Just wondering - did you check your earnings record on your SS account to make sure it's correct? When my estimates disappeared, I later found out there were some missing earnings in my record that would have affected my benefit calculation. Might be worth double-checking while you're sorting this out!

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago when I started getting survivor benefits at age 62. The disappearing estimates really threw me off too! What I ended up doing was creating a simple spreadsheet to track my own benefit growth using the delayed retirement credits (8% per year from FRA to age 70). You can find your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) from your last statement before the estimates disappeared, then calculate the growth yourself. It's not perfect, but it gives you a good ballpark for planning. I also set a calendar reminder to request that SSA-7004 form that Hugo mentioned every year so I can compare my calculations with their official numbers. The good news is that SSA is supposed to automatically switch you to the higher benefit when you reach FRA, but definitely keep track of it yourself for peace of mind!

one other thing about the special needs kids - make sure you look into setting up a special needs trust if you havent already. if they qualify for SSI (not SSDI) when they're adults then having assets in their name could disqualify them. my sister's kid lost benefits for 6 months because of this!!

I'm a newcomer here but wanted to share what I learned from a similar situation. I had to navigate survivor benefits with special needs children too, and one thing that really helped was getting everything documented early. For the disability determination process, start collecting medical records NOW - not just recent ones, but going back to when their disabilities were first diagnosed. The SSA looks for evidence that the disability began before age 22, so having that complete medical timeline is crucial. Also, don't overlook vocational rehabilitation services. My state's VR program helped my special needs son get job training that actually INCREASED his allowable work activity under SSA rules, which meant he could earn some income without losing benefits. One more tip - if you decide to use a service like Claimyr to get through to SSA faster, make sure you have all your documents ready (marriage certificates, death certificates, kids' SSNs, medical records) before you call. They can run scenarios quickly if you have everything at hand. Good luck with this complex situation - it's overwhelming but you'll get through it!

My wife just reminded me they send a mailing when you turn 59 and 6 months with some kind of statement and info about signing up. So maybe just wait a bit and you'll get one automatically? Not sure if its the same statement your talking about though.

UPDATE: I successfully created my my Social Security account! It was actually pretty straightforward. I had to verify my identity through my cell phone and answer some questions about my credit history. The statement has EVERYTHING my accountant needed - all my earnings year by year, estimated benefits at different ages, and even a breakdown of SS and Medicare taxes I've paid. Thanks to everyone for the advice!

One more important point: the earnings test only applies to wages and self-employment income. If you have investment income, rental income, pension payments, or distributions from retirement accounts, those don't count toward the earnings limit. So some people strategically shift their income sources to stay under the limit.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm in a similar situation - turning 62 next year and trying to decide when to claim. One thing I'd add is that SSA has a retirement estimator tool on their website (ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/estimator.html) where you can model different claiming strategies and see how working income affects your benefits. Also, for anyone still confused about this topic, I found SSA's Publication 05-10069 "How Work Affects Your Benefits" to be much clearer than the general website explanations. You can download it as a PDF and it walks through several examples with actual numbers. The key takeaway seems to be: if you're going to keep working at a high income level, it might make more sense to just wait until FRA to claim rather than dealing with the earnings test and partial benefit recovery. But if your work income will be variable or you can structure it as non-wage income, claiming early might work out better.

I'm going through a very similar situation with my 17-year-old son who has intellectual disabilities and receives survivors benefits. One thing I learned that might help - when you call SSA, specifically ask about the "protective filing date." If you can get them to establish a protective filing date before her 18th birthday, it can help ensure there's no gap in benefits even if the paperwork takes time to process. Also, keep detailed records of all her daily care needs - things like medication management, meal preparation, transportation, personal hygiene assistance, etc. The more specific you can be about what she can't do independently, the stronger your case will be. I created a daily care log that really helped when we had to document my son's limitations. The stress of this transition is real, but it sounds like you're on the right track by starting early. Don't be afraid to be persistent with SSA - sometimes you need to call multiple times to get consistent information. Good luck with everything!

I'm also navigating this transition with my daughter who has autism and will be 18 soon. Reading through everyone's experiences has been incredibly helpful! I wanted to add that when I spoke with our disability advocate last month, she mentioned that it's really important to emphasize the *functional limitations* rather than just the diagnoses when filling out the forms. For autism specifically, they want to see how it impacts her ability to work, interact socially, handle changes in routine, manage personal care, etc. Even if your daughter seems "high functioning" in some areas, document everything she struggles with - executive functioning issues, sensory processing problems, difficulty with transitions, need for prompting or supervision. Also, if she's ever had any work experiences (like supported employment or volunteer work), make sure to document what accommodations or supports were needed. This can actually strengthen the case by showing she tried to work but needed significant assistance. The whole process is overwhelming but this community has given me so much confidence that we can get through it. Sending support to all the families dealing with this transition!