Daniel, my heart goes out to you during this incredibly difficult time. I'm so sorry for your loss. As someone new to this community, I've been reading through this entire thread and am genuinely moved by the incredible support and detailed guidance everyone has provided. You now have a comprehensive roadmap for tomorrow: call SSA first thing in the morning using that Claimyr service to avoid hold times, have all your documents ready (death certificate, marriage certificate, both Social Security numbers), ask specifically about survivor benefits and the $255 death benefit, confirm Medicare premium continuation, and document everything with reference numbers. The personal experiences shared here - especially Sophia's warning about timing and Grace's timeline - are invaluable. What strikes me most is how this community has transformed your moment of confusion into clear, actionable steps. You're not navigating this alone, and thanks to everyone's generosity in sharing their knowledge, you're now better prepared than most people would be in this situation. Please take care of yourself as you work through this process, and don't hesitate to update us on how the call goes. We're all pulling for you to get this resolved quickly so you can focus on healing.

Daniel, I'm so deeply sorry for your loss. Reading through this thread as a newcomer to the community, I'm truly amazed by the incredible outpouring of support and detailed guidance everyone has provided during such a heartbreaking time. You now have what amounts to a complete action plan: call SSA first thing tomorrow morning, use the Claimyr service to avoid those brutal hold times, have all your documents ready (death certificate, marriage certificate, both Social Security numbers), ask specifically about survivor benefits and the $255 death benefit, and make sure to document everything with reference numbers. The personal experiences shared here - especially Sophia's warning about missed payments and Grace's helpful timeline - are incredibly valuable insights that could save you significant time and stress. What strikes me most is how this community has transformed your moment of confusion and grief into clear, actionable steps with genuine emotional support. You're not alone in this process, and thanks to everyone's generosity in sharing their knowledge, you're now better prepared than most people would be in your situation. Please take care of yourself through this difficult time and don't hesitate to update us on how the call goes. We're all rooting for you to get this resolved quickly so you can focus on healing.

As someone new to this community, I've been following this discussion and it's been incredibly helpful! I'm currently navigating some disability-related questions myself, and seeing everyone share their real experiences makes these complex situations so much clearer than trying to decipher official SSA documents. The unanimous consensus here about your SSDI benefits being completely protected is really reassuring - it seems like ex-spouse benefits truly are handled as separate payments that don't affect the primary beneficiary at all. What really stands out to me is how many people have pointed out that her contacting you directly is unusual, since SSA apparently handles these applications completely independently. Given everything you're already dealing with - the recent diagnosis, adjusting to SSDI, managing on a fixed income - it sounds like the best advice is to focus on your own health and financial stability. Let SSA handle whatever she decides to do through their normal processes, and rest assured that your $2,410/month is secure regardless. This community seems like such a valuable resource for navigating these challenging situations!

I'm new to this community but have been reading through this entire discussion as someone who's currently dealing with my own disability application. This thread has been incredibly informative and reassuring! What strikes me most is how consistent everyone's experience has been - your SSDI benefits are completely protected and won't be reduced by any ex-spouse claims. That must be such a relief given that you're already adjusting to living on a fixed income after your recent diagnosis. The red flags that multiple people have pointed out about her contacting you directly really do seem concerning. From everything shared here, SSA handles ex-spouse benefit applications entirely independently - there's no reason she would need to discuss this with you or ask about paperwork on your end. It sounds like you should focus on your own health and financial stability and let SSA handle whatever she decides to file through their normal processes. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - threads like this are invaluable for people trying to navigate the complexities of the disability system. This community seems like such a supportive resource!

I'm new to this community, but I wanted to share some insights from when my nephew went through a similar situation with multiple disabilities and survivor benefits. One thing that really helped us was understanding that you can actually request a "technical entitlement" determination when you apply for SSI. This is slightly different from what others mentioned - it means SSA acknowledges your child meets all eligibility requirements (both medical and technical) but payments are suspended due to excess income. This creates an even stronger foundation than just a medical determination alone, because when your income drops below the limits, benefits can start immediately without any additional review. Also, since you mentioned your son has a genetic disorder along with autism and epilepsy, make sure to ask his doctors about getting genetic counseling documentation. SSA sometimes gives additional consideration to progressive genetic conditions, especially when documenting long-term prognosis and care needs. This type of specialized medical opinion can strengthen the disability determination. Another resource that was invaluable for us was contacting your local Center for Independent Living (CIL). These organizations often have benefits counselors who specialize in helping families navigate the intersection of different disability programs. They're particularly good at helping families understand how SSI, survivor benefits, Medicaid, and state programs all work together. You're definitely taking the right approach by starting this process now. The protective filing date and having all your documentation organized will save you so much time when your life insurance income ends. This community has given you fantastic guidance - you're really well-prepared to navigate this system successfully!

