Social Security benefit name confusion - DAC vs SSDI for disabled adult child on father's retirement

The correct term is DAC - Disabled Adult Child benefits (sometimes called CDB - Childhood Disability Benefits). This is different from SSDI, which is based on a person's own work record. DAC benefits are paid when an adult child with a disability (that began before age 22) qualifies on a parent's record when that parent retires, becomes disabled, or dies.The confusion happens because SSA representatives sometimes use the term 'SSDI' loosely to describe any Social Security disability program. But technically, your daughter is receiving a DAC benefit under your husband's retirement claim.And yes, DAC benefits do have some different rules than regular SSDI. For example, if your daughter gets married, she could lose the DAC benefits (with some exceptions). Also, DAC benefits can continue indefinitely as long as she remains disabled and doesn't marry (unless the marriage is to another DAC or SSDI beneficiary in some cases).

Thank you so much for clarifying! That makes sense why the rep used SSDI even though that's not technically correct. Do you know if DAC benefits have the same medical review process as other disability benefits? We were told years ago she would need to be reviewed periodically on SSI, but it only happened once in all these years due to the severity of her condition.

its definitely dac not ssdi. my son gets it too (he has downs) and i had same confusion at first. ssdi is when YOU work and then become disabled. dac is when your kid was disabled before 22 and gets money from YOUR record. big difference in payment!!! we went from like $900 on ssi to $1900 on dac when i retired last year.

Thanks for sharing your experience! Yes, the payment increase is substantial. Did your son's Medicare coverage change at all when he switched from SSI to DAC? We're trying to figure out if anything will be different with her healthcare coverage.

When my disabled brother started getting benefits from my dad's record, they kept calling them different things too. So frustrating! One letter said SSDI, another said adult child benefits. I think sometimes the people at SSA don't even know the right terms themselves.

OMG this is so true! i swear every time u talk to someone at SSA they tell u something different. i once had 3 different people give me 3 different answers about whether my daughter could keep her benefits if she moved into a group home. ended up having to get it in writing!

The terms can be really confusing because SSA uses different language in different contexts. Technically, DAC (Disabled Adult Child) benefits are a type of auxiliary benefit paid to an adult child who became disabled before age 22, based on a parent's work record. It falls under Title II of the Social Security Act, which also includes retirement and SSDI.So while it's not exactly SSDI, it functions similarly and sometimes is grouped under the SSDI umbrella in general discussions. However, there are important differences in how the benefit is calculated and specific rules that apply.DAC benefits are calculated as a percentage of your husband's Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), generally 50% while he's alive. If your daughter was receiving SSI, she'll also need to maintain her disability status, but now the financial basis comes from your husband's work record instead of the SSI program requirements.By the way, if you're still having trouble getting specific questions answered by SSA, I recently discovered a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you skip the long phone wait times to reach an agent. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. I used it last month when I couldn't get through about my wife's benefits and got connected in about 20 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours.

Thank you for that detailed explanation. I didn't realize DAC was calculated as a percentage of my husband's benefit - that explains the significant increase from SSI. And thanks for the tip about Claimyr, I might try that service next time. I've been on hold for 2+ hours multiple times trying to get these Medicare questions answered.

WHATEVER YOU DO DON'T LET HER GET MARRIED!!!!! My cousin lost ALL his DAC benefits when he got married even though his wife doesn't make much money. They didn't tell him until AFTER the wedding and then boom, benefits gone. Now they're struggling to pay for his medical stuff SSI denied him because of her income. The system is DESIGNED to trap disabled people in poverty!!!

You're right about marriage potentially affecting DAC benefits, but there are some exceptions. If a DAC beneficiary marries another DAC beneficiary or someone receiving certain other Social Security disability benefits, they may be able to keep their benefits. It's definitely something that requires careful planning and consultation with SSA before making any decisions.

Couple of important things to note with DAC benefits:1) The medical continuing disability review (CDR) process is the same as other disability benefits - how often reviews happen depends on the severity and likelihood of improvement2) Make sure your daughter's Medicare is set up correctly - she should get Medicare after 24 months on DAC if she didn't already have it3) If she has any assets over $2,000 that weren't allowable under SSI, they won't affect DAC benefits (unlike SSI which had strict resource limits)4) She may be eligible for both Medicare AND Medicaid now (dual eligible) which would cover almost all medical costs5) Some states automatically continue Medicaid when someone transitions from SSI to DAC, others require a new application under different rulesThe technical term is Childhood Disability Benefits (CDB) in SSA's program operations manual, but DAC (Disabled Adult Child) is widely used. Most beneficiaries just call it \

Thank you for these specific points! She already has Medicare from her previous benefits, so that's good. The asset limit change is HUGE - we've always had to be so careful with any money she received as gifts to keep under that $2,000 SSI limit. Does this mean she could now have a savings account over $2,000 without affecting her benefits? That would be life-changing for planning her future care.

its all so confusing!!! my daughter gets ssi now but husband retiring next year. will she automatically switch to his record or do we have to apply? anyone know?

