Social Security switched my disabled daughter from SSI to SSDI with lower payment - how is this possible?

the same thing happened to my son!! SSA did this to him when he turned 25. it has something to do with him qualifying on my record now that I'm getting retirement. they never explained it well but we just had to accept it. Called SSA like 17 times and gave up

This sounds like your daughter may have been converted from SSI to Disabled Adult Child (DAC) benefits, which are based on your earnings record. This typically happens when a parent begins receiving Social Security retirement or disability benefits, or passes away. The payment amount is based on your earnings history rather than the federal SSI rate. Regarding the lower payment: DAC benefits aren't means-tested like SSI, but there could be a few explanations: 1. If she has other income, SSI had different exclusions than SSDI 2. The benefit amount is calculated as a percentage of your Primary Insurance Amount 3. There could be a Medicare premium being deducted if she's been eligible for 24 months Did the notice mention anything about Medicare eligibility?

Your daughter is most likely receiving what's called DAC (Disabled Adult Child) benefits now, which are based on YOUR work record instead of being needs-based like SSI was. The good news is that DAC benefits don't have the strict resource limits that SSI has - she can have more in savings without losing benefits. The bad news is that the payment might be lower depending on your earnings history. But there are important protections you need to know about: 1. Ask SSA about "Section 1634(c)" which can protect Medicaid eligibility 2. If her TOTAL benefit is now lower, she might qualify for continued SSI at a reduced rate 3. DAC benefits have different rules about work - the earnings limits are higher than SSI She might actually be better off in the long run with DAC benefits, but you need to make sure the transition doesn't mess up her healthcare coverage.

I went through this NIGHTMARE when my sister transitioned from SSI to DAC benefits when our mom retired. Was on hold with SSA for 3 HOURS trying to get answers!!! After getting disconnected TWICE, I finally discovered a service called Claimyr that got me connected to a rep in 20 minutes. They patched me through to SSA's phone system but skipped the hold time somehow. Their website is claimyr.com if you want to check it out - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU showing how it works. The SSA rep explained that my sister needed special paperwork to keep her Medicaid when switching to DAC benefits. Make sure you specifically ask about "Medicaid continuation under 1634(c)" - most frontline workers don't know about it unless you mention it by name!

This is a common situation that creates a lot of confusion. Your daughter has likely been converted from SSI to what's called DAC benefits (Disabled Adult Child, also sometimes called CDB - Childhood Disability Benefits). Here's what's happening: - DAC benefits are available to adults who became disabled before age 22 - When you started receiving retirement benefits, that "triggered" her eligibility on your record - The benefit amount is calculated as a percentage of your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) - If your earnings history doesn't result in a high PIA, her benefit could be lower than the federal SSI rate The good news is there are protections to prevent loss of Medicaid. Your daughter should automatically qualify for what's called "mandatory continuation" of Medicaid under Section 1634(c) of the Social Security Act. This ensures people who lose SSI due to receiving Social Security benefits can keep their Medicaid. I recommend: 1. Contact your state Medicaid office to verify her coverage continues 2. Request a benefit verification letter from SSA showing her new status 3. Calculate whether she might still qualify for some SSI to supplement the DAC benefits

Is she on any work activity? Because if shes getting SSDI now insted of SSI the rules about working are TOTALLY different!! SSI lets you work more hours before cutting benefits but SSDI has this thing called SGA (substantial gainful activity) and if she goes over that amount even ONE MONTH they can terminate her!!! My nephew lost his benefits this way and it took 18 months to get them back!!!!

my cousin gets both ssi and ssdi is that possible maybe ur daughter can get both?

One important thing no one has mentioned: when your daughter switches from SSI to DAC benefits, she'll have a 2-year waiting period before Medicare begins, but she should keep her Medicaid during this period. After the 2 years, she'll have both Medicare and Medicaid (called "dual eligible"). This is actually better coverage than just having Medicaid alone. Medicaid will then act as a secondary insurance and will cover many costs that Medicare doesn't, like certain prescriptions and long-term care services. So while the monthly cash benefit might be lower now, the healthcare coverage will eventually be more comprehensive once she has both Medicare and Medicaid.

