Social Security benefits reduced for daughter on SSI when I receive DAC - is child allocation missing?

You're absolutely right to question this. When calculating SSI for a child, SSA should include an allocation for ineligible children in the household. This allocation reduces the amount of your income that's deemed available to your SSI-eligible child. For 2025, the allocation amount for an ineligible child is around $522 per month (it changes annually with COLA). If this allocation isn't being applied, it's definitely worth contacting SSA to have them review the calculation. The fact that the "How we figured her payments" section doesn't mention it suggests they might have missed it.

same thing happened with my nephew last yr. SSA mess up ALL THE TIME with these calculations!!! u need to call them asap and tell them they missed counting ur other kid. bring his birth certificate and anything that shows he lives with u when u go to office.

I went through something similar when I got SSDI and my daughter was on SSI. The letter they sent was SO confusing and didn't match what the rep told me on the phone. I spent TWO WEEKS trying to get through to someone who could actually help. When I finally got someone, they said there was a mistake in their calculation and fixed it right away. But those two weeks of stress and constantly calling were awful!!!

I've helped several families with this exact issue. Here's what you need to know: 1. Yes, there absolutely should be an allocation for your ineligible child that reduces the amount of your DAC benefits deemed to your eligible child. 2. The allocation amount for 2025 is $522 (it's the same as the SSI federal benefit rate for a child minus any income that child might have). 3. Here's how the calculation SHOULD work: - They take your DAC income ($1640) - Subtract a $20 general income exclusion ($1640 - $20 = $1620) - Subtract allocation for ineligible child ($1620 - $522 = $1098) - Apply parental living allowance (varies based on household size) - Then deem the remainder to your SSI child It sounds like they skipped the ineligible child allocation step. Request a reconsideration immediately - you have 60 days from the date on the notice. Make sure to specifically mention the missing allocation for your ineligible child.

Hi there! I had a similar issue last year when my spouse started receiving SSDI and they incorrectly calculated the impact on my child's SSI. After weeks of trying to reach SSA by phone (constant busy signals and disconnections), I found a service called Claimyr that got me through to a real person at SSA within 30 minutes. I just went to claimyr.com, followed their simple process, and they called me back when they had an SSA agent on the line. Completely worth it for complicated issues like this! They have a video demo of how it works here: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU

im sorry but isnt DAC only for adults? how u get that for a 9 yr old?? my cousin tries to get disability for her son who has autism and they DENIED him SSI and said he could only get benefits off his dads record.

Welcome to the wonderful world of SSA mistakes!!! They NEVER get it right the first time. EVER. I've been dealing with them for 7 years and always have to fight for what's rightfully mine or my kids. The system is DESIGNED to frustrate us so we give up. DON'T GIVE UP!!!

Update on the ineligible child allocation: Make sure when you contact SSA that you have proof of your son's relationship to you (birth certificate) and proof that he lives in your household. They'll also need to verify he doesn't have income of his own that would reduce his allocation. If he does have any income, they subtract that from the $522 allocation amount. One more tip: When you request the reconsideration, also ask them to continue the original SSI payment amount while the reconsideration is pending. You need to specifically request this within 10 days of the notice date.

Is your son also disabled? Does he get any other benefits? Sometimes that affects the calculations too and makes everything even more confusing! My daughter got SSI but when my son started getting a small survivor benefit after his dad died, they had to recalculate everything and it was a nightmare trying to understand their math.