Social Security survivor benefits reducing my son's SSI - barely any increase overall? Need NY guidelines help

This is a common source of confusion, but I can explain how it works. Social Security survivor benefits are considered "unearned income" for SSI purposes. SSI is needs-based, so when your daughter receives survivor benefits, her SSI is reduced. The formula is roughly: SSI amount - (unearned income - $20 general exclusion) = new SSI payment So in your case: $1215 - ($875 - $20) = $1215 - $855 = $360 remaining SSI Then $360 + $875 = $1235 total monthly benefits, which is only about $20 more than before. This is standard across all states, though NY does have a state supplement for SSI that might add a bit more.

Same thing happened with my nephew. It's a terrible system that basically punishes disabled children who lose a parent. My sister-in-law spent MONTHS fighting with SSA about this exact situation. The backpay issue is a separate problem though. Call them again specifically about the backpay - it should be calculated from the date of death and they often process it separately from the monthly payments. But be prepared to wait on hold FOREVER or get disconnected multiple times.

have u tried Claimyr? i was in a similar spot trying to reach ssa for my kids benefits after their mom died and kept getting disconnected. Claimyr connected me with an actual person at SSA in like 20 mins instead of waiting for hours. website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU for the benefits question, yea unfortunately thats how it works with ssi and survivors. its frustrating but thats the system

The first representative gave you incorrect information, unfortunately. SSI and survivors benefits DO offset each other as the first commenter explained. Regarding the backpay: Survivor benefits and SSI backpay are processed separately and often on different timeframes. The SSA typically releases survivor benefit backpay faster than they adjust the SSI. This means you might see the survivor backpay first, then a notice about reduced SSI, and potentially even an overpayment notice if they paid full SSI during months when your daughter was also receiving survivor benefits. I would recommend documenting every conversation with the SSA (date, time, rep name if possible, and what was discussed). This will help if you need to request a waiver for any overpayment they might claim later.

my son gets both too but we only get like $40 more total its so stupid!!! they act like its this big benefit but its basically nothing extra and SO MUCH paperwork and phone calls and stress. the system is broken!!

This gets even more complicated due to something called "retrospective monthly accounting" (RMA) that SSA uses for SSI. They base each month's SSI payment on income from two months prior. So when survivor benefits start, there's usually a 2-month lag before SSI decreases. For the backpay: SSA is processing survivor claims very slowly right now due to staffing issues. Half-siblings might get processed at different times depending on which field office handles each case. Different offices work at different speeds. The most important thing is to set aside any survivor backpay you receive for your daughter in a separate account. This is because if it pushes her resources over $2,000 in a month, she could lose SSI eligibility. However, you have 9 months to spend down survivor benefits backpay before it counts toward the resource limit.

wait do the half siblings have different moms? maybe thats why they got backpay first, different claims specialists handling different families?

YOUR DAUGHTER IS ENTITLED TO THOSE SURVIVOR BENEFITS!! The government makes these programs SO COMPLICATED ON PURPOSE to discourage people from claiming what they're owed!! The SSA reps themselves don't even understand their own rules half the time - I got 4 different answers from 4 different people when dealing with my son's benefits. BACKPAY IS ALWAYS A MESS - sometimes it comes in chunks, sometimes all at once, sometimes it's direct deposited, sometimes they mail a check. NO RHYME OR REASON!!

One more thing to consider: While your daughter's total monthly benefit only increases slightly, there are some potential advantages to receiving survivor benefits: First, survivor benefits don't have the same strict disability reviews as SSI, so that's one less thing to worry about in the future. Second, survivor benefits typically have fewer reporting requirements than SSI. Third, survivor benefits have no resource limits, so your daughter could potentially have over $2,000 in savings (though this would affect the SSI portion). Lastly, if your daughter's condition improves to the point where she no longer qualifies as disabled for SSI, she could still receive survivor benefits until age 18 (or 19 if still in high school).

I'm so sorry for your loss and the confusion you're dealing with during an already difficult time. As others have explained, the offset is unfortunately how the system works, but I wanted to add a few practical tips that helped me when I went through something similar: 1. Request a written explanation from SSA detailing exactly how they calculated your daughter's benefits - having it in writing helps avoid the conflicting verbal information you've been getting. 2. For the backpay delay, ask specifically about "interim assistance" - sometimes they can provide partial payments while sorting out the full calculation. 3. Keep calling about the backpay every 2-3 weeks. I found that different reps had access to different information, and persistence eventually got results. 4. Consider contacting your local SSA field office directly rather than just the main phone line - they often have more detailed case information. The system is frustrating, but you're advocating well for your daughter. Don't give up on getting the backpay sorted out - it's rightfully hers.