Social Security and You: Retirees With 'Disabled Adult Children'

And just coincidentally, I had another email from a couple with almost the same circumstances as those just discussed, with one difference. In this case, the wife's FRA benefit rate was only $1,600, meaning their disabled daughter would be due $800 in DAC benefits. And they didn't want the wife to file for Social Security because the DAC rate of $800 is less than the $934 check the daughter currently gets.

But I explained to them that even though the daughter would get $800 in DAC benefits, only $780 of that counts against her SSI check. (Don't ask me why!) In other words, the daughter would get $800 in Social Security DAC benefits and $154 in SSI benefits ($934 minus $780 equals $154). So the daughter would end up with $954 in total monthly benefits -- compared to the $934 she gets now.

Q: I am about to turn 62. I am thinking of retiring and taking my Social Security. However, everyone I know tells me I'd be foolish to do that. They all tell me to wait at least until age 67 when I can get full benefits. And others suggest I wait even longer -- until age 70. What do you think? And FYI: my wife and I have a 22-year-old son who has been mentally disabled since birth. My wife is 60 and stays home to care for our son.

A: When I read the first couple lines of your email, I was ready to give you my stock response when people ask me if they should retire early and take reduced Social Security benefits or wait until a later date to get higher benefits. That response essentially tells people to decide if they want more money at the front end of their senior years -- by taking reduced retirement benefits; or more money in their later years -- by waiting until 67 or 70 to start their Social Security.

But the fact that you have a disabled son changes everything. And that's because he, and possibly your wife, will be eligible for benefits as soon as you sign up for your Social Security. In other words, by waiting until a later age to apply for benefits, not only are you foregoing your own monthly checks, but you'd be throwing away tens of thousands of dollars in benefits due to your family.

As explained above, your son gets a rate equal to 50% of your full age 67 rate, even if you take benefits at age 62. And if your wife is not working, she is also potentially due benefits as the dependent caregiver of a disabled child. She, too, would get the 50% rate. But as I said earlier, the "family maximum" rules could limit what you all receive each month. You will have to talk to the Social Security people about that.

But the bottom line message to you is this: The combination of benefits due your wife and son make those reduced retirement benefits a pretty attractive option for you to consider.

========

If you have a Social Security question, Tom Margenau has two books with all the answers. One is called "Social Security -- Simple and Smart: 10 Easy-to-Understand Fact Sheets That Will Answer All Your Questions About Social Security." The other is "Social Security: 100 Myths and 100 Facts." You can find the books at Amazon.com or other book outlets. (If ordering the "Simple and Smart" book from Amazon, click on "See all formats and editions" to make sure you are getting the 2024 edition.) Or you can send him an email at thomas.margenau@comcast.net. To find out more about Tom Margenau and to read past columns and see features from other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.