Thank you all for the helpful responses! I've learned there's no "magic month" to file that increases benefits, but I should apply now for March benefits to give SSA enough processing time. I'm going to check my earnings record first, then submit my application. I appreciate the tip about Claimyr too - might use that if I run into problems reaching someone at SSA. I'll update once I get everything submitted!

Just wanted to add one more consideration that might help with your decision-making process. Since you mentioned being in a tough financial spot, you might want to look into whether your state offers any additional assistance programs that could bridge the gap between when your temporary disability ends and when your Social Security payments begin. Some states have emergency assistance programs or food assistance that can help during transitions like this. Also, if your wife isn't already working, she might want to consider part-time employment to help with the financial pressure while you're waiting for benefits to start. The stress of financial uncertainty can really impact your recovery from surgery, so having multiple backup plans in place might give you both some peace of mind during this transition period.

I'm new to this community but wanted to share some information that might help with your situation. I work as a benefits counselor, and I see families dealing with this exact issue regularly. Unfortunately, what everyone has confirmed is correct - your 12-year-old's benefit won't increase when your older child ages out. The Social Security system calculates each child's auxiliary benefit individually (typically 50% of your PIA), and these don't get redistributed when a sibling becomes ineligible. What I always recommend to families in your situation is to create a "transition timeline" starting about 8-10 months before the anticipated change. This gives you time to gradually adjust spending, explore supplemental income options, and research local assistance programs. Many states have specific transition assistance for families experiencing benefit reductions due to aging out. I'd also suggest documenting everything when you do get through to SSA - ask for written confirmation of benefit amounts and termination dates. Sometimes there are small delays or extensions (like the high school provision others mentioned) that can provide a few extra months of breathing room. The system definitely has gaps that hurt families like yours who are still supporting the same household. Planning ahead is really your best strategy for managing this transition successfully.

I'm new to this community but wanted to add my perspective as someone who just went through this exact situation with my family. My oldest daughter aged out last month at 18, and my younger son's benefits stayed exactly the same - no increase at all. It was really disappointing because like you, we were hoping that money would continue to help with our household expenses. What I found most helpful was actually calling SSA about 4 months before my daughter's 18th birthday to get everything documented and understand the exact timeline. The representative explained that each child's benefit is calculated individually (50% of my PIA in our case), and when one child becomes ineligible, that portion just stops - it doesn't get redistributed to other family members within the family maximum. I'd strongly recommend getting your benefit verification letter online through your my Social Security account if you haven't already. Seeing the actual numbers really helped me start planning our budget transition. We started cutting back on non-essential expenses about 6 months early, which made the actual change much less shocking when it happened. Also, definitely look into that high school extension for your 15-year-old that others mentioned. Even if they graduate right around their 18th birthday, there might be a small window where you could benefit from those extra payments. I know it's frustrating that the system works this way, but having a clear plan forward really does help with the stress of uncertainty.

Just wanted to add my recent experience - I applied for Social Security benefits in January 2025 for my July FRA, so about 6 months early. The system accepted my application without any issues and I received confirmation that it's being held for processing at the appropriate time. I know some people have mentioned concerns about applying too early, but the SSA representative I spoke with said they prefer having applications in the system early rather than rushing to process last-minute submissions. This gives them time to identify and resolve any potential issues before your benefit start date. My advice: don't stress too much about the exact timing as long as you're in that 3-6 month window. The most important thing is making sure all your information is accurate when you submit. Good luck with your application!

I just went through this process myself last year! Applied exactly 4 months before my FRA in October 2024, and everything went smoothly. The online application took about 30 minutes to complete, and I received my first payment right on schedule. A few things that helped me: - I created a checklist of all my personal info beforehand (SSN, previous addresses for last 5 years, employer info, etc.) - Made sure my earnings record was accurate by reviewing it on mySocialSecurity first - Applied on a weekday morning when the system tends to be less busy - Kept screenshots of every confirmation page The 4-month timing worked perfectly - not too early to cause issues, but gave plenty of buffer time in case there were any problems to resolve. Since you're planning for September and your birthday is early in the month, I'd definitely recommend applying by early May. Better to have everything processed and ready than to stress about timing!

One important point for everyone following this discussion - while the Social Security Fairness Act would eliminate WEP/GPO for domestic public employees, international pension issues are typically governed by bilateral Social Security agreements (totalization agreements). These agreements are negotiated country-by-country and have their own unique provisions. If you have work history in multiple countries, it's essential to understand both the general WEP rules and the specific provisions of any applicable totalization agreement. These agreements help determine: 1. Whether you can combine work credits from both countries to qualify for benefits 2. How benefits are calculated when you have split work histories 3. Which country's benefits you're eligible to receive The US-UK agreement helps prevent double taxation and allows for totalizing credits, but it doesn't completely eliminate WEP reductions.

I'm in a similar boat with a pension from Australia! Been dealing with WEP reductions for 3 years now and it's so frustrating. From what I've researched, the Social Security Fairness Act unfortunately won't help us with foreign pensions - it's really focused on US government workers like teachers and police officers who didn't pay into Social Security during their government service. The international pension situation is handled under totally different rules through those totalization agreements everyone's mentioning. I've been told by multiple people that we're basically stuck with WEP unless we can somehow get to 30 years of substantial US earnings (which seems impossible for most of us who worked abroad). @Andre Laurent thanks for mentioning the Office of International Operations - I didn't know there was a specific department for this! Going to try calling and asking for OIO directly instead of getting bounced around to regular customer service.

As someone who works with disability cases, I want to emphasize that your sister should definitely pursue this now rather than assuming she has to wait until 62. The disabled divorced spouse benefit is a real provision that many people (including some SSA representatives) aren't familiar with. Since both she and her ex-husband are receiving disability benefits, the calculation can be tricky, but she may be entitled to the difference between her current SSDI amount and 50% of her ex-husband's Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) - not his reduced disability amount, but what his full retirement benefit would be at his full retirement age. When she calls, she should specifically mention she's asking about "disabled divorced spouse benefits under Section 202(b)(4) of the Social Security Act" - using that specific legal reference might help get her to someone who knows these rules. The fact that they were married 20 years and divorced 12 years ago puts her in a strong position eligibility-wise. Also, don't let one "no" discourage you - these cases sometimes require persistence and speaking with multiple representatives to find one who understands the specialized rules for disabled divorced spouses.

I just wanted to share my experience since I went through something very similar with my brother last year. He was 58, on SSDI for 4 years, and his ex-wife had just started receiving her own disability benefits. Initially, the SSA representative told him he'd have to wait until 62, but after we pushed back and specifically asked about disabled divorced spouse benefits, they connected us with a technical expert who confirmed he WAS eligible for additional benefits immediately. The key was getting to someone who actually understood these specialized rules. It took three phone calls and about 6 weeks to get it sorted out, but he ended up getting an additional $280/month retroactive to when his ex-wife first became eligible for benefits. Your sister's situation sounds even stronger since they were married for 20 years (vs my brother's 12 years). Definitely have her mention the specific legal provision that Zoey referenced - that really seemed to help get us to the right person. And don't give up if the first representative says no!