Social Security family benefits calculation - retired at 63 with disabled adult son and early-claiming spouse

Good questions - you've got a complex case with the three benefit types. First, yes, your son may be eligible for disabled adult child (DAC) benefits on your record. Since you're collecting $2900, your son could potentially receive up to 50% of your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which would be significantly more than his current SSI. Your husband is already collecting his own retirement, so he would only get spousal benefits if 50% of your PIA exceeds his own benefit. And yes, there's a Family Maximum Benefit (FMB) that will cap the total amount your family can receive on your record - typically between 150-180% of your PIA.

Thank you so much! Do you know if my son will completely lose his SSI once he starts getting benefits on my record? I'm worried about him losing Medicaid if that happens.

Your son will DEFINITELY lose SSI once he starts getting Social Security benefits on your record!!! SSI has a strict income limit and the DAC benefits will be too high. BUT - and this is CRITICAL - he should be eligible for what's called

This is exactly right. The Medicaid continuation under Section 1634(c) is super important but easily overlooked. Make sure you specifically ask about this and get written confirmation. Also, your son's Medicare will start after 24 months on SSDI/DAC benefits.

my sister went thru this last year. her son got more $ but lost food stamps and had to reapply for medicaid. big hassle but worth it in the end. more money overall.

Thanks for sharing that. I'm definitely worried about the transition period and making sure he doesn't lose coverage. Did your sister have to provide additional documentation for the medicaid reapplication?

For calculating your husband's benefit, it gets a bit complicated. Since he's already receiving his own retirement benefit, SSA will calculate if he's eligible for an additional amount called the

I think your numbers are off. If she's getting $2900 at age 63, her PIA (full retirement age amount) would be closer to $3650, not $3500. So the family max would be higher. Plus the 2024 SSI amount is $943, not 2023.

Ugh, dealing with this exact situation was a NIGHTMARE for us last year. Called SSA like 20 times and got different answers every single time!! So frustrating! Finally got it sorted but took MONTHS.

That's what I'm afraid of! Did you ever find a specific person at SSA who was helpful? I feel like I need to talk to someone who specializes in these complicated family benefit situations.

I had similar issues getting through to someone knowledgeable at SSA. I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an SSA representative in about 20 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puUOnce I got through, I specifically asked for someone who specializes in disabled adult child benefits and family maximum calculations. That made a huge difference - the specialist I talked to walked me through everything and even sent me a detailed explanation letter afterward.

omg thank you for this!! just tried calling again today and got disconnected TWICE after waiting 45+ minutes each time. definitely checking this out.

To address your specific calculation questions:1. Your son: He'll likely receive approximately 50% of your PIA, which would be around $1450-1500 per month. This will replace his SSI.2. Your husband: Since he's already receiving reduced benefits on his own record, he'll only get additional spousal benefits if 50% of your PIA (reduced for his early claiming) exceeds his current $800. The calculation is: (50% of your PIA × reduction factor for claiming at 62) - his current benefit. If positive, that's his additional amount.3. Family Maximum: This will likely cap the total benefits. The formula is complex, but generally ranges from 150-180% of your PIA.I strongly recommend requesting a written breakdown of all these calculations from SSA. Your local office should be able to provide a comprehensive benefits analysis showing all three benefits and how the family maximum applies to your specific situation.

Thank you so much for breaking it down like this! I'll definitely request the written breakdown. One last question - will starting these family benefits on my record change my own benefit amount at all?

Your own benefit won't be reduced when your family members collect on your record. The Family Maximum only limits how much THEY can receive collectively, not your amount. Your $2900 is fixed (except for annual COLA increases).One important note: When your husband reaches his FRA (67), he should check if switching to spousal benefits might increase his payment. At FRA, he'd be eligible for a full 50% of your PIA without reduction, which could be significantly more than his current reduced benefit.For your son, make sure SSA correctly processes the DAC claim with the Medicaid protection mentioned earlier. Get everything in writing, and if possible, have one specific SSA representative manage your case from start to finish.

yep keep ALL the paperwork! my sister had to show proof like 3 different times cuz they kept losing it or something