tell him good luck!!! my aunt says to make sure he brings his doctors phone numbers and addresses to the application. they ask for ALL that stuff and it slows things down if you dont have it ready

I went through this exact situation with my husband two years ago when he developed ESRD. One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned - make sure your brother keeps detailed records of his dialysis appointments and any work days he's missed due to treatment or complications. Even though ESRD is on the compassionate allowance list, having a clear paper trail showing how the treatment schedule interferes with normal work hours really strengthened our case. Also, his nephrologist should be willing to write a letter specifically stating that the dialysis schedule and associated fatigue make regular employment impossible - this was crucial for us. The whole process took about 6 weeks from application to approval, and having his employer's support during that time was invaluable. Wishing your brother the best with his treatment and application!

This is such a stressful situation but you're getting great advice here! I wanted to add that when my disabled son transitioned from SSI to DAC benefits on my husband's record, we discovered a few things that might help you prepare: 1. The interview will likely take 45-60 minutes, so block out plenty of time 2. They'll ask detailed questions about her daily living activities and work capacity, even though she's already been approved for SSI 3. Have her Social Security card, birth certificate, and current benefit letter handy 4. Write down questions beforehand because it's easy to forget important things during the call The transition ended up being worth it financially for us - my son went from $914/month SSI to $1,247/month on DAC benefits. The temporary Medicaid gap was stressful but we got it sorted out. Don't let the bureaucracy overwhelm you - advocate for your daughter and keep pushing for clear answers!

I'm going through almost the exact same situation right now! My husband is 63 and just filed for his Social Security, and we have a 27-year-old disabled son who's been on SSI since he was 19. We got the same letter and phone call from SSA about scheduling an interview. From what I've learned talking to our local SSA office, this is actually a good thing - they're checking if your daughter qualifies for higher benefits on your husband's work record. The interview is just to verify her disability status continues and to gather information for the benefit calculation. One thing that really helped me prepare was calling our daughter's current doctors ahead of time to let them know SSA might be contacting them. Some medical offices take forever to respond to SSA requests, so giving them a heads up can speed things up. Also, if you have any recent medical records or evaluations, have copies ready to fax if they ask. The waiting is nerve-wracking, but from everything I've read here and been told by SSA, this usually works out in the disabled adult child's favor financially. Hang in there - you're doing everything right by asking questions and preparing ahead of time!

That's wonderful that you found a good solution! Having her son take the lead is definitely the right approach. Just a heads up - even with family members, the SSA office might still ask your neighbor to verbally confirm that she wants her son to handle things on her behalf, so it's good that you'll all be there together. Best of luck with the appointment, and you're such a thoughtful neighbor for helping her get this sorted out!

What a wonderful example of community support! I'm new here but wanted to chime in with one additional tip - when you go to the SSA office, try to arrive early (like 15-30 minutes before they open) if possible. The earlier appointment slots tend to move faster, and with your neighbor's memory concerns, avoiding the afternoon rush when she might be more tired could be really helpful. Also, bringing a small snack and water bottle for the wait can make a big difference for elderly folks. You're doing such a kind thing by helping organize this for her!

Definitely contact the SSA directly. I've found the SSA agents to be very knowledgeable and helpful once you actually get to speak with one. They'll need your husband's SSN and earnings history to give you an accurate estimate. Since it's been quite a while since his passing, having his SSN and death certificate information handy when you call will speed things up.

I'm in a similar situation - widow at 58 and trying to plan ahead. One thing I learned from my research is that you might also want to check if you're eligible for any divorced spouse benefits if you were married to anyone else for 10+ years before your husband. Sometimes people don't realize they have multiple options to consider. Also, when you do call SSA, ask them to run scenarios for you at different claiming ages (60, 62, your FRA, etc.) and get those numbers in writing if possible. I've heard stories of people getting different answers from different representatives, so having documentation helps. The representatives are usually very patient about explaining the calculations if you ask them to walk through it step by step. Good luck with getting through to them - the wait times can be brutal but it's worth it for accurate numbers for your planning!

After reading through this thread, I want to offer some additional information that might help with your decision: 1. You can request a detailed benefit calculation from SSA that will show exactly what your benefit would be at 62, FRA, and 70, as well as what your husband's spousal benefit would be once you file. 2. Remember that if you file at 62, your benefit will be reduced by approximately 30% from your FRA amount for life. 3. If your husband is receiving $625/month now, and your FRA benefit would be around $3,400, then his spousal benefit would potentially increase his total to around $1,700 (half your FRA amount). 4. This means filing at 62 could give him an additional $1,075/month, but would permanently reduce your own benefit by about $1,000/month compared to what you'd get at FRA. 5. The breakeven calculation should consider both your life expectancies and immediate financial needs. Have you considered whether you might work part-time between 62-67? If you claim benefits early but continue working, you'd be subject to the earnings test, which could temporarily reduce or eliminate your benefits until you reach FRA.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that you might want to consider a "file and suspend" strategy if it's still available, though I believe the rules changed in 2016. Also, since you're still 5 years away from 62, you have time to potentially increase your benefit even more by maximizing your earnings in these final working years. Social Security calculates benefits based on your highest 35 years of earnings, so if you're earning more now than in some of your earlier years, these next 5 years could significantly boost your eventual benefit. Another consideration: have you looked into whether your husband might be eligible for any other benefits? Sometimes people miss out on things like supplemental security income (SSI) if their regular Social Security is very low, though I'm not sure if his pension would disqualify him. Given that you're planning to work until 65+ anyway and would be subject to the earnings test, waiting definitely seems like the right call. The extra spousal benefit for a few years likely won't offset the permanent reduction to your own benefit that you'd be receiving for potentially 25+ years.