I'm a disability advocate and wanted to share some additional insights that might help. The wait times vary significantly by hearing office - some are as short as 4-6 months while others can stretch to 12+ months. You can actually look up your specific hearing office's average processing time on SSA's website to get a better estimate. One thing I always tell families is to document EVERYTHING during this waiting period. Keep a daily log of your daughter's challenges, meltdowns, assistance she needs, etc. This real-time documentation can be incredibly powerful evidence that shows her consistent limitations rather than just a snapshot from medical appointments. For the hearing itself, I'd strongly recommend requesting accommodations in writing well before the hearing date. This should include having you present to assist with communication, allowing breaks if she becomes overwhelmed, and using simple language. Don't just rely on verbal requests the day of the hearing. Regarding DAC benefits - this is actually a separate application process, but the disability determination from your SSDI hearing can be used for the DAC claim. If approved, DAC benefits are often higher than what someone would get on their own record, especially for someone young with limited work history. Your attorney should be explaining all of this clearly. If they're not, don't hesitate to ask pointed questions or even consider getting a second opinion. You're your daughter's best advocate in this process!

I'm going through a similar situation with my adult son who has autism and intellectual disability. We're about 6 months into our hearing wait after reconsideration denial, and I completely understand your anxiety about the process. A few things that have helped us prepare: First, I started keeping a detailed journal of his daily challenges and needs for assistance - things like needing reminders to eat, getting overwhelmed by changes in routine, difficulty with phone calls or paperwork. This documentation has been invaluable for showing his real-world limitations. For the hearing anxiety, our attorney suggested we could request a "pre-hearing conference" where we briefly meet the judge beforehand so my son can get familiar with them before the actual hearing. This might help your daughter feel less anxious about speaking to a stranger. Also, regarding your comment about her potentially saying what she thinks people want to hear - this is SO common with people who have intellectual disabilities. Make sure your attorney understands this "masking" behavior and can explain it to the judge. We've been practicing with my son that it's okay to say "I don't know" or "I need help with that" rather than just agreeing. One practical tip: bring a comfort item or fidget tool for your daughter if that helps her self-regulate during stressful situations. Most judges are understanding about these accommodations. The waiting is absolutely the hardest part, but you're doing everything right by getting an attorney and preparing thoroughly. Your advocacy for your daughter is clear in every word you've written.

I went through this exact calculation with my mom when my dad passed in 2019. She was born in 1957 so her survivor FRA was 66 and 6 months. What really helped us was creating a spreadsheet to compare the monthly benefit amounts at different claiming ages. Don't forget that once you start receiving survivor benefits, you'll also get annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLA), so starting a bit earlier might make sense depending on your financial situation. Also, survivor benefits aren't subject to the earnings test once you reach your survivor FRA, which is different from regular retirement benefits. The SSA representatives can run benefit estimates for you at different ages if you call with your husband's Social Security number and death certificate information.

I work at a local SSA field office and deal with survivor benefit calculations daily. Yes, SSA absolutely prorates survivor benefits by month - there's no waiting until the next age milestone. However, I want to clarify something important that might be confusing you. The percentages you mentioned (91.86% at 65, 95.93% at 66) seem to be from a general chart, but your actual calculation depends on YOUR specific Full Retirement Age for survivor benefits based on your birth year. If you were born in 1958, your survivor FRA is 66 and 8 months, which means at 66 and 6 months you'd actually get about 99.125% of your husband's benefit (only a 0.875% reduction for being 2 months early). I'd recommend calling SSA with your husband's information to get your exact benefit estimate at different claiming ages - they can run scenarios for you. The difference between using the wrong FRA assumption versus your actual FRA could be significant over time.

One more important point: If your husband is a veteran, check with the VA as well. There may be additional survivor benefits available through them that are separate from Social Security. Also, once you're on survivor benefits, you'll still get the annual Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA) that Social Security provides. And if you're not already enrolled in Medicare, that's something else to consider as you approach 65.

I want to add something that might be helpful - consider contacting your local Area Agency on Aging. They often have Social Security experts who can help you understand your benefits and even assist with applications at no cost. They're usually much easier to reach than SSA directly and can provide personalized guidance for your situation. Many also offer grief counseling and other support services that might be valuable during this difficult time. You can find your local agency at eldercare.acl.gov. Wishing you and your husband strength during this challenging period.

Update: I finally got through to SSA this morning after trying for days! They confirmed that yes, my February payment (for January) WILL include the 2025 COLA. The representative explained that what I'm seeing online is my base amount before the COLA adjustment. She said the online portal won't display the updated amount until my claim is fully processed in January. Mystery solved! Thanks everyone for your help.

That's fantastic that you got confirmation directly from SSA! This is such a common source of confusion for new retirees. Your experience really highlights why it's worth the effort to call and get official confirmation rather than relying on the online estimates during the transition period. Hopefully your post helps other people in similar situations understand that the COLA will automatically be included in their 2025 payments, even if they're just starting benefits. Enjoy your retirement!

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now with my mom (she's 65). Her husband passed away last month and we're trying to figure out her survivor benefits too. One thing I learned from the SSA office is that they sometimes quote percentages differently than we expect. When they told my mom she'd get "90% of his benefit," what they actually meant was 90% of what he was receiving at the time of death, but since he had delayed retirement credits from waiting until 70, that 90% was still more than his full retirement age amount would have been. Also, make sure your sister-in-law understands that if she switches to survivor benefits, she gives up her own retirement benefit. It's not additive - it's whichever is higher. The SSA rep should have explained this to her, but sometimes they assume people already know. Has she received her first survivor benefit payment yet, or is she just going off what the SSA rep told her during the application? Sometimes there's a difference between the initial estimate and the actual payment amount.

I work for a nonprofit that helps seniors navigate Social Security benefits, and this type of confusion comes up frequently. The 94% figure your sister-in-law mentioned is almost certainly not her actual reduction percentage for claiming survivor benefits early. Here's what likely happened: Since her husband waited until age 70 to claim, his benefit included delayed retirement credits that boosted it to about 132% of his Primary Insurance Amount (PIA). When she claims survivor benefits at 63 and 2 months, she gets roughly 82% of his PIA due to the early claiming reduction. But 82% of his PIA might equal around 94% of what he was actually receiving monthly (since his actual benefit was inflated by delayed credits). So she's probably getting about $2,665 per month (82% of his PIA), which happens to be roughly 94% of his $3,250 monthly payment. The percentage she quoted refers to his actual payment, not the standard survivor benefit calculation. She should definitely review her MySocialSecurity account or award letter to see the exact calculation. Also confirm she understands that switching to survivor benefits means giving up her $1,100 retirement benefit - it's not both benefits combined.