One more thing to keep in mind - when you go to your appointment next week, ask about the effective date for his DAC benefits. Since you've already filed for your retirement, his DAC benefits can potentially be backdated to the month after you became entitled to retirement benefits. This could mean he gets some retroactive payments! Also, don't be surprised if they need to do a redetermination of his disability status even though he's already on SSI - it's standard procedure, but since he's already been found disabled, it should go smoothly.

Just want to add that you should also ask about what happens if your son receives any back pay from the DAC benefits. Sometimes there can be SSI overpayment issues if he gets a lump sum retroactive payment that puts him over the $2,000 resource limit temporarily. The SSA representative should be able to explain how they handle this transition to avoid any complications. Also, if his DAC benefit ends up being significantly higher than his current SSI, make sure you understand exactly when the SSI will stop so there's no gap in his monthly income. Good luck with your appointment!

Thank you all so much for the helpful information! I've made an appointment at my local SSA office for next week, and I'm gathering all the documents that were suggested. I'm going to explore that strategy of taking survivor benefits now and then possibly switching to my own later - that might work best for my situation. If I have trouble getting through to check on my application status after I apply, I might try that Claimyr service mentioned above. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences and advice!

As a newcomer here, I wanted to share something that might help - when you go to your SSA appointment next week, ask them to run a benefit estimate for both scenarios (taking survivor benefits now vs. waiting). They can show you the exact dollar amounts which makes the decision much clearer. Also, don't be surprised if they try to schedule a phone appointment instead of in-person - many offices are still doing that for initial consultations. Good luck with everything, and I hope you get the financial relief you need during this difficult time.

Thank you all for the helpful responses! I've learned a lot and have some follow-up questions: 1. For the automatic recalculation that might increase my benefit - does this happen without me needing to contact SSA? 2. For those who mentioned tax implications - is there a calculator anywhere that can help me estimate how much of my SS will be taxable with this additional income? 3. I'm still not clear on Medicare coordination - if I take my employer's health plan, can I drop Medicare Part B entirely or just use it as secondary coverage?

Just wanted to add another consideration that hasn't been mentioned - if you're planning to work part-time at $42k/year, make sure you understand how this might affect any pension benefits you might have from previous employers. Some pension plans have "return to work" provisions that could reduce pension payments if you work for a competitor or in the same industry, even after retirement age. Also, since you mentioned it's consulting work, keep detailed records of any business expenses you might have (home office, computer equipment, travel, etc.) as these could help offset some of the tax burden from your combined SS + consulting income. Self-employment expenses can be quite valuable for tax planning! One more thing - if your consulting arrangement allows it, consider asking about spreading payments across tax years or negotiating payment timing to help manage your tax brackets and potential IRMAA thresholds.

good luck getting anyone on the phone these days... i just go to the office in person even tho its a pain

As someone who went through a similar earnings limit situation last year, I want to reassure you that this is more common than you think and SSA has processes in place to handle it. The key is persistence and documentation. A few practical suggestions: Try calling the SSA number at exactly 8:00 AM when they open - I found Tuesday and Wednesday mornings tend to have slightly lower call volumes. If you still can't get through, consider sending a certified letter to your local office with your SSN, explanation of the situation, and copies of your pay stubs showing the increased earnings. You mentioned setting aside benefit payments - that's actually smart. While they likely won't demand everything back at once, having some funds available gives you peace of mind. Based on your $5,800 overage, expect roughly a $241/month reduction in future benefits rather than a complete stoppage. Most importantly, the fact that you're proactively trying to report this works heavily in your favor. SSA agents appreciate when beneficiaries are upfront about changes rather than waiting for them to discover it during their annual wage matching process. Keep that documentation log you're creating - it will be invaluable if any issues arise later!

As a newcomer to this community, I really appreciate how helpful everyone has been in this thread! Ryan, your situation sounds incredibly stressful, but I'm so glad you were able to get through to SSA and get clarification. This whole discussion has been really eye-opening for me about how SSA processes complex benefit changes. The fact that they send payments in stages without immediate explanations seems to be a recurring theme based on everyone's experiences here. It's frustrating that the system works this way, but at least now I know what to expect if I ever face a similar situation. Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge and experiences - this is exactly the kind of community support that makes dealing with government bureaucracy a little less overwhelming!

This is such a valuable thread for anyone dealing with SSA benefit transitions! As someone who's just starting to learn about Social Security processes, I'm amazed by how complex these survivor benefit calculations can be. Ryan, your experience really shows the importance of not panicking when unexpected payments appear - which seems counterintuitive but apparently very normal with SSA. The explanation about FRA calculations and the 82.5% rule from Admin_Masters was particularly enlightening. It's frustrating that SSA's payment and communication systems aren't better coordinated in 2025, but this community discussion proves how helpful it is to have experienced members share their knowledge. Thanks to everyone who contributed - this is exactly the kind of real-world insight that helps people navigate these confusing situations!