Hello, I am collecting SSDI based on my own record, and I receive dependent benefits for my two children. Because I became disabled at 21 and did not have many work credits, the family maximum for my record is very low; about 1.3 times my primary amount. When my father retires at 70 next year will I be able to collect on his record and have my children collect on mine? Thank you!

Hi. If you're not married then you could potentially qualify for disabled adult child's (DAC) benefits when your father starts collecting his benefits, but you wouldn't actually switch from your own Social Security disability (SSDI) benefits to DAC benefits. Instead, you'd continue drawing your SSDI benefits and if your DAC benefit rate is higher than your own benefit rate you could get a partial DAC benefit equal to the difference in the two rates. Your total benefit amount would then be equal to the higher DAC amount, assuming that the DAC amount is higher than your own SSDI rate.

If you do qualify for DAC benefits, though, it won't increase the family maximum amount on your record. So, it wouldn't have any effect on your children's benefit rates if you qualify for DAC benefits.

Best, Jerry