Will my disabled adult child get 50% of my SSDI amount or retirement PIA when I reach FRA?

Your son's DAC benefits will continue to be calculated based on your PIA (Primary Insurance Amount), which is the same amount used to calculate your SSDI. When you convert from disability to retirement at FRA, your payment amount doesn't change - it's the same PIA amount - and neither will your son's DAC benefit. He'll continue to receive 50% of your PIA as long as he remains eligible. I went through this exact transition last year, and while I was worried about potential changes, my disabled daughter's benefit remained exactly the same after I switched from SSDI to retirement.

The previous commenter is generally correct, but I want to clarify something important. Your disabled son's benefit will be 50% of your PIA (Primary Insurance Amount). Here's what happens: When you reach FRA, your SSDI automatically converts to retirement benefits, but the amount stays exactly the same (your PIA). Your son will continue to receive 50% of that amount as a DAC. The confusion might be because sometimes people conflate PIA with the actual benefit amount. But since you're taking retirement at exactly FRA (not early or delayed), your retirement benefit will equal your PIA, which is currently the basis for your SSDI. So in your specific case, there should be no change to either of your benefit amounts at the transition.

The whole system is DESIGNED TO CONFUSE US!! I spent 8 months trying to get straight answers about my disabled daughter's benefits when I switched from SSDI to retirement. Every rep told me something different! One said benefits would increase, another said decrease, third said stay the same. When I finally got through to someone who knew what they were talking about, they explained the calculation depends on several factors including whether you worked while receiving SSDI and whether those earnings affected your PIA. The SSA's computer systems don't even talk to each other properly which is why you get different answers depending on who you talk to!!!!

I had the hardest time getting through to someone at Social Security who could help me with almost the same question last year. After waiting on hold for hours multiple times and getting disconnected, I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to reach an agent on my first try. They got me connected to a Technical Expert who specializes in DAC benefits who explained everything clearly. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. Totally worth it to get answers from someone who actually knows the rules instead of basic call center staff.

hi there. my autistic son also gets DAC benefits. we went thru this last year when i turned 67. what happened was my benefit stayed EXACTLY the same when i switched from disability to retirement (they just call it something different). my sons benefit also stayed exactly the same amount which was a relief. the ssa lady told me that's because the PIA doesnt change. i was worried too because we depend on both checks to pay bills.

To address the work question that's come up: If you worked while receiving SSDI and stayed under the SGA limits, those earnings may potentially increase your PIA through recalculations. If your PIA increases due to these additional earnings, your son's DAC benefit could increase proportionally (still 50% of your new PIA). However, these recalculations don't happen automatically at FRA - they typically occur annually when SSA processes all earnings records. When you meet with your local office, ask specifically about an "AERO" recalculation (Automatic Earnings Reappraisal Operation). That's the process SSA uses to check if recent earnings would increase your benefit. Make sure to bring documentation of all work and earnings while on SSDI.

I just remembered something important for your situation. When your SSDI converts to retirement at FRA, make sure you check that your son remains properly coded as a DAC (Disabled Adult Child) beneficiary and not accidentally recoded as a regular child beneficiary. This happened to a friend, and it caused problems because regular child benefits end at age 18 (or 19 if still in high school). The payment amounts are the same (50% of your PIA), but the eligibility rules are different. Just something to watch for during the transition.

Wait I'm confused... isn't the PIA for retirement different than for SSDI? My brother said his retirement PIA was calculated differently. That's why I'm worried about my son's benefits changing when I hit retirement age next year. Does anyone know if they use the same formula?

Thanks everyone for all the helpful information! To summarize what I've learned: 1) My son's DAC benefit should stay at 50% of my PIA when I transition to retirement at FRA, 2) My PIA shouldn't change at transition, but might be recalculated through AERO if my part-time work increased my average earnings, 3) I need to verify my son remains coded as DAC during the transition, and 4) I should bring all my earnings documentation to my appointment. This has been so much more helpful than my calls to SSA! I'll update after my appointment next month to let everyone know what I find out.

I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation! My 35-year-old daughter has been getting DAC benefits since she was 25 due to intellectual disabilities, and I'm currently on SSDI planning for my FRA transition in 2026. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - especially the point about making sure she stays coded as DAC and not accidentally switched to regular child benefits. I had no idea that could happen! I'm also concerned about the AERO recalculation since I did some consulting work while on SSDI (staying under SGA limits). Did anyone here actually see their DAC dependent's benefits increase due to the earnings recalculation, or does it usually not make much difference? I'm hoping for the best but trying to prepare for any changes to our monthly budget.