Social Security earnings limit when drawing survivor benefits with disabled adult child - turning 62 soon

when u turn 62 ur benefits change from mother/father benefits to survivor benefits and then ur hit with the earnings limit (I think its around $21,000-ish for 2025). Anything over that they take away $1 for every $2 you earn. But ur daughters benefits shouldn't be affected by ur work at all.

The previous comment isn't completely accurate. When you turn 62, you have a CHOICE - you don't automatically switch from child-in-care benefits to survivor benefits. You can continue receiving the child-in-care benefits (which have no earnings limit) OR switch to survivor benefits (which would be subject to the earnings test). The 2025 earnings limit for survivor benefits is $22,320 if you're under Full Retirement Age. You lose $1 in benefits for every $2 earned above that threshold. However, since you have a disabled adult child who qualified for benefits on your husband's record, you may want to consult with SSA directly about your specific situation, as there are special rules that might apply.

Wait I thought mother/father benefits automatically end when the youngest child turns 16?? But you said your daughter is 25? I'm confused how you're still getting those benefits unless its something different for disabled children?

I'm a benefits counselor who works with families in similar situations. Here's what you need to know: 1. As a mother/father with a disabled adult child, you can continue receiving child-in-care benefits regardless of your age. 2. These benefits have NO earnings limit - you can earn any amount without reduction. 3. When you turn 62, you have OPTIONS: - Continue child-in-care benefits (no earnings limit) - Switch to survivor benefits (subject to earnings limit but might be higher amount) - Switch to your own retirement benefits (if you have sufficient work history) The best choice depends on benefit amounts and your expected earnings. The earnings limit for 2025 is $22,320/year if you're under Full Retirement Age (which I assume you are). I strongly recommend scheduling an appointment with SSA to review all your options before making any decisions. They can calculate exact benefit amounts under each scenario based on your specific situation.

I was in almost your exact situation last year! Trying to call SSA was a nightmare - spent hours on hold only to get disconnected. After struggling for weeks, I tried Claimyr.com and got through to an agent in under 15 minutes. They have this system that navigates the phone tree and waits on hold for you, then calls when an agent is on the line. There's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Once I finally spoke with someone, they explained all my options clearly. In my case, staying on the child-in-care benefits made more sense because I wanted to work part-time without worrying about the earnings limit. But your situation might be different depending on benefit amounts.

DONT TRUST ANYTHING PEOPLE TELL YOU ONLINE!!!!! The SSA rules are SO complicated and they change ALL THE TIME. I got screwed because I followed advice from someone on a forum like this. Go directly to the source and get it in WRITING. Even the SSA reps sometimes give wrong information!!! And whatever you do, DON'T start working without clarifying this first or you could end up with a massive overpayment that they'll demand back.

my sister has a disabled son and she works full time with no problems. she said there's no earnings limit for her because he qualified before age 22. but maybe its different for widows??

another thing to think about - if you switch to survivor benefits at 62 instead of waiting till your full retirement age (probably 67ish for you), you'll get a reduced amount forever. might be better to stay on the child-in-care benefits until you reach full retirement age if that's possible.

After reading all the responses, I want to clarify one more important thing: Your daughter's benefits as a Disabled Adult Child (DAC) on your husband's record won't be affected by your work activity or earnings. Her benefits are completely separate from yours. The only thing that would affect her benefits would be if she worked and earned over the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) amount, which is $1,550/month for 2025 for non-blind disabled individuals.