You'll need to apply for DAC benefits when your husband files for retirement - it's not automatic. Bring proof of your daughter's disability onset before age 22 (medical records, previous disability determinations), her birth certificate showing relationship to your husband, and his Social Security number. Call and make an appointment specifically for this when he's ready to file. The earlier the better as benefits can be backdated only 6 months.

My brother's DAC benefit got all messed up because we didn't know there was a waiting period after my dad applied for retirement. We thought it would start right away but there was some 5-month rule or something? Make sure you double check when the benefits are supposed to actually start paying.

thats for SSDI not DAC! DAC on retirement record starts right away. the 5 month waiting period is only for disability claims not retirement. thats why its better for parent to file for retirement if they can rather than disability if their child needs DAC benefits.

Thank you everyone for all these helpful answers! I feel much better now understanding that DAC is the correct term, not SSDI. I've made notes about the marriage rules, asset limits, and Medicare/Medicaid coordination. One last question - does anyone know if we need to inform her day program about this change? She attends a vocational program funded partly through Medicaid. I'm worried this benefit change might affect her eligibility for state services she receives.

Yes, you should definitely inform the day program about the change from SSI to DAC benefits. Some Medicaid-funded programs have different eligibility rules for SSI recipients vs other benefit types. The good news is that most states have provisions to continue Medicaid eligibility for people who were on SSI and switched to DAC (sometimes called the

As someone new to this community, I want to thank everyone for this incredibly detailed and helpful discussion! I'm currently navigating a similar situation with my 28-year-old son who has cerebral palsy and has been on SSI since childhood. My husband is considering early retirement next year, and after reading all these responses, I now understand we should look into DAC benefits instead of continuing with SSI. A few quick questions based on what I've learned here: 1) Should we wait until my husband reaches full retirement age for maximum DAC benefits, or can we transition earlier? 2) The asset limit change sounds amazing - does this mean my son could actually have a special needs trust without it affecting his benefits like it would with SSI? This thread has been more informative than three different calls I made to SSA! Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences and knowledge.

As a newcomer to this community, I'm incredibly grateful for this detailed discussion! My 25-year-old daughter has intellectual disabilities and has been receiving SSI since she was 18. I'm 60 and considering when to file for my own Social Security benefits, and reading through all these responses has opened my eyes to DAC benefits as a possibility I hadn't fully understood. The information about asset limits being different for DAC versus SSI is particularly eye-opening - we've been so restricted in trying to save anything for her future care needs. Can someone clarify if there are ANY asset limits for DAC benefits, or is it completely unrestricted? Also, I'm curious about the Medicare coordination - if she transitions from SSI to DAC, would her Medicare coverage remain exactly the same? I'm taking notes on all the advice here about getting everything in writing from SSA and planning the timing carefully. This community seems like such a valuable resource for navigating these complex benefit systems!

As someone new to this community, I'm finding this discussion incredibly valuable! My 29-year-old son has autism and has been on SSI since he was 21. I'm 58 and starting to think about my retirement planning, but I had no idea about DAC benefits until reading this thread. The asset limit difference is shocking to me - we've been so careful about keeping his savings under $2,000 that we've actually had to spend down money that could have gone toward his future care. Can I ask those who've made this transition - is there a specific process for notifying all the various agencies and programs when switching from SSI to DAC? I'm thinking about his Medicaid, his supported employment program, housing assistance, etc. Also, does anyone know if the state vocational rehabilitation services are affected by this change? He's been working with VR on job training and I don't want to jeopardize that relationship. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - this has been more helpful than anything I've gotten from official sources!

