I am applying for DAC benefits for my son who just turned 18. He has autism along with an Intellectual Disability.  I retired last month. My son has never received SSI because our income was to high. He does however receive Medicaid through a waiver due to his intellectual disability. His DAC benefits will end up being less than the SSI amount, by about $60 or so. How does this work? Would he get DAC then partial SSI to make up the difference? I have a phone appointment on Monday with the SSA and I have no idea how this all works.

Hi there! This is a great question and a common situation many families face. Yes, your son can potentially receive both DAC benefits and partial SSI to make up the difference - this is called "concurrent benefits." Here's how it typically works: SSA will pay the higher of the two benefits first (in your case, the DAC), and then SSI can supplement up to the federal benefit rate if your son meets all SSI eligibility requirements. Since his DAC will be about $60 less than the full SSI amount, he should be eligible for that $60 difference in SSI. The good news is that since your son already receives Medicaid through a waiver, he likely meets the disability requirements for SSI. During your Monday appointment, make sure to ask specifically about: - Concurrent benefits eligibility - How the SSI supplement calculation works - Whether his current Medicaid waiver will transition smoothly - Any required documentation for the SSI application Having that waiver already in place should help streamline the process. Good luck with your appointment on Monday!