Social Security DAC vs SSI income limits - will my child lose benefits if they work?

Your son would not automatically revert to SSI if he exceeds the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) limit for DAC benefits. The 2025 SGA amount is $1,550 per month for non-blind individuals. If he consistently earns above this amount, after a trial work period, his DAC benefits could terminate. To get back on SSI, he would need to file a new application and go through the eligibility determination process again. Keep in mind that SSI has both income AND resource limits (currently $2,000 in assets for an individual). Your daughter's benefits should not be affected by your son's work activity since DAC benefits are individually determined. Also, look into whether your son might benefit from the Ticket to Work program or PASS (Plan to Achieve Self-Support) which can provide work incentives while maintaining benefits during transition periods.

my cousin went thru this EXACT thing! it was a total disaster, he lost his DAC and then couldnt get back on SSI for like 8 months!!! the SS office kept loosing his paperwork and he had no health insurance during that time. be super careful!!!!!

I've been in your exact situation with my adult son who's on DAC benefits. Here's what you need to know: 1. The Trial Work Period (TWP) allows your son to test his ability to work for 9 months within a 60-month period without losing benefits. In 2025, any month he earns more than $1,110 counts as a TWP month. 2. After the TWP, there's a 36-month Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE). During this time, he'll get benefits in months he earns below SGA ($1,550) and won't get benefits in months he earns above SGA. 3. Your daughter's benefits are completely separate and won't be affected. 4. There's no automatic reversion to SSI. It's a new application if needed. My advice is to have your son start with very part-time hours to stay under the limits. We found it helpful to meet with a benefits counselor through our local disability resource center who helped us calculate exactly how much my son could work.

Warning: the system is RIGGED against people with disabilities who want to work!! My daughter tried working part-time and SS declared she wasn't disabled anymore even though she only worked 15 hours a week! Then they demanded $12,000 in "overpayments" because they said she should have reported her job sooner even though WE DID REPORT IT! It took 18 months and a lawyer to fix this mess. Make them document EVERYTHING and keep copies of EVERYTHING you send them. Don't trust a single thing they tell you over the phone.

have u looked into ABLE accounts?? my son has one and can save money without it counting for the SSI asset limit. might help if ur son needs to switch back to SSI later

When my brother was transitioning between benefits, I found this impossible-to-reach person at our local SS office who actually knew all the rules. After trying to call for weeks, I tried Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got through to SSA in 20 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours. They have this video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU It was worth it to get an actual appointment with a technical expert who understood the DAC to SSI transition issues. The regular reps just gave us wrong information repeatedly until we found that one expert.

Yes! When I got through using Claimyr, I specifically asked for a 'Technical Expert' who specializes in disability work incentives. Regular claims reps often don't understand the complexities of DAC and SSI transitions. Once I got the appointment, I prepared a list of specific questions about the trial work period and extended period of eligibility. Made all the difference having the right person to talk to.

wait im confused... i thought DAC benefits were better than SSI? why would u want him to go back to SSI? my friend gets DAC and its way more $$ than SSI was

UPDATE: Thank you everyone for all the advice! I met with a benefits counselor at our local Center for Independent Living yesterday. She explained that my son could work part-time staying under the TWP threshold ($1,110/month) without immediately risking his benefits. We worked out that he could safely work about 20 hours per week at the current minimum wage and still be ok. The grocery store manager is willing to strictly limit his hours to stay under this amount. We're still waiting to get through to SSA to confirm all this (will try that Claimyr service!), but I feel much better having a clearer understanding of how this works. The benefits counselor is also going to help us create a reporting system to make sure we document everything properly to avoid any problems later.

This is such great news! I'm so glad you found a benefits counselor who could walk through the numbers with you. The 20 hours/week plan sounds very reasonable and gives your son a real chance to build work experience without jeopardizing his benefits. One thing I'd add - make sure to keep detailed records of his actual hours and wages each month, not just what's planned. Sometimes retail schedules can fluctuate, and you want to make sure you're tracking if he accidentally goes over in any given month. Also, don't forget to report his work activity to SSA proactively, even though he's staying under the limits. It's better to over-communicate than have them think you're hiding something later. Good luck to your son with his new job opportunity!

As a newcomer to this community, I've been following this thread with great interest since I'm facing a similar situation with my own adult daughter who has disabilities. The information everyone has shared here is incredibly valuable. I wanted to add one thing that might be helpful - when you do connect with SSA (hopefully through that Claimyr service), ask them about getting a written confirmation of your son's work plan. Some offices will provide a letter stating that working X hours at Y wage should not affect benefits, which can be helpful documentation if any issues arise later. Also, I noticed several people mentioned the importance of keeping detailed records. Consider setting up a simple spreadsheet to track his monthly earnings, hours worked, and any communications with SSA. This has been a lifesaver for families I know who've had to dispute overpayments or other issues. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - both the success stories and the warnings. It's clear this system requires careful navigation, but it's encouraging to see that with the right preparation and professional guidance, it is possible for our kids to work while maintaining their benefits.