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If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
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Thank you all so much for the advice! I'm going to start gathering all his documentation right away and try that Claimyr service to get through to SSA. I feel much more prepared now about what to expect and what we need to do. This community is so helpful!
You're welcome! One final tip: when submitting documents to SSA, always keep copies of everything and get delivery confirmation. Request a receipt for any documents submitted in person. This creates a paper trail that can be invaluable if there are issues later in the process.
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Social Security representative here. I want to clarify a few important points: 1. Your FRA is determined by your birth year. For someone born in 1964, FRA is 67. 2. Spousal benefits at FRA are 50% of your husband's Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which is his benefit amount at his FRA (not necessarily what he's currently receiving). 3. Early filing reduction for spousal benefits: - Age 62: 35% reduction (you get 32.5% instead of 50%) - Age 63: 30% reduction - Age 64: 25% reduction - Age 65: 16.7% reduction - Age 66: 8.3% reduction - Age 67: No reduction (full 50%) 4. There's no advantage to waiting beyond your FRA for spousal benefits. 5. When you apply, you'll be deemed to have filed for both retirement and spousal benefits, and you'll receive the higher amount. I recommend creating a my Social Security account at ssa.gov to see your estimated benefits based on your own work record.
This is incredibly helpful - thank you for breaking down the reduction percentages! I'll definitely set up that account to check my own record. One more question: if I take my spousal benefit at FRA, but then my husband passes away, would I be able to switch to survivor benefits? Would those be different than the spousal amount?
To answer your follow-up question: Yes, if your husband passes away, you would be eligible for survivor benefits, which would be up to 100% of what your husband was receiving (compared to the 50% for spousal benefits). Survivor benefits and spousal benefits are entirely different programs with different rules. If you were receiving spousal benefits and your husband passed away, you would be able to switch to survivor benefits if they were higher (which they typically are). The survivor benefit amount depends on several factors including your age when you claim them, but at your FRA or later, you would receive 100% of your husband's benefit amount.
this is why SS is so confusing!!! too many different rules for different benefits. my head hurts just trying to understand all this stuff
SSA now requiring login.gov account - mandatory change?
I'm really confused about accessing my Social Security account online. I've been using the same username/password for my MySocialSecurity account for years, but when I tried logging in today, it redirected me to some login.gov page asking me to create a whole new account? I don't understand if this is legitimate or if I accidentally clicked something wrong. Has the SSA changed their login process? Do I really need to create this new account just to check my benefits information? I'm hesitant to create yet another government login when my old one worked fine. Anyone else run into this recently?
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I work with seniors on technology issues, and this login.gov transition has been challenging for many of them. If you're having trouble, here are some tips: 1. Use a current browser (Chrome, Edge, Firefox) - older browsers may not support all the security features 2. Have your cell phone handy for verification codes 3. Use a personal email you can access easily, not a work email 4. Write down your new login information securely 5. Take it one step at a time - the prompts will guide you through each part The most common issue I see is confusion during the identity verification step. Some users need to upload ID documents if the automated verification doesn't work. Don't give up if that happens - it's normal for some people to need additional verification.
This is so helpful, thank you! I'm pretty tech savvy but my husband struggles with this stuff. I'll help him set his up once I figure out mine.
Just finished setting up my login.gov account. Wasn't as bad as I thought! Took about 15 minutes total. Make sure you have your phone nearby because they text a code.
That's encouraging! I'm going to try setting mine up tonight. Did you need to provide any documents or just the basic info?
Just basic info for me - email, phone, social security number. But i think it depends on if their system can verify you automatically. my neighbor had to upload her drivers license.
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my neighbors son works at social security and he told me they sometimes change dates just to test their computer systems lol
That information is incorrect. The SSA does not arbitrarily change payment dates to "test their systems." Payment dates only change for federal holidays or weekends, and follow specific published schedules. Please be careful about sharing unverified information about Social Security processes.
Thank you all for the helpful responses! I feel much better knowing this is just a normal holiday adjustment. I'll be sure to keep an eye on the federal holiday calendar from now on to anticipate these changes. Also appreciate the clarification on the payment schedule being tied to birth dates - that helps me understand the system better. Glad I asked!
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does anyone know if theres a difrence if ur husband was on disabilty first like hers was?? my brother is on disability and his wife is worried about this too
No, there's no difference for survivor benefits whether your husband was initially on disability or not. What matters is the benefit amount he was receiving at the time of his death. Once a person on SSDI reaches full retirement age, SSDI automatically converts to regular retirement benefits (though the amount typically stays the same). For widow's benefits, she would receive the same amount either way.
