Social Security DAC benefits for adult child with autism - switching between parent records

Yes, your son might qualify for DAC benefits if his disability began before age 22, which sounds like the case with autism diagnosed in childhood. The way switching between records works is that your son would be eligible for 50% of your PIA when you start collecting retirement benefits, but could later switch to 50% of your husband's larger benefit when your husband files (up to 75% if your husband is deceased). The optimal strategy depends on several factors: 1. When you plan to take your own retirement (62? FRA?) 2. The severity of your son's disability (must be unable to perform SGA) 3. Whether your son receives SSI currently If your son qualifies for DAC benefits, the earliest he could receive them is when you file for your own retirement, even if that's early at 62. Then when your husband files, your son could switch to the higher amount based on your husband's record.

I went through something similar with my disabled daughter. The SSA made it INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT to get the DAC benefits approved!!! They denied us TWICE before finally approving on appeal. Make sure you have EXTENSIVE medical documentation going back to childhood showing the disability started before 22. Also they will check if your son can do "substantial gainful activity" which was $1,550/month in 2024 (probably higher now). If he earns more than that they will deny him regardless of diagnosis!!! The whole system is BROKEN and designed to deny deserving people!!

The key thing to understand is that your son can draw DAC benefits on your record when you file for retirement, then later switch to your husband's record when he files. This is specifically allowed under Social Security rules. I would consider these factors for maximum family benefits: 1. If you file at 62, your benefit would be reduced to about $1,015 (70% of your FRA amount), and your son would get 50% of that ($507). 2. When your husband files at his FRA, your son could switch to his record and receive 50% of $3,650 ($1,825) - a significant increase. 3. There's also the family maximum to consider - typically 150-180% of the worker's PIA. This might limit the total benefits your family can receive on one record. If maximizing your son's lifetime benefits is the goal, you might consider filing early while your husband delays, giving your son access to benefits sooner while eventually allowing him to switch to the higher amount.

my cousin has an autistic son too and he gets benefits on her record. but they made him go through so many evaluations it was exhausting. they want to see if he can work at all. does your son have a job? if he does they might say he doesnt qualify even with autism. its really frustrating honestly

I struggled with the SSA phone lines for WEEKS trying to get answers about my disabled son's benefits. The hold times were ridiculous - 3+ hours only to get disconnected! Finally I found Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me through to a real SSA agent in under 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The agent I spoke with explained that DAC benefits require proving disability onset before 22 AND continuous disability. For my son, we needed to provide school records, medical evaluations, and statements from doctors establishing his inability to perform substantial work. They were actually really helpful once I could speak to someone! Sounds like your son would qualify based on what you've shared, especially if his autism severely limits his ability to work.

just wondering but doesnt the family maximum benefit rule come into play here? i think thats like 150-180% of the primary workers benefit or something like that. might limit what everyone gets.

when my sister was figuring this out for her kid, she applied for SSI first and got denied because of family income but then she used all that paperwork for the DAC application later. might be worth applying for SSI even knowing you'll get denied just to get the disability determination process started. less headache later.

Let me address your specific timing question. If you're 55 now and considering filing at 62 (in 7 years), your husband would be 55 at that time and 12 years away from his FRA. Let's map this out: - When you're 62: You could file for reduced benefits (~$1,015/month) and your son could receive DAC benefits on your record (~$507/month) - When you're 74: Your husband reaches FRA, files for his full benefit ($3,650), and your son can switch to his record for higher benefits ($1,825/month), while you receive spousal top-up benefits Is waiting until your husband files at his FRA worth it? That's 19 years from now. If your son received $507/month on your record for 12 years, that's approximately $73,000 in benefits he would receive before switching to the higher amount. Another consideration: if your husband becomes disabled before his FRA or passes away, your son could access benefits on his record sooner. Not something anyone wants to think about, but it's part of comprehensive planning.