Will my disabled adult son continue getting Social Security survivor benefits after age 18 when siblings age out?

Yes, your disabled son can continue receiving survivor benefits beyond age 18 if his disability began before age 22. He would need to qualify under the Adult Child Disability Benefit program (sometimes called Disabled Adult Child or DAC benefits). The process requires a disability determination similar to SSI/SSDI qualification. As for your second question - yes, when your other children age out at 18 (or 19 if still in high school), your disabled son's benefit could increase because of the family maximum calculation. The total amount payable to all survivors in a family is capped, so when there are fewer beneficiaries, each remaining person may receive more.

just want to say i'm sorry about your husband. my kids got survivors benefits too and it was so confusing at first.

Regarding maximizing benefits - you might want to consider whether your husband's record would provide a higher spousal benefit than your own retirement benefit. You can actually claim one type and then switch to the other if advantageous. The rules get complicated depending on your age, earnings history, and when you start claiming. For your disabled son, definitely look into the Adult Disabled Child benefits as mentioned above, but also check if he might qualify for SSI in addition to the survivor benefits, especially during the transition to adult benefits. Sometimes people can get both depending on the benefit amounts and other income.

my daughter has autism and gets DAC benefits after my husband passed she's 26 now. one thing they dont tell you is that your son cant have resources over $2000 and if he ever gets married he loses the benefit completely. they also do reviews every few years to check if he's still disabled. its been a lifesaver for us but theres a lot of rules

Regarding maximizing benefits for both you and your son - I recommend scheduling an appointment with an SSA Claims Specialist specifically. You have several strategic decisions to make, especially considering your own claiming strategy. For your situation, you should know these key points: 1. Your FRA (Full Retirement Age) factors heavily into optimal timing 2. As a widow, you can claim survivor benefits as early as age 60 3. You can switch between your own retirement and widow's benefits at different times to maximize lifetime benefits 4. Your disabled son's benefits will be 75% of your deceased husband's Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) 5. When your other children age out, your son's benefit may increase up to the family maximum For complex cases like yours involving a disabled adult child and widow benefits, getting personalized advice is essential.

One more thing about your son's benefits - if he's receiving survivor benefits now and transitions to Disabled Adult Child benefits, make sure you understand the healthcare implications. Once he's an adult on SSDI (which is what DAC essentially is), he'll qualify for Medicare after a 24-month waiting period. But depending on your state, he might also qualify for Medicaid, which could provide more comprehensive coverage for his specific needs. Some states have special Medicaid waiver programs for people with disabilities that provide additional supports and services beyond medical care.

i feel for u so much. my friend has a disabled daughter and says the whole system is set up to make it as confusing as possible!!!

To summarize the options for your son: 1. He can transition from child survivor benefits to Adult Disabled Child benefits at 18 if his disability began before 22 2. The benefit amount would be the same (75% of your husband's PIA) initially 3. When siblings age out, his benefit could increase up to the family maximum (typically 150-180% of the worker's PIA) 4. The application process should start 3-4 months before he turns 18 5. He'll need comprehensive medical documentation of his disability 6. After approval, he'll get Medicare after 24 months 7. Benefits continue indefinitely as long as he remains disabled and unmarried For yourself, you have flexibility to either claim reduced widow's benefits as early as 60 and switch to your own retirement later, or vice versa depending on which maximizes your lifetime benefits.