I'm sorry you're going through this confusing transition! This is definitely a DAC (Disabled Adult Child) benefits situation that happens when a parent starts receiving Social Security. The lower payment can be really frustrating, but there are some important things to check: 1. **Medicaid protection**: Ask SSA specifically about "Section 1634(c)" or "mandatory Medicaid continuation" - this should protect her Medicaid coverage automatically when switching from SSI to DAC benefits. 2. **Concurrent benefits**: Since her DAC payment is lower than what she was getting on SSI, she might still qualify for a partial SSI payment to supplement the DAC benefits. This is called "concurrent benefits" and SSA should have evaluated this automatically, but it's worth asking. 3. **Work rules**: The good news is DAC benefits have higher work limits than SSI - the current SGA limit is $1,550/month, so her sheltered workshop income of $200/month is well within safe limits. 4. **Future benefits**: While the monthly payment is lower now, she'll get Medicare in 2 years plus keep Medicaid, which actually provides better overall coverage. Call SSA and specifically ask about these protections. Many frontline workers don't know about the Medicaid continuation rules unless you mention them by name!

I went through something very similar with my brother when he transitioned from SSI to DAC benefits at age 28. The key thing that saved us was understanding that this isn't necessarily a permanent decrease in benefits. Here's what I learned that might help: **Check if she qualifies for "concurrent benefits"** - If her new DAC payment plus any other income is less than the federal SSI rate ($943 in 2025), she should still get a partial SSI payment to make up some of the difference. SSA is supposed to do this automatically, but they don't always catch it. **Document everything** - Keep copies of all notices and benefit statements. When I called SSA, they initially said my brother wasn't eligible for concurrent benefits, but when I had his exact payment amounts and dates, a supervisor was able to correct the error. **The Medicaid protection is real** - Don't panic about losing Medicaid. The 1634(c) provision everyone mentioned should kick in automatically, but definitely follow up with your state Medicaid office to confirm her coverage continues. One thing that really helped us was getting a "benefit verification letter" from SSA that clearly showed his new benefit type and amount. This made it much easier when dealing with other agencies and healthcare providers who needed to understand the change. The transition period is stressful, but once everything settles, the DAC benefits actually gave my brother more stability since there are no asset limits like with SSI.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this confusing situation! This exact thing happened to my nephew last year when his mom started drawing early retirement. The switch from SSI to DAC benefits can be really jarring, especially when the payment drops. From what I learned helping my sister navigate this, a few important things to check: **Call SSA ASAP about concurrent benefits** - If her DAC payment is less than the current SSI federal rate ($943/month), she might be eligible for a partial SSI payment to make up some of the difference. This should happen automatically but doesn't always. **Ask specifically about "Section 1634(c)"** - This protects Medicaid coverage when switching from SSI to Social Security benefits. Don't assume the caseworker knows about it - you have to mention it by name! **Good news about work** - DAC benefits have much higher earnings limits than SSI. Her $200/month from the sheltered workshop is well below the $1,550 SGA limit for 2025. **Future healthcare will actually be better** - Once Medicare kicks in after 24 months, she'll have both Medicare and Medicaid (dual eligible), which provides more comprehensive coverage than Medicaid alone. The payment reduction is frustrating now, but DAC benefits don't have the strict asset limits that SSI has, so that's one less thing to worry about long-term. Hang in there - once you get through to SSA and get the right protections in place, this transition should work out better than it initially seems!

I'm a case manager who works with adults with disabilities, and I see this SSI to DAC transition fairly regularly. What you're experiencing is unfortunately very common and creates a lot of confusion for families. A few practical tips based on what I've seen work: **When you call SSA, ask for a supervisor immediately** if the first representative doesn't know about Section 1634(c) or concurrent benefits. Frontline staff often aren't familiar with these protections, but supervisors usually are. **Get everything in writing** - Ask SSA to send you a written explanation of her new benefit calculation and why the amount changed. This helps when dealing with other agencies later. **Contact your state's Disability Determination Services office** - They often have specialists who understand DAC transitions better than the general SSA phone line. **Timeline matters** - You typically have 60 days from the notice date to request reconsideration if you think there's been an error in the benefit calculation or if concurrent SSI benefits weren't properly considered. The silver lining is that DAC benefits are generally more stable long-term than SSI. No more worrying about resource limits, marriage penalties, or having benefits cut due to small changes in living arrangements. Once you get through this transition period and ensure all protections are in place, your daughter should have more security than she had on SSI. Document every phone call with SSA - date, time, representative name, and what was discussed. This becomes crucial if you need to escalate anything later.

