will be higher (especially with the delayed retirement credits), that's still the optimal strategy. Also, keep excellent records of your application dates and any SSA communications. The transition from survivor benefits to retirement benefits can sometimes get messy administratively, and having documentation helps resolve any issues quickly. Your overall strategy sounds very solid - maximize the survivor benefit by waiting for FRA, then maximize your own retirement benefit by waiting until 70. That's textbook optimal planning for someone in your situation.

I'm a case worker who helps families navigate these systems daily, and I can confirm everything that's been shared here. The confusion is completely understandable because logically you'd think Social Security rep payee status would cover all SSA-administered programs, but Medicare has its own authorization requirements. One thing I always tell families: if your loved one is cognitively able to participate, have them present when you submit the CMS-1696 form either in person or by phone. Some Medicare representatives will want to verify consent directly with the beneficiary, even if the paperwork is properly filled out. This can speed up the approval process significantly. Also, keep a copy of the signed CMS-1696 form for your records - you'll often need to reference the authorization number when calling Medicare, and having it handy saves time. The authorization typically lasts until revoked or until the beneficiary passes away, unlike some other temporary authorizations. The system definitely needs reform to be more family-friendly during medical crises, but knowing the separate processes upfront at least helps you plan accordingly.

I'm currently helping my elderly aunt navigate this same situation after her recent hip surgery. This thread has been incredibly informative - I had initially assumed (like many others here) that the rep payee status would cover everything, but I'm now realizing I need to tackle the Medicare authorization separately. One question for those who've completed this process: did anyone run into issues with timing? My aunt's Medicare Advantage plan has some urgent decisions coming up (open enrollment period), and I'm worried about getting the CMS-1696 processed in time. Should I try to expedite the Medicare authorization somehow, or is there a way to handle urgent Medicare decisions while the paperwork is still processing? Also, huge thanks to everyone who shared their real-world experiences here. The official government resources really don't prepare you for how disconnected these systems actually are!

I'm so sorry for your loss and the stress this is adding during an already difficult time. As someone who recently helped my elderly neighbor navigate a similar situation, I wanted to share a few things that might help. First, the $670 amount does seem surprisingly low given your father's $4200 benefit. Even with early claiming reductions, your mom should typically receive a higher survivor benefit than what she's getting now. One thing to double-check: Was your father receiving his full benefit amount, or was his $4200 already reduced because he claimed early too? This would affect the base amount used for calculating your mom's survivor benefits. Also, I'd recommend asking SSA to provide you with a copy of your mom's complete earnings record and benefit calculation worksheet. Sometimes there are errors in their system regarding work history or claiming dates that can significantly impact benefit amounts. The fact that multiple representatives have given you the runaround without a clear explanation is unfortunately common, but don't give up. You have the right to understand exactly how they calculated her benefits. If needed, consider filing an appeal or requesting a formal review of her case. Keep detailed notes of every conversation, including names and reference numbers. This documentation can be crucial if you need to escalate the issue. Your persistence could make a real difference in your mom's financial security.

I'm really sorry for your loss and the confusion you're dealing with during such a difficult time. As someone who works in benefits administration, I wanted to add a few technical points that might help explain what's happening. The key issue here is likely the interaction between early claiming penalties and the specific type of benefits your mom was receiving before your dad passed. If she was already getting a "deemed spousal benefit" (which combines her own small earned benefit with a spousal supplement), the transition to survivor benefits isn't as straightforward as many people expect. Here's what I'd specifically ask SSA to clarify: 1. What was your mom's Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) before any reductions? 2. What percentage reduction is being applied due to her claiming at 62? 3. Was she receiving spousal benefits or just her own earned benefit while your dad was alive? One often-overlooked factor is that if your mom was already receiving the maximum possible spousal benefit while your dad was alive, and that amount was close to what she's getting now as a survivor, it might actually be correct - just not what you'd intuitively expect. Also, definitely request form SSA-1099 for both your parents for the past few years. This will show exactly what benefits were being paid to whom, which can help clarify the situation. Don't give up - you're doing the right thing by advocating for your mom!

I want to thank everyone for the incredibly helpful advice. I've gathered all our documents (birth certificates, marriage certificate, my wife's medical records) and plan to start my application online tomorrow using Chrome as suggested. I'll clearly note my wife's terminal condition in the remarks section and hope it gets flagged for the TERI program. After I get my application submitted, I'll help my wife apply for her benefits and clearly indicate she's applying for both her retirement and spousal benefits. Based on the calculations shared, she should receive around $1,350 total between the two, which will really help with our expenses. I'm also going to check out that Claimyr service since it sounds like I'll need to speak with SSA at some point about the spousal benefits. Being able to avoid long wait times would be a huge relief given my caregiving responsibilities. You've all been so supportive and informative - it's made a stressful situation much more manageable. I'll update on how things go after we submit our applications.

I'm so sorry to hear about your wife's diagnosis. As someone who works with seniors navigating Social Security, I wanted to add a few practical tips that might help: First, when you submit your online application, save a copy of everything before hitting submit. The system can be glitchy and you don't want to lose your work. Also, after submission, you'll get a receipt number - keep that handy as it helps SSA locate your case quickly. For your wife's application, consider doing it as soon as possible after yours is processed. There's no advantage to waiting, and given her condition, getting benefits started sooner rather than later is important. One thing I haven't seen mentioned - if you're caring for her full-time and she qualifies for disability benefits due to her terminal illness, that could potentially change the benefit calculation. Terminal cancer often qualifies for expedited disability processing under their Compassionate Allowances program, which could provide higher monthly payments than regular retirement benefits. You might want to ask about this when you speak with SSA. The disability route could be worth exploring alongside the retirement/spousal benefits path. Sending you both strength during this challenging time.