Can my disabled adult son collect survivor benefits from both deceased parents' Social Security records?
My daughter (32) has been receiving SSDI for about 11 years due to a severe traumatic brain injury. Her father and I have been divorced for 20 years, and I'm trying to plan for her future care. I've been wondering about survivor benefits - if I pass away, can she receive survivor benefits on my record while keeping her disability benefits? And what if both her father and I are deceased eventually - could she somehow collect from both our records? Does it matter whether we've started our own retirement benefits before passing? Her current SSDI payment is around $1,150/month which barely covers her basic needs. I've tried calling SSA multiple times but keep getting disconnected after waiting forever.
16 comments
Join the conversation
Lucy Lam
Yes, your daughter would be eligible for survivor benefits as an adult disabled child when either parent passes away, but there are important things to understand. She would receive the higher of either her own SSDI benefit or up to 75% of the deceased parent's benefit - not both added together. If both parents pass away, she would still only receive the highest single benefit amount from either parent's record. And yes, it definitely matters whether you and your ex-husband have started collecting retirement benefits. The survivor benefit amount is based on what the deceased parent was receiving (or would have received) at full retirement age. If a parent dies before taking benefits, the calculation is based on their full retirement age benefit amount. I went through this with my brother who has Down syndrome. The rules for Adult Disabled Children benefits are complicated but important to understand for planning.
0 coins
LordCommander
•Thank you for explaining! So she would get the higher of her own SSDI OR one parent's record, not both combined. That's disappointing but good to know. I wonder though - if my ex-husband passes first and she switches to his record (assuming it's higher), what happens when I pass away later? Would they compare my record to what she's already getting?
0 coins
Aidan Hudson
this is so confussing. my nephew gets ssi not ssdi and thats different rite? i think with ssi he cant get survivors i think but im not sure. does anyone no if ssi and ssdi have diffrent rules about this stuff??
0 coins
Zoe Wang
•Yes, SSI and SSDI have completely different rules. SSI is needs-based assistance for disabled people with limited income and resources. SSDI is based on work credits. For SSI recipients, survivor benefits would count as income and would reduce their SSI payment dollar-for-dollar (after the first $20). For SSDI recipients who are adult disabled children, they can potentially receive higher benefits based on a parent's record when that parent retires, becomes disabled, or dies.
0 coins
Connor Richards
Let me clarify a few things about Adult Disabled Child benefits: 1. Your daughter would NOT receive both her own SSDI and a parent's benefit simultaneously. She would get the HIGHER of the two. 2. If both parents are deceased, she would receive the HIGHEST of the three possible benefits (her own or either parent's), not all combined. 3. Whether parents claimed early, at FRA, or delayed benefits DOES affect the amount. If a parent took reduced benefits early, the survivor benefit would be reduced accordingly. 4. The disability must have occurred before age 22 for your daughter to qualify as an Adult Disabled Child on your record. One important planning point: if your daughter ever marries, she loses eligibility for these benefits (except in very specific circumstances).
0 coins
LordCommander
•Thank you for the detailed breakdown! Yes, her disability definitely occurred before 22. She was injured at 21 and has never been able to work since. The marriage rule is good to know - though that's unfortunately not likely to be an issue given her care needs. Do you know if there are any financial planning strategies we should consider? I'm wondering if it makes sense for either me or her father to delay claiming our benefits to maximize what she might receive later?
0 coins
Grace Durand
I experienced the SAME ISSUE with my disabled son!!! Sooo frustrating trying to get straight answers from Social Security!!! I called TWENTY TIMES and either got disconnected or got a different answer every time. One rep told me he could get benefits from both parents which was COMPLETELY WRONG. Another said he wasn't eligible at all which was also wrong!! The system is BROKEN and they make it impossible to get help!!!!
0 coins
Steven Adams
•If you're still having trouble reaching someone at SSA, try using Claimyr.com - it helped me finally get through after weeks of trying. You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. I was skeptical but it got me past the hold times and I finally got my questions answered about my daughter's benefits. Saved me so much frustration!
0 coins
Alice Fleming
My brother is in a similar situation and we found that the local SSA office gave much better info than phone calls. Make an appointment if possible. Bring all the documents: birth certificate, disability determination, parents' SSNs, etc.
0 coins
LordCommander
•Thanks for the suggestion. I'll try to make an appointment, though our local office has been booked solid. I've been trying for weeks to get through on the phone with no luck. It's so important I get accurate information for her future.
0 coins
Connor Richards
To answer your planning question - yes, it might make sense for you or your ex-husband to delay claiming retirement benefits until age 70, especially whoever has the higher earning record. This would maximize the potential survivor benefit for your daughter. The survivor benefit is based on: 1. If the parent died after starting benefits: The amount they were receiving (including any reduction for claiming early) 2. If the parent died before starting benefits: What they would have received at their full retirement age By delaying until 70, you could increase your benefit by 24-32% (depending on your FRA), which would potentially give your daughter a higher benefit for her lifetime after you pass away.
0 coins
LordCommander
•That's really helpful information. I'm pretty sure my ex-husband has a higher earnings record than me since I took several years off work to care for our daughter after her accident. I'll definitely consider delaying my benefits to age 70 if that would help her in the long run.
0 coins
Aidan Hudson
do you have a special needs trust for your daughter? my cousin set one up for her son so he can still get benefits if she leaves him money when she dies. i don't really understand it all but thought i'd mention it
0 coins
Lucy Lam
•This is an excellent point! A Special Needs Trust is crucial for planning, but it's more relevant for SSI than SSDI. Since the original poster mentioned her daughter receives SSDI, the trust won't affect those benefits directly. However, if her daughter ever needs Medicaid or other means-tested benefits, a Special Needs Trust would be very important to prevent inheritance from disqualifying her from those programs.
0 coins
Zoe Wang
I noticed no one mentioned the Family Maximum Benefit (FMB) yet, which is also important to understand in your situation. There's a maximum total amount that can be paid on any one earner's record. This means if you have a surviving spouse or other children also collecting on a deceased parent's record, it could potentially reduce what your daughter would receive. This is a complex situation that really calls for individualized planning. You might want to consider consulting with a financial advisor who specializes in special needs planning, as they can help coordinate benefit maximization, special needs trusts, ABLE accounts, and other planning tools that work together.
0 coins
LordCommander
•Thank you for mentioning the Family Maximum! I hadn't considered that. My ex-husband has two other children, though they're adults now without disabilities. I appreciate the suggestion about consulting a special needs financial advisor - that's a great idea. This is all so complicated and I want to make sure I'm making the best decisions for her long-term care.
0 coins