when my wife got disability for her back and diabetes she had to get statements from EVERY doctor and they all had to agree she couldnt work. make sure all his doctors are on the same page!!! also SSI and SSDI are different things. SSDI is based on his work credits and SSI is for people with no assets. he might qualify for both until SSDI kicks in since hes living with your mom and has no assets

You mentioned your brother's FMLA ends in March. He should immediately have a conversation with his HR department about accommodations under the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) which might provide additional job protection beyond FMLA. Regarding getting representation: while you can start the application process yourself online at ssa.gov, having a disability attorney from the beginning often results in stronger initial applications. Most disability lawyers offer free consultations. Look for attorneys who specialize specifically in Social Security disability (not just general personal injury), preferably ones who are members of NOSSCR (National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives).

DONT FORGET about the earnings limit if ur still teaching when u take survivors at 60!!! if ur under FRA they will take back $1 for every $2 u earn above limit. learned this the hard way :

Thank you all SO much for the helpful responses! I think I have a clearer strategy now: 1. Apply for survivor benefits at 60 2. Be aware of the earnings limit while I'm still teaching 3. Consider delaying my pension as long as possible to minimize GPO 4. Switch to my own SS benefit at 70 (which will end survivor benefits) I'll definitely look into Claimyr to get connected with an SSA specialist who actually understands these rules. And I'll find a financial advisor who specializes in GPO/WEP issues as well. This is all so complicated! I'm grateful for all your help and experiences.

Congrats on reaching FRA! Something no one mentioned yet - even though the earnings limit is gone, you still have to pay income tax on your combined income (work + SS benefits) if it goes over certain thresholds. For most people, up to 85% of SS benefits become taxable when your combined income gets high enough. Just something to budget for!

One final clarification for you: to maximize your benefits, remember that: 1. You can work unlimited amounts after FRA without benefit reduction 2. If you're switching to your own retirement benefits, consider whether it makes sense to delay claiming your own retirement past FRA to earn delayed retirement credits (8% per year until age 70). You could potentially continue receiving survivor benefits while delaying your own retirement benefit, depending on which is higher. 3. Any new earnings that replace lower earnings in your 35-year calculation will increase your benefit. SSA recalculates annually. 4. Watch those IRMAA thresholds for Medicare premiums - for 2025 (based on 2023 income), the first tier starts around $97,000 for individuals. Based on everything you've shared, you're making good decisions. Starting work in January 2025 after reaching FRA gives you complete freedom from the earnings test.

Anyone else notice how IMPOSSIBLE it is to get accurate info from SSA??? Every time I call I get different answers! One person says they'll take 10%, another says they'll take it all at once, another says I need to fill out forms... it's exhausting! I've had my SSDI on hold twice and both times it caused me so much stress I ended up in the ER!

To follow up on what others have said, you should submit Form SSA-634 (Request for Change in Overpayment Recovery Rate) if the standard 10% would cause you financial hardship. You'll need to provide your monthly income and expenses to justify a lower rate. When you talk to SSA, be sure to ask them to explain why your account shows "on hold" - sometimes this is just an automated status during processing, but other times it could indicate they need additional information from you before releasing your payment. Also, since your overpayment was from work income, ask if you qualify for an "unsuccessful work attempt" provision, which might actually reduce or eliminate the overpayment amount entirely if your work lasted less than 6 months and ended due to your disability.

One important thing to verify: make sure your Medicare Part B premium is correctly handled during this transition. Sometimes when switching benefit types, the system temporarily

Thank you for this tip! I would have never thought to check this. I do have Medicare premiums auto-deducted, so I'll keep an eye out for any issues during the switch.