I'm deeply sorry to hear about your husband's diagnosis. This is such a challenging situation to navigate, especially at your ages. From what I understand about Social Security rules, you're correct that there's generally no spousal benefit available until age 62 unless you're caring for a child under 16 or become disabled yourself. The "topping off" concept others mentioned refers to situations where your own Social Security benefit would be less than 50% of your spouse's benefit - in those cases, they supplement yours to reach that 50% level. One thing I wanted to add that I haven't seen mentioned much - make sure to also look into whether your husband has any employer-sponsored benefits beyond just short-term disability. Some employers offer supplemental life insurance with living benefits for terminal diagnoses, or long-term disability insurance that might bridge the gap during SSDI processing. Also, when gathering documentation for his SSDI application, include not just medical records but also statements from you and family members about how his condition affects his daily functioning. Sometimes personal accounts can be really valuable in painting the full picture of his limitations. The financial uncertainty during a health crisis like this is incredibly stressful. Focus on one step at a time - getting his SSDI application submitted with all the terminal illness documentation should be the priority. Everything else can be addressed once that foundation is in place. Sending you both strength during this difficult journey.

I'm so sorry to hear about your husband's diagnosis. This is an incredibly difficult situation, and I can understand your concern about the financial implications while dealing with such a serious health crisis. Unfortunately, as others have confirmed, you won't be eligible for spousal benefits until age 62 unless you're caring for a child under 16 or become disabled yourself. I know that's 16 years away for you, which feels overwhelming when facing immediate financial concerns. However, I wanted to add a few suggestions that might help in the shorter term: 1. Contact your local Department of Health and Human Services office - they may have emergency assistance programs for families dealing with terminal illness situations. 2. Reach out to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Patient Aid Program - while it's named for blood cancers, they actually provide financial assistance for various cancer types including lung cancer. 3. Look into CancerCare's financial assistance programs - they offer emergency financial assistance and co-payment help for cancer patients and their families. 4. Check if your husband's oncology practice participates in any pharmaceutical patient assistance programs for his treatment medications - the costs can be substantial and these programs can provide significant relief. The most important thing right now is getting his SSDI application submitted with clear documentation of his Stage 4 diagnosis for the Compassionate Allowances program. That should provide some financial stability as you explore these other resources. Take care of yourself during this incredibly challenging time - you can't navigate all of this alone, and there are people and organizations who want to help.

I'm 57 and starting to plan for this situation in a few years, and this thread has been absolutely incredible! As someone who works in HR at a large corporation, I see employees struggle with these exact questions all the time. One thing I'd like to add that might help others: if you're planning to continue working after filing for early SS benefits, consider having a conversation with your HR department about flexible scheduling options. Many employers are willing to work with employees who need to carefully manage their hours to stay under earnings limits, especially if you're a valued long-term employee like Carmen. Some options might include: switching to a 9-month contract instead of 12-month if your district offers it, taking unpaid leave during higher-earning months, or even job-sharing arrangements. Also, don't forget that if you have any stock options, RSUs, or deferred compensation that vest after you file for benefits, those typically count as wages when they vest/are paid out, not when they were originally granted. This thread should honestly be turned into a guide - the collective knowledge here is better than anything I've found in official SSA materials!

I'm 59 and have been following this discussion closely as I prepare for a similar decision in a few years. This has been such an incredibly informative thread! One thing I wanted to add that I learned from my financial planner: if you're considering early retirement with part-time work, it might be worth looking into whether your employer offers any "phased retirement" programs. Some organizations allow you to gradually reduce your hours and responsibilities over a period of time, which can help you better manage that earnings limit while maintaining some benefits. Also, I've been keeping a spreadsheet of all the key points from this discussion, and I think it would be helpful for others if someone created a simple checklist of things to research before filing for early benefits while planning to work. Things like: understanding the monthly vs annual test, knowing your exact pay dates and any potential bonuses/payouts, having a tracking system in place, getting written confirmation from SSA about your specific situation, and setting aside emergency funds in case you accidentally exceed the limit. Thank you to everyone who has shared their real experiences - this community knowledge is invaluable for those of us navigating these complex decisions!