I wanted to update everyone - I was able to schedule an appointment with SSA and yes, I am eligible for my husband's higher benefit amount! They're processing the change now and said I'll receive my first payment at the higher amount next month. Thank you all for your help and encouragement during this difficult time. I would have had no idea about this if I hadn't asked here.
That's wonderful news! I'm so glad you were able to get this resolved quickly. Did they mention anything about retroactive payments for the months since your husband's passing?
Yes, they are giving me retroactive payments for the two months since he passed away. The representative was very helpful once I finally got to speak with someone. I'm relieved this worked out - the additional monthly income will make a big difference.
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One more thing - make sure you understand that even with a recognized common-law marriage, the spousal benefit rules still apply. You'll only get 50% of your partner's benefit amount if taken at your Full Retirement Age (and less if taken earlier), and only if that amount is higher than your own earned benefit. And remember that if you take benefits before your FRA, you'll be subject to the earnings test if you're still working.
yeah and if they're both alive they both have to be at least 62 for one to claim on the other's record, they can't just be married and one person be any age
my brother n his gf tried to claim they were common law for ss and got DENIED even tho they lived together 15+ years... ss said they needed MORE PROOF they were acting like married people. make sure u have tons of paperwork!!!
There's a big difference between just living together and having a common-law marriage. Your brother's situation sounds like they may have been cohabitating but didn't meet the specific requirements for common-law marriage in their state. Each state has different requirements beyond just living together.
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Your sister needs to apply right away and specifically ask about the "deemed filing date" rules. Even if she gets denied now because of GPO, having an application on file might help her get retroactive benefits once the GPO phases out. At least that's what my financial advisor told me for my similar situation.
That's really helpful - I hadn't thought about the deemed filing date issue. I'll make sure she applies soon then, even if she might not get much initially. Thanks!
wait does this new law help people who worked in jobs with pensions AND had some social security covered jobs? my dad worked for the post office for 25 years but also had enough social security credits from earlier jobs but got his SS benefit reduced because of WEP
Yes! The Social Security Fairness Act will help your dad too. It phases out the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) over the same 5-year period (2025-2029). The WEP currently reduces Social Security benefits for people who receive pensions from jobs not covered by Social Security. As it phases out, your dad should see his Social Security benefit increase.
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Quick update on my situation from January. After checking mysocialsecurity.gov, I realized my first payment was reduced because of: 1) It was prorated for 18 days in December, 2) Medicare Part B + D premiums ($242 total), 3) Federal tax withholding at 12%. My second payment was the full amount minus just the Medicare and tax withholding. Hope this helps you understand what might be happening!
That's really helpful, thank you for sharing your experience! I'll check my mysocialsecurity account again. I didn't see a breakdown there earlier but maybe I missed it or they've updated it since.
Just to clarify for everyone: Social Security benefits for a month are paid the following month. This is the standard payment schedule. If your birthday is on the 10th, your February payment will arrive on the second Wednesday of March. First payments can be confusing because they might be prorated based on your exact entitlement date. For the original poster: your next payment should reflect your full benefit amount minus any deductions for Medicare premiums and tax withholding. If you're still concerned after receiving your March payment, you should request a benefit verification letter through your my Social Security account, which will show your gross benefit amount before deductions.
Thank you for the additional information. I'll definitely check my March payment carefully when it arrives. If it's still not right, I'll request that benefit verification letter. Really appreciate all the help from everyone here!
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dont 4get about taxes 2! if ur working AND getting benifits, more of ur SS might be taxable. my sister got hit with a big tax bill she wasnt expecting
Good point! Up to 85% of Social Security benefits become taxable when your combined income (adjusted gross income + nontaxable interest + half of Social Security benefits) exceeds certain thresholds. For someone working part-time while collecting benefits, this can definitely impact your tax situation.
Thank you all so much for the advice! I think I need to speak with SSA directly to understand exactly what my benefit amounts would be at different ages. The earnings limit is definitely a concern since I need to keep working. I'm leaning toward waiting a bit longer to claim, but I'll try to get through to SSA first to get personalized calculations. I'll look into that Claimyr service too since it sounds like it might save me hours of frustration on the phone.
That's the wisest approach. Everyone's situation is unique, especially with survivor benefits. The difference between claiming at 60 vs. waiting until FRA can be tens of thousands of dollars over your lifetime, so it's worth getting personalized advice before making your decision.
LordCommander
One thing I learned the hard way - make sure you keep documentation of EVERYTHING. When my disability was finally approved after getting retirement, there was confusion about the backpay calculation. I had to go back and forth with them multiple times to get it corrected. Write down every person you talk to, the date, what they told you. The SSA systems don't always communicate well between departments.
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Zoe Wang
This is excellent advice! I had the same experience with my backpay calculation. Had to call multiple times and each representative gave slightly different information. Documentation was the only thing that saved me from getting shortchanged.
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