Survivor benefits changing when disabled child turns 18 - what will I receive at 62?

First, I'm sorry for your loss. To answer your questions: Yes, your daughter can continue receiving benefits after 18 if her disability began before age 22. She'll need to go through an adult disability determination, but if approved, her benefits continue indefinitely.For you, at 62, you have options. You're currently receiving the father's benefit as a surviving parent caring for a child under 16 (or disabled). When your daughter turns 18, you could either:1. Switch to your survivor benefit (71.5% of your wife's full benefit if you take it at 62)2. Take your own retirement (reduced because you're taking it early)3. Take one benefit now and switch to the other laterTypically, the best strategy is to take the smaller benefit first and switch to the larger later to maximize lifetime benefits. I'd recommend calling SSA directly to get calculations based on your specific earnings records.

Thank you for the clear explanation. I didn't realize I'm getting a \

my sister has disable son who got beneft after 18. they did cut off for like 3 month while doing revew then paid backpay. make sure u have all medical records ready they ask for ALOT of stuff

That's exactly what I'm worried about. We can't afford to go months without her benefits. Did your sister have to hire a lawyer or anything to help with the process?

The benefits system for disabled adult children is incredibly frustrating. When my son turned 18, we had to jump through so many hoops even though he'd been disabled since birth! They reviewed everything and it took MONTHS with no income! The bureaucracy is DESIGNED to be confusing!They will absolutely cut off benefits at 18 until they confirm adult disability. And good luck reaching anyone at SSA to check status - I spent DAYS on hold only to be disconnected!!Start the review process 6 months before her birthday. Document EVERYTHING. Don't trust them to transfer medical records correctly!

This sounds similar to what we went through... we started the process 5 months before my daughter's 18th birthday and still had a 2-month gap in benefits. The system is so backed up right now.

I was in a similar situation and finally got through to SSA using Claimyr (claimyr.com). They got me past the hold times and connected to an actual agent who explained my options. Much better than trying for weeks to get through. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puUThe agent I spoke with explained that for your situation, they need to do two separate things: 1) adult disability determination for your daughter and 2) recalculate your benefit since you'll no longer be caring for a child under 16. Starting early is definitely smart.

Thanks for the tip - those hold times are ridiculous. I'll check out that service. Did your family member get approved for continued benefits? How long did the whole process take from start to finish?

Yes, my son was approved but it took about 4 months total. We started 3 months before his birthday and still had a 1-month gap. The backpay came eventually, but that month was tight financially. The agent I reached through Claimyr also helped me understand that I could take my reduced retirement benefit at 62 and then switch to a higher survivor benefit later when I reached my full retirement age. That's something I never would have figured out from the website.

I work with families navigating this transition frequently. Here's what you need to know:1. Start the adult disability review process at least 6 months before your daughter turns 18. This is called the \

This is super helpful. Quick question - if the daughter gets adult disability benefits from SSA, does that affect any other benefits she might be eligible for like SSI or Medicaid? My cousin's situation got complicated because of this.

Great question! Yes, it can affect other benefits. If she receives SSDI as a Disabled Adult Child (DAC) and the amount exceeds the SSI threshold ($943/month in 2025), she won't qualify for SSI. Regarding Medicaid, it depends on your state. In most states, if she was on SSI and Medicaid before transitioning to SSDI DAC benefits, she can keep Medicaid through what's called the

Just wanted to add that my daughter went through this same process. The most important thing is getting all the paperwork together before you start. They asked for school records, medical records, evaluations, and even wanted statements from her doctors about what she can and cannot do in a work environment. Have EVERYTHING ready because if they have to request something from you, it adds weeks or months to the process.

I've been exactly where u are! My husband passed in 2022 and our disabled daughter was 17 at the time. What ended up happening was when she turned 18, her benefits stopped for almost 3 months while they reviewed her for adult disability. We got back pay eventually but it was really tough! For me, my benefit as a parent caring for a child stopped and I switched to widow's benefits since I was over 60. I think the monthly amount went down a bit too. Call them way ahead of time!!

Thanks for sharing your experience. Was the adult disability determination difficult? My daughter has Down Syndrome, so her disability is pretty clear-cut, but I'm still nervous about the process.

For my daughter who has severe autism, the determination itself wasn't hard, it was just the TIME everything took. They have a list of conditions that qualify for

dont forget about medicare! if she gets approved for adult disability she gets medicare after 24 months even tho shes young

Another thing to consider is setting up a special needs trust if you haven't already. If your daughter will continue getting benefits, having too many assets in her name could jeopardize future benefits. We learned this the hard way after my mom left my sister some money directly in her will instead of through the trust.

YES!! THIS!! So many families don't realize that an inheritance or even too much money saved can COMPLETELY disqualify their disabled adult children from benefits!! We set up an ABLE account AND a special needs trust. Talk to a lawyer who specializes in special needs planning - regular estate attorneys often miss these details!!

I'm so sorry for your loss. This is such a challenging situation to navigate while grieving. I went through something similar when my brother passed and left behind his disabled son. A few practical tips that might help: Start gathering ALL medical documentation NOW - not just recent stuff, but everything from childhood diagnoses, school IEPs, therapy records, everything. SSA wants a complete picture of how the disability affects daily living and work capacity. Also, consider getting a letter from her current doctors specifically addressing her ability to work. They need to understand not just the diagnosis, but how it impacts her functional capacity. One thing that caught me off guard was that they may want to do their own medical evaluation even with extensive records. Don't be surprised if they schedule her for additional appointments. The good news is that with a well-documented case like Down Syndrome, approval rates are generally good. The frustrating part is just the bureaucratic timeline. Stay on top of deadlines and don't hesitate to call if you don't hear back when they say you will. Hang in there - you're doing everything right by planning ahead!

I'm really sorry for your loss - navigating all this while grieving must be incredibly overwhelming. I'm a disability benefits advocate and see families go through this transition regularly. Here's what you should know: Your daughter's benefits will likely continue after 18 since Down Syndrome typically qualifies for adult disabled child benefits, but there WILL be a gap while they process the adult disability determination. This is unavoidable - even with clear-cut cases like Down Syndrome. For your benefits at 62, you're currently receiving "child-in-care" benefits which end when she turns 18 (or if her disability continues, when she's no longer in your care). At that point, you can switch to either widow's benefits (reduced at 62) or your own retirement benefit - whichever is higher. Here's my strongest recommendation: Start the process 6+ months early AND consider consulting with a disability attorney who offers free consultations. They can help ensure all paperwork is complete and may even represent her for free if needed (they only get paid if she's approved). Also, definitely look into setting up an ABLE account or special needs trust now if you haven't - any inheritance or assets need to be handled carefully to protect her future benefits eligibility. The system is frustrating but manageable with proper planning. You've got time to prepare!