Welcome to the community! This is such an important topic and I'm glad you're planning ahead for your daughter's transition. I've been working in disability advocacy for several years and have helped many families navigate this exact situation. A few key points to add to the excellent advice already shared: 1. **Timeline is crucial** - Since your daughter turns 18 next month, start the documentation process immediately. Even if the physical setup isn't complete, having the paperwork trail established early helps. 2. **Consider a Benefits Planning Query (BPQ)** - This is a free service from SSA where you can submit specific questions about how proposed changes might affect benefits before implementing them. It's like getting a preview of their decision-making process. 3. **Don't overlook ABLE accounts** - If your daughter will have any earned income or wants to save money while maintaining benefits eligibility, an ABLE account can be incredibly valuable for preserving assets without affecting SSI. The $500 rent you mentioned sounds reasonable, but definitely research local market rates first. I've seen SSA question amounts that seem either too high or too low compared to area standards. Most importantly, document EVERYTHING from day one - not just for SSA, but also for your own peace of mind. The independence journey is so rewarding when done thoughtfully!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm really impressed by how supportive and knowledgeable everyone has been in this thread! I'm in a very similar situation with my 19-year-old daughter who has cerebral palsy, and reading through all these responses has been incredibly educational. A few things that particularly stood out to me: - The importance of establishing separate households from day one with proper documentation - How DAC vs SSI benefits are treated differently regarding living arrangements - The need to check local zoning laws before setting up any ADU or trailer One question I haven't seen addressed - has anyone dealt with how this affects other family members' taxes? I'm wondering if charging my daughter rent would need to be reported as rental income, and whether there are any implications for claiming her as a dependent. Also, for those who mentioned WIPA counselors and Independent Living Centers, how did you initially find and connect with these resources? I'd love to get professional guidance before making any changes, but I'm not sure where to start looking in my area. Thank you all for sharing such detailed, practical experiences. It's clear that with proper planning and documentation, this can be a wonderful way to support independence while protecting benefits!

I'm experiencing a very similar situation and this thread has been incredibly enlightening! Applied for retirement benefits in mid-November, was told I was "approved" by multiple phone reps throughout December, but still haven't received my first payment. What really resonates with me is how many people have discovered that the phone system limitations are the real problem here. The insight from Demi about the "payment authorization queue" being separate from application processing finally makes sense of why we can get approval confirmations but no actual payments. I had no idea these were different systems! The Form SSA-795 (Payment Status Inquiry) that Malik and Giovanni mentioned is completely new information to me - this sounds like exactly the tool we need to force comprehensive review instead of getting more generic "wait longer" responses from phone reps who clearly can't see the full picture. Based on all the success stories shared here, I'm planning to visit my local field office early next week using the proven strategy: arrive around 7:30 AM, ask specifically for a claims specialist, mention "payment processing holds" or "verification holds," and request Form SSA-795 if they can't immediately identify what's causing the delay. It's both frustrating and reassuring to see this is such a widespread systemic issue. The collective knowledge in this thread about navigating SSA's broken systems is invaluable - honestly, this should be required reading for anyone applying for benefits! Thanks to everyone for sharing your experiences and creating this amazing resource for those of us stuck in processing limbo.

I'm new to this community but unfortunately going through the exact same nightmare! Applied for retirement benefits in early January and have been getting the runaround ever since. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been both eye-opening and incredibly helpful - it's clear this is a widespread systemic issue with SSA's processing systems. The information shared here about the "payment authorization queue" being separate from application processing finally explains why we can be approved but still not receive payments. I had no idea about the birth date payment schedules either - I've been checking my account randomly when I should have been focusing on specific Wednesdays. The Form SSA-795 (Payment Status Inquiry) that several people mentioned is completely new to me and sounds like exactly what we need to force actual review instead of generic "wait longer" responses. None of the phone reps I've spoken with ever mentioned this option. Based on all the success stories shared here, I'm planning to visit my local field office early next week using the proven strategy: arrive around 7:30 AM, ask specifically for a claims specialist, mention "payment processing holds" or "verification holds," and request Form SSA-795 if they can't resolve the issue immediately. It's both frustrating and comforting to know so many others are dealing with this. This thread has become an invaluable guide for navigating SSA's broken systems - honestly should be required reading for anyone applying for benefits! Thanks to everyone for sharing your experiences and creating this amazing resource.

Just wanted to add something that might help with your budgeting - when Social Security starts deducting your Part B premium, they'll also send you a "Notice of Change in Payment Amount" (usually arrives within a few weeks after the deduction starts). This notice will show your new monthly benefit amount after the Medicare deduction, so you'll have official documentation of the change for your records. Also, since you mentioned the higher premium due to income, keep in mind that IRMAA determinations are based on your tax return from 2 years prior, so if your income has changed significantly since then, it might be worth looking into an appeal or reconsideration once you get everything sorted out.

I'm also approaching 65 and this thread has been incredibly helpful! One thing I wanted to add - if you're still working and have employer health insurance, you might be able to delay Part B enrollment without penalty. But if you're already retired and receiving Social Security like the original poster, you'll definitely want Part B to start right when you turn 65 to avoid late enrollment penalties. The coordination between Social Security and Medicare can be confusing, but it sounds like you're on the right track by enrolling on time. Make sure to keep all your Medicare enrollment paperwork together with your Social Security documents - you'll probably need to reference them later!