I'm so sorry you're going through this confusing transition! As someone who recently helped my adult son navigate a similar change from SSI to DAC benefits, I completely understand your frustration and worry. The most important thing to know is that your daughter should be protected from losing Medicaid coverage. When someone switches from SSI to Social Security benefits (including DAC), there's an automatic protection called "Section 1634(c)" that should keep her Medicaid active. However, you need to be proactive about this - call both SSA and your state Medicaid office to confirm this protection is in place. Also, since her DAC payment is lower than what she was getting on SSI, she might be eligible for "concurrent benefits" - meaning she could still get a partial SSI payment to supplement the DAC benefits. This should bring her total monthly payment closer to what she was receiving before. A few things that helped us: - Write down key terms before calling: "Section 1634(c)", "concurrent benefits", "DAC benefits" - Ask for a benefit verification letter showing her new status - Don't give up if the first representative doesn't know about these protections - ask for a supervisor The good news is that DAC benefits don't have the strict $2,000 resource limit that SSI has, so that's one less thing to worry about going forward. And in two years when Medicare starts, she'll have both Medicare and Medicaid coverage which is actually better than just Medicaid alone. Hang in there - once you get the right protections in place, this transition should work out better than it seems right now!

I went through this exact same situation with my daughter two years ago when I started drawing early retirement at 62. The transition from SSI to DAC benefits was incredibly confusing and stressful, especially when her monthly payment dropped by almost $200. Here's what I learned that might help you: **The Medicaid protection is crucial** - Make sure to specifically ask SSA about "Section 1634(c)" when you call. This should automatically protect her Medicaid coverage, but you need to verify it's in place. I also called our state Medicaid office directly to confirm the protection was active. **Concurrent benefits saved us** - Since her DAC payment was less than the federal SSI rate, she qualified for a partial SSI payment to make up most of the difference. SSA should have calculated this automatically, but they missed it initially. When I called back and specifically asked about "concurrent benefits," they were able to add the supplemental SSI payment. **The work rules are actually better** - With DAC benefits, the earnings limit is much higher ($1,550/month in 2025) compared to SSI's complex work incentive rules. Her $200/month from the sheltered workshop is completely safe. **Long-term this is better** - No more $2,000 asset limit stress, and when Medicare starts in 2 years, having both Medicare and Medicaid provides much more comprehensive coverage. The key is being persistent and knowing the right terminology when you call. Don't let them brush you off - these protections exist specifically for situations like this. It took me three calls and two supervisors, but we got everything sorted out. Your daughter should end up in a more stable situation once the transition is complete!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this confusing transition! This exact situation happened to my brother when he turned 27 and our dad started collecting Social Security. It's incredibly frustrating when you're not prepared for it. What you're describing sounds like your daughter was automatically converted from SSI to DAC (Disabled Adult Child) benefits when you started receiving retirement benefits. The payment amount is based on your work history rather than the federal SSI rate, which explains why it could be lower. Here are the key things I learned that you should ask SSA about immediately: **Medicaid Protection** - Ask specifically about "Section 1634(c)" or "mandatory Medicaid continuation." This should automatically protect her Medicaid coverage during the transition, but you need to verify it's active. **Concurrent Benefits** - Since her new DAC payment is lower than what she was getting on SSI, she might qualify for a partial SSI supplement to make up some of the difference. This should have been calculated automatically but sometimes gets missed. **Work Rules are Better** - Good news about her sheltered workshop! DAC benefits have much higher work limits than SSI. The current limit is $1,550/month, so her $200 is completely safe. Don't give up if the first SSA representative doesn't know about these protections - ask for a supervisor. It took me several calls but we eventually got my brother set up with both the Medicaid protection and partial SSI supplement. The silver lining is that DAC benefits don't have the strict $2,000 asset limit, and in 2 years she'll have both Medicare and Medicaid which is actually better coverage overall. Hang in there!