As someone new to this community, I'm incredibly grateful for this comprehensive discussion about DAC vs SSDI terminology and benefits! My 24-year-old daughter has Down syndrome and has been receiving SSI since she aged out of school services at 21. I'm 59 and have been putting off my retirement planning, but reading through all these responses has made me realize I need to seriously consider the timing of filing for my own benefits to maximize her DAC eligibility. The information about asset limits being completely eliminated with DAC benefits is absolutely mind-blowing to me. We've been living under the constant stress of that $2,000 SSI limit, even having to turn down family gifts at holidays because we couldn't risk going over. The idea that she could actually have savings for her future care needs is almost too good to believe. I have a couple of specific questions based on what I've learned here: 1) If I file for early retirement at 62 with reduced benefits, roughly what percentage would her DAC be calculated at - would it be 50% of my reduced amount or are there additional reductions? 2) For those who've made this transition, how long did it typically take for the benefits to switch over and payments to start? This community has provided more clarity in one thread than months of trying to get straight answers from SSA directly. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and experiences!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to express my sincere gratitude for this incredibly thorough and enlightening discussion! My 26-year-old son has severe intellectual disabilities and has been on SSI since he turned 18. I'm currently 61 and have been hesitant about retirement planning, but this thread has completely changed my perspective on the timing and benefits of filing for Social Security. The clarification about DAC vs SSDI terminology is so helpful - I've gotten conflicting information from different SSA representatives over the years and never understood why. Now I know to specifically ask about "DAC" or "Childhood Disability Benefits" when discussing his potential eligibility on my record. What really stands out to me is the asset limit difference. We've been operating under the crushing restriction of that $2,000 SSI limit for years, which has prevented us from accepting help from family or saving anything meaningful for his long-term care needs. The possibility of him having actual savings and potentially a special needs trust without benefit loss is revolutionary for our family's planning. I'm particularly interested in the experiences shared about notifying various agencies during the transition. My son receives services through multiple state programs (day habilitation, supported employment, Medicaid waiver services) and I want to ensure a smooth transition without any service interruptions. This community discussion has provided more practical, detailed information than I've gathered from years of dealing with the system directly. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and experiences - it's clear this is a supportive space where people truly help each other navigate these complex benefit systems!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm so grateful to have found this incredibly detailed discussion! My 23-year-old daughter has cerebral palsy and has been receiving SSI since she turned 18. I'm 57 and was planning to work until 67, but after reading through all these responses, I'm realizing I should seriously reconsider my retirement timeline to potentially help her transition to DAC benefits. The terminology clarification is so helpful - I've been getting mixed messages from SSA reps for years about what her benefits would be called if she qualified on my record. Now I know to specifically ask about DAC/CDB benefits and not get confused when someone mistakenly uses "SSDI." What's absolutely shocking to me is learning about the asset limit differences. We've been living under the constant stress of that $2,000 SSI cap, even having to refuse monetary gifts from grandparents because we couldn't risk her losing benefits. The idea that DAC benefits have no asset limits is almost too good to believe - it would completely change our ability to plan for her future care needs. I'm particularly interested in the Medicare coordination aspects mentioned here. She currently has Medicare through her disability determination, and I want to make sure there wouldn't be any gaps or changes in her healthcare coverage during a transition. For those who've made this switch - did you find the actual benefit amount calculation was straightforward, or were there surprises? I'm trying to run rough numbers to see if early retirement at 62 would still result in a higher DAC payment than her current SSI. Thank you all for creating such an informative and supportive discussion. This thread has given me more actionable information than multiple calls to SSA!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm incredibly grateful for stumbling upon this comprehensive discussion! My 22-year-old son has autism and has been receiving SSI since he aged out of special education services. I'm 60 and had been planning to work until my full retirement age, but after reading through all these detailed responses, I'm realizing I need to completely rethink my timing strategy. The clarification about DAC vs SSDI terminology is invaluable - I've been so confused by different SSA representatives using these terms interchangeably, and now I understand why. I'll definitely be asking specifically about "Disabled Adult Child benefits" or "CDB" in future conversations to avoid confusion. What's truly eye-opening is learning about the elimination of asset limits with DAC benefits. We've been living under the oppressive $2,000 SSI restriction for years, which has meant turning down help from family members and being unable to save anything meaningful for his future independence goals. The possibility of him actually having savings and potentially setting up a special needs trust is giving me hope I didn't know I could have. I'm particularly grateful for the practical advice about notifying agencies during the transition. My son receives services through our state's developmental disabilities program, vocational rehabilitation, and Medicaid waiver services. The suggestion to start these conversations early and get confirmations in writing seems crucial for avoiding service interruptions. For those who've made this transition - how did you handle the timing if you were still a few years away from your planned retirement? Did you find it worthwhile to retire early specifically to trigger DAC eligibility, or did you wait until your original retirement timeline? I'm trying to weigh the trade-offs between my reduced retirement benefits versus the immediate advantages of getting him off SSI and onto DAC. This community has provided more practical guidance in one thread than I've received from years of trying to navigate the system alone. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and knowledge so generously!

