Social Security retirement timing with a special needs child - work limits vs filing at 65

Hey there! Your situation definitely has some unique considerations. A few thoughts: 1) If you retire at 65, you'll get about 93.3% of your full retirement benefit (your Full Retirement Age is 67 for those born in 1970). 2) IMPORTANT: Your 8-year-old may qualify for benefits on your record when you claim! Children with disabilities can receive benefits if they were disabled before age 22. 3) The earnings limit for 2025 if you claim before your FRA is $22,450 (estimated). Earn over that and SSA withholds $1 for every $2 above the limit. You should definitely speak with an SSA rep about the childhood disability benefits - this could be significant for your planning.

My brother takes SS at 65 and still works part time. He says just dont make too much $$ and youll be fine. also check if your kid can get SSI now maybe?? my niece got that for downs

I'm in a similar situation with a special needs son (he's 15) and I spent HOURS researching this. Here's what you NEED to know: - Your child can get benefits on YOUR record once you file for retirement, even if they're an adult, IF their disability began before 22 - These are called "Childhood Disability Benefits" (CDB) or sometimes "Disabled Adult Child" benefits - When you file at 65, you'll get reduced benefits (about 13.3% reduction from your FRA amount) - The earnings test until you reach FRA (67) is brutal! In 2025, if you earn over $22,450, they take $1 for every $2 above - BUT once you hit FRA, there's NO earnings limit! Also remember Medicare starts at 65 regardless of when you take SS benefits. I decided to file at 67 (my FRA) because of the earnings test, but everyone's situation is different.

Have you calculated how much your SS check would be at different ages? Many people don't realize how MUCH MONEY they lose by filing early! I filed at 65 and regret it SO MUCH now. The SS office never explained to me that I'd be losing so much money EVERY MONTH FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE! If I could go back in time I would have kept working those extra 2 years.

I think you should really consider health insurance costs too. You'll get Medicare at 65, but what about your wife (she'll only be 60) and your child? That gap in coverage could be expensive unless you have other options.

This is going to sound self-serving because I work in benefits planning, but please PLEASE speak with a professional BEFORE making this decision. So many factors to consider: 1. Your PIA (Primary Insurance Amount) at FRA vs reduced amount at 65 2. Child's potential benefits on your record (could be substantial) 3. Spousal benefits for your wife when she's eligible 4. Earnings test implications if you continue working 5. Healthcare coverage for your family members One thing to note: after you reach FRA, SSA will recalculate your benefit and give you credit for any months they withheld benefits due to the earnings test. Many people don't realize this part!

By the way, I had a horrible time trying to get through to SSA when I was planning my retirement. Called for weeks and kept getting disconnected. Finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an agent in about 20 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Totally worth it for something this important - you really need to speak with SSA directly about your child's potential benefits. These questions are too specific for general advice.

my cousin works part time after taking SS at 66 and says its fine no problems with his checks

OP did you create a my social security account yet? you can see ur exact benefit amounts at diff ages there. that helped me alot

Wanted to share my experience - I retired at 65 with a special needs adult daughter. The childhood disability benefits she receives on my record have been LIFE-CHANGING for our family. Don't overlook this! The monthly amount she gets is tied to my benefit amount though, so that's something to consider when deciding when to file.

One more important consideration: if your child qualifies for benefits on your record, they would receive up to 50% of your PIA (your full retirement age amount) even if you file early. However, there's something called the "family maximum" that limits the total amount your family can receive on your record (typically 150-180% of your PIA). So, maximizing your own benefit could potentially increase what your child receives too. Regarding working while collecting: I'd recommend sitting down and calculating exactly how much you plan to earn after claiming benefits. If it's significantly over the earnings limit, it might make sense to wait until your FRA to avoid the penalty.

I KNOW YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR THIS but waiting until 70 would give you 24% MORE than filing at 67 (your FRA). That's a PERMANENT increase for life! I filed at 67 and now at 75 I'm watching my friend who waited collect WAY MORE every month. It's hard to work longer but the math doesn't lie.