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the whole system is rigged against disabled people trying to work!!!! i spent 5 HOURS on hold last month trying to report my daughter's income and then got disconnected! the SSA website is impossible to navigate and nobody gives the same answer twice. its like they WANT us to make mistakes so they can punish us later.
Just a final recommendation - since your daughter has used all her Trial Work Period months and is in the Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE), the quarterly reporting approach using Form SSA-821 should work well. The key information SSA needs during the EPE is: 1. Monthly earnings amounts 2. Hours worked each month 3. Job duties/type of work This helps them determine if she's performing Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA). Since her earnings are consistently well below the SGA threshold ($1,550/month in 2025), her benefits should continue without interruption. Keep detailed records of all communications with SSA, including certified mail receipts. If your daughter's earnings pattern changes significantly, report it promptly. Quarterly reporting for consistent below-SGA earnings is a reasonable approach that balances compliance with practicality.
MY SON WENT THRU SAME THING. social security is THE WORST!!! we gave them his work info 3 TIMES and they still kept sending letters saying we didnt report!! make sure you get RECEIPTS for EVERYTHING!
This is a really important point. When you report wages online, always take screenshots or print the confirmation pages. The SSA systems don't always communicate properly with each other, and having documentation of your reporting can save you from headaches if they later claim you didn't report properly. I also recommend keeping a simple spreadsheet with dates of reporting and the amounts reported.
Just to add some clarification since there's been some confusion in the responses - the SSA wage reporting system specifically needs the Federal EIN, not a state tax ID or other business identifier. Also, once you have the online reporting set up, you'll need to be aware of your son's Trial Work Period (TWP) months and Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) threshold if he's receiving SSDI-based benefits. The 2025 SGA amount is $1,550 for non-blind disabled individuals, and staying below that is crucial for maintaining benefits.
Thank you for mentioning the SGA amount. The case worker did talk about that, but I wasn't sure of the exact number for 2025. My son is only working about 10 hours a week at $15/hour, so he should stay well below that threshold. Does the TWP apply to disabled adult child benefits too? I thought that was just for regular SSDI.
Yes, the Trial Work Period does apply to Disabled Adult Child (DAC) benefits since they're administered under the same rules as SSDI. Your son gets 9 TWP months (not necessarily consecutive) where he can earn any amount without affecting benefits. A TWP month in 2025 is any month he earns over $1,110. After using all 9 TWP months, the SGA limit kicks in. At his current hours, he's likely staying under the TWP threshold too, which is good!
I know this is off-topic but does anyone know if the 3-month rule is the same when applying for spousal benefits? My wife is turning 67 next year and I want to apply for my spousal benefit since I never worked enough quarters on my own.
Yes, the timing recommendation is the same for spousal benefits. However, be aware that your spouse needs to have already filed for their own benefits (or file at the same time) for you to be eligible for spousal benefits. The 3-month advance application window applies to all retirement-based benefits.
Applying for Medicare at the same time doesn't typically slow down your retirement benefit processing. The two systems are connected but processed separately. In fact, the online application is designed to handle both simultaneously. Many people are automatically enrolled in Medicare Part A at 65 even if they delay retirement benefits until later, so the systems are designed to coordinate.
Omar Farouk
Just wanted to add one thing - if your husband is still working, make sure to factor in how his last few years of earnings might increase his benefit calculation. My husband's final years of work at higher income actually bumped up his PIA since they replaced some lower-earning years from when he was young. The SSA uses the highest 35 years of earnings, so those last high-earning years can make a meaningful difference!
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Diego Fernández
•That's such an important point! My brother-in-law missed this completely. He retired at 63 thinking his benefit was fixed, not realizing that working even part-time at a decent wage for a few more years could have replaced some zero-earning years in his calculation. The SSA doesn't do a great job explaining this.
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Astrid Bergström
im confused about one thing. if ur only married 8 yrs does that affect spousal benefits? i thought u had to be married 10 yrs for that?
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Sean Fitzgerald
•You're thinking of divorced spouse benefits, which require a 10-year marriage. For current spouses, you only need to be married for 1 year to qualify for spousal benefits, and 9 months for survivor benefits (with some exceptions). Since they've been married 8 years, she qualifies for both types of benefits as long as they remain married.
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