I have a 35 year old disabled daughter that currently receives SSDI, Medicare and Medicaid. Her SSDI payments are based on her own work record, since she has worked apprx 10-15 hours a week at a local grocery store. SSD1 was awarded based on a at birth disability. I have retired and it may be more advantagous to transistion her to DAC. I understand that if she is awarded DAC and subsequently gets married to a non DAC receipt, she would lose DAC payments. Would she also lose

As a newcomer to this community, I'm so thankful to have found this incredibly detailed and helpful discussion! My 27-year-old daughter has intellectual disabilities and has been on SSI since she turned 18. I'm 62 and was actually planning to file for my Social Security next month, but I had no idea about DAC benefits until reading through this entire thread. The terminology confusion makes so much sense now - I've had multiple SSA reps tell me different things about what my daughter's benefits would be called if she qualified on my record. Now I know to specifically ask about DAC or Childhood Disability Benefits to get accurate information. What's absolutely mind-blowing to me is learning that DAC benefits have no asset limits. We've been living under the constant stress of that $2,000 SSI restriction for nearly a decade. We've had to turn down financial help from relatives and couldn't even let her keep money from her part-time job at a community center because we were terrified of going over the limit. The thought that she could actually have real savings for her future is almost overwhelming. I'm particularly grateful for all the practical advice about the transition process and notifying agencies. My daughter receives services through our state's DD waiver program, attends a day program, and has Medicaid coverage. The suggestion to contact the Medicaid office first and get everything in writing seems crucial. One question for those who've been through this - since I'm already at my full retirement age, should I file for my retirement benefits and her DAC application at the same appointment? Or is there a specific sequence that works better? I want to make sure we don't have any gaps in her coverage or services during the transition. This community has given me more useful information in one thread than I've gathered from years of dealing with the system. Thank you all for sharing your experiences so generously!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm absolutely amazed by the depth and quality of information shared in this thread! My 30-year-old son has severe developmental delays and has been receiving SSI since he aged out of school services at 21. I'm currently 63 and filed for my Social Security retirement benefits just last month, but I had absolutely no knowledge about DAC benefits until discovering this discussion. The confusion about terminology now makes perfect sense - I've spoken with probably half a dozen different SSA representatives over the years, and I've gotten so many conflicting explanations about what benefits my son might qualify for on my record. Some called it SSDI, others mentioned "auxiliary benefits," and one person said "dependent benefits." Now I understand that DAC (Disabled Adult Child) or CDB (Childhood Disability Benefits) are the correct terms I should be using. What's truly shocking to me is learning about the complete elimination of asset restrictions with DAC benefits. We have been absolutely paralyzed by that $2,000 SSI limit for nearly a decade. We've had to refuse monetary gifts from his grandparents, couldn't let him keep any earnings from his volunteer work that occasionally provides small stipends, and we've been unable to save a single penny toward his future care needs. The possibility that he could actually have savings, and that we could potentially establish a special needs trust without jeopardizing his benefits, is honestly bringing me to tears. Since I already filed for my retirement benefits last month, I'm wondering if it's too late to add the DAC application, or if I need to make a separate appointment? Also, for those who've made this transition - did your state automatically continue Medicaid coverage, or did you have to reapply under different eligibility rules? My son receives multiple services through our state's developmental disabilities system, and I'm terrified of any disruptions. This community has provided more practical, actionable information than years of trying to navigate the system on my own. Thank you all for being so generous with your knowledge and experiences!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm incredibly grateful to have found this amazingly comprehensive discussion! My 26-year-old daughter has autism and has been receiving SSI since she turned 18. I'm currently 59 and have been putting off retirement planning, but after reading through all these detailed responses, I realize I need to seriously consider the timing of my Social Security filing to help her transition to DAC benefits. The terminology clarification has been so helpful - I've gotten completely different explanations from various SSA reps over the years about what her benefits would be called if she qualified on my record. Now I know to specifically ask about DAC or Childhood Disability Benefits to get accurate information and avoid the SSDI confusion. What's absolutely revolutionary to me is learning that DAC benefits have no asset limits whatsoever. We've been living under the crushing stress of that $2,000 SSI restriction for 8 years now, having to turn down help from family members and being unable to save anything for her future needs. The idea that she could actually have real savings and we could set up a special needs trust without losing benefits is almost too good to believe. I'm particularly appreciative of all the practical advice shared here about notifying agencies during the transition and getting everything in writing. My daughter receives services through multiple state programs, and I want to ensure there are no disruptions. One question for those who've made this switch - how far in advance did you start the planning process? Since I'm still a few years from my original retirement timeline, I'm wondering if I should begin having these conversations with her service providers now, even before I'm ready to file for my own benefits. This thread has provided more actionable information than multiple years of trying to get straight answers from SSA directly. Thank you all for creating such a supportive and knowledgeable community!