I'm new to this community, but I wanted to share something that helped my family when we were in a very similar situation with my son who has autism and epilepsy. One thing I learned that hasn't been mentioned yet is the importance of requesting a "conditional approval" status when you apply. This is when SSA approves both the medical and financial eligibility criteria but suspends payments due to temporary excess income. What makes this different from other options mentioned is that it locks in your eligibility determination completely, so when your life insurance income ends, payments can begin the following month without any waiting period or additional reviews. Also, since your son receives survivor benefits, make sure to ask about "student benefit continuation" rules. If he's still in high school when he turns 18, survivor benefits can continue until graduation or age 19. However, if he's determined disabled before age 22, he may qualify for Disabled Adult Child benefits that can continue indefinitely - and these have different income calculation rules than regular SSI, which could work in your favor. Another tip that saved us months of confusion: when documenting his functional limitations, include specific examples of how his disabilities affect "activities of daily living" using SSA's exact terminology. Things like "requires physical assistance with hygiene tasks," "cannot prepare simple meals safely," or "needs constant supervision for medication management." SSA has very specific criteria they look for, and using their language helps ensure your documentation hits the right marks. You're absolutely making the right choice to apply now. Having everything established before your financial situation changes will make the transition so much smoother. This community has given you excellent guidance - you're really well-prepared to advocate effectively for your son!

Reading through this whole thread has been so educational! I'm new to the SSDI world myself (just approved after a long battle with rheumatoid arthritis) and had been wondering about these same work questions but was too intimidated to ask. What strikes me most is how much the community knowledge here goes beyond what you can find on the SSA website. Things like the volunteering suggestion, keeping symptom diaries alongside earnings records, and building relationships with specific SSA reps - none of that is in the official guidance but it's clearly invaluable practical advice. Connor, I hope you don't mind me jumping on your post, but I wanted to ask the group: for those of you who've successfully navigated working while on SSDI, what's the biggest mistake you see newcomers make? I want to learn from others' experiences before I potentially make those same errors myself. Also, has anyone dealt with employers who don't understand the accommodation needs that come with chronic conditions? I'm worried about having to explain why I might need flexible scheduling without it affecting how they view my work performance. Thank you all for sharing so openly about your experiences. This kind of peer support and knowledge sharing is exactly what people like us need when the official systems feel so overwhelming and confusing.

As someone who went through the SSDI application process last year due to my autoimmune condition, I can relate to how overwhelming all these work rules feel at first! Reading through this discussion has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea about many of these work incentives and safety nets. I wanted to add one thing that my disability attorney mentioned during my case: keep detailed records not just of your earnings and symptoms, but also of any conversations you have with SSA representatives. Write down the date, time, who you spoke with, and what was discussed. I started doing this after getting conflicting information from different reps, and it saved me during a benefits review when I could reference specific conversations and advice I'd been given. Also, Connor, regarding your concern about MS symptom fluctuation - I've found it helpful to think of this whole process as building a "work readiness" rather than jumping straight into earning close to the SGA limits. Even if you could theoretically earn $1,500 in a good month, starting much lower gives you room to understand how work affects your health and energy levels before you're anywhere close to risking your benefits. The supportive community here really shows how much we need to share knowledge and experiences. The official SSA resources are so dense and intimidating, but hearing from people who've actually navigated this successfully makes it feel much more manageable. Thank you all for creating such a helpful discussion!

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - if you're planning to receive your benefits via direct deposit to your US bank account, make sure to notify your bank that you'll be receiving regular government payments from overseas. Some banks have been flagging these as suspicious activity and temporarily freezing accounts. I learned this the hard way when my first SS payment triggered a fraud alert! A quick call to your bank's international services department before your first payment arrives can save you a lot of headaches. Also, consider setting up online banking alerts so you can monitor the deposits even from Portugal.

One more consideration - since you've been in Portugal for 11 years, you might want to check if you need to report your Social Security benefits on your Portuguese tax return once you start receiving them. Portugal has different tax treaties and rules for US Social Security income depending on your residency status there. Some expats get caught off guard by the tax implications in their country of residence, not just the US side. It might be worth consulting with a tax advisor who understands both US and Portuguese tax law before you start receiving benefits, especially if you have other income sources in Portugal. Better to know upfront than be surprised later!