Son, disabled from birth and former SSI recipient, now age 34, filed for social security benefits on father's retirement record as son has never worked. Father elected for 6 months retroactive payment for both of them when he filed this year. Both have been receiving monthly payments, but only father has gotten the retroactive payment. My questions are: 1. How long will it take (usually) for son to get the retroactive payment? (SSI already received for those months will be subtracted from the total he gets.) 2. Will son's monthly payments be affected by COLA? 3. Would son's payments be affected if he moves from father's address? 4. If son sets up an online social security account, does he use his own social security number or his father's number with C1 after it as it was on son's approval letter?

Hi,

Social Security usually calculates retroactive pay involving SSI (Supplemental Security Income) offset within about 60 days, but this can obviously vary.

COLAs apply to both Social Security disabled adult child's (DAC) benefits and SSI, so yes the upcoming 2018 COLA will affect the son's benefit rate.

The son's DAC benefits would not be affected by a change in residence, but his SSI could be if he remains eligible for SSI.

By online account, I don't know if you mean a bank account for direct deposit or a My Social Security account on SSA's website. In any case, the son's claim number for DAC benefits would be his father's SSN followed by C1, but he would still use his own SSN for other purposes.

Best, Jerry