Can't reach Social Security Administration? Claimyr connects you to a live SSA agent in minutes.
Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.
Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the SSA
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- Give you free callbacks if the SSA drops your call
If I could give 10 stars I would
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!
Really made a difference
Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
Worth not wasting your time calling for hours.
Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.
An incredibly helpful service
An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.
Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
IT WORKS!! Not a scam!
I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
Ask the community...
- DO post questions about your issues.
- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
Join the conversation
Join the conversation
As someone who just went through this exact situation last year, I can confirm what others have said - your trust income will NOT affect your Social Security benefits once you reach FRA! I was 67 when I started receiving distributions from my late father's trust (about $45,000 annually), and my SS benefits remained exactly the same. The key thing to understand is that at full retirement age, Social Security completely stops caring about your income level. Whether it's $10,000 or $100,000 from any source - wages, self-employment, investments, trusts, whatever - it won't reduce your monthly benefit by even a penny. However, be prepared for the tax impact. My CPA warned me that with the trust income, about 85% of my Social Security benefits would become taxable, and that's exactly what happened. It's not fun come tax time, but it's much better than having your benefits reduced! I'd suggest getting everything in writing from the trust administrator about the nature of the distributions (principal vs. income, etc.) to give to your tax preparer. This will help ensure everything is reported correctly. Congratulations on reaching FRA - it really does simplify things!
Thank you so much for sharing your real-world experience! It's incredibly reassuring to hear from someone who went through the exact same situation. Your point about getting documentation from the trust administrator is really smart - I hadn't thought about needing that level of detail for tax preparation. It sounds like the tax impact is definitely something to plan for, but as you said, it's much better than losing benefit money entirely. I'm curious - did you end up adjusting your tax withholdings or making quarterly payments once you realized how much of your SS would be taxable? I want to avoid any surprises come next April! Also, did you have any issues with SSA initially when you reported the trust income, or was it pretty straightforward once you explained it was passive distributions rather than earned income?
As someone who works in estate planning, I want to emphasize how important it is to understand the specific structure of your trust. While everyone is correct that trust distributions generally don't affect Social Security benefits at FRA, there are some nuances worth noting: 1. **Grantor vs. Non-Grantor Trusts**: If you're considered the "grantor" of the trust for tax purposes, all income may be taxable to you even if not distributed. This affects your tax situation but still won't impact your SS benefits. 2. **Business Trusts**: If the trust owns a business and you're actively involved in management, some distributions could potentially be considered self-employment income. But this is rare and doesn't sound like your situation. 3. **State Taxes**: Don't forget that some states tax Social Security benefits differently than the federal government, and trust income could push you into a bracket where your state starts taxing your SS. The bottom line remains the same - at FRA, your $39,000 trust income won't reduce your Social Security benefits. But I'd recommend reviewing the trust documents with a tax professional to optimize your overall tax strategy, especially if this is a significant ongoing income stream.
This is exactly the kind of detailed insight I was hoping to find! Thank you for breaking down the different trust structures. I'm pretty confident mine is a standard family trust where I'm just a beneficiary receiving distributions, not involved in any management or business operations. But your point about reviewing the trust documents with a tax professional is well taken - especially since this will be ongoing income for years to come. I hadn't even thought about state tax implications! I'm in a state that doesn't currently tax Social Security, but with the additional trust income, I should definitely verify how that might change my overall state tax picture. It's amazing how many different angles there are to consider with something that initially seemed straightforward. The consensus here has been so helpful - I feel much more confident about filing for my benefits knowing they won't be reduced. Now I just need to focus on the tax planning side of things. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and expertise!
Join the conversation
This has been such an enlightening discussion! I'm 65 and my FRA is 66 and 6 months, so I'm in a similar planning phase. What really stands out to me from all these responses is how the system is actually designed to be flexible - you don't have to make a perfect decision upfront. The key insight seems to be that Social Security's automatic recalculation feature (ARF) essentially gives you a "safety net" for earnings timing. You can start benefits when you're ready and let the system handle optimizing your benefit amount later based on updated earnings. I've been using the SSA retirement estimator tool mentioned earlier, and it's really helpful for seeing how different scenarios play out. For someone like William with a solid work history, those extra few months are likely to have minimal impact on the overall benefit calculation. The peace of mind factor that several people mentioned really resonates with me too. There's real value in having that guaranteed monthly income stream starting, especially given economic uncertainty. Plus, the COLA adjustments protect against inflation in a way that continued wages don't. William - your plan to file at FRA in May while working through April sounds perfect. You're maximizing both current income and future security without overthinking the optimization. Thanks for starting such a valuable discussion!
As someone who's been lurking in this community and learning so much from everyone's posts, I had to jump in on this discussion! I'm 62 and still have a few years before I need to make this decision, but this thread has been like a masterclass in Social Security timing strategy. What really strikes me is how this conversation has evolved from William's initial question about earnings timing to a much broader discussion about balancing financial optimization with quality of life. The real-world examples of actual benefit increases ($13-28/month) versus the stress and delay involved really help put things in perspective. I love how the automatic recalculation feature essentially removes the pressure to get the timing "perfect" - you can start benefits when you're ready and trust that the system will optimize things later if your additional earnings warrant it. That's such a relief to know as someone who tends to overthink financial decisions! The health insurance coordination point that Fatima Al-Maktoum raised is also something I need to start researching now. It seems like there are so many moving pieces to coordinate when transitioning to retirement. Thanks to everyone for being so generous with sharing your experiences and research. This community is incredibly valuable for those of us trying to navigate these complex decisions!
I'm 64 and have been following this discussion with great interest as I approach my own FRA decision next year. This thread has been incredibly educational! One thing I'd add based on my research is the importance of understanding your "replacement ratio" - what percentage of your pre-retirement income Social Security will replace. For most people, it's around 40%, so those extra months of earnings might improve your benefit by a very small percentage of an already modest replacement rate. I've also been tracking the monthly Social Security Trustees Reports, and they consistently show the program's long-term challenges. While benefits are secure for current retirees, there's something to be said for locking in your benefits sooner rather than later, especially given potential future program changes. @William Schwarz - your decision to file at FRA while continuing to work through April seems very well-reasoned based on all the advice here. You're optimizing for both financial security and peace of mind, which is really the sweet spot for retirement planning. Thanks to everyone for such a thorough discussion. I'm definitely saving this thread as I plan my own transition next year!
Join the conversation
As someone who's about to turn 66 and start this whole Social Security process in the next few months, I cannot thank everyone enough for sharing such detailed, real-world experiences! This thread has been absolutely invaluable - way more helpful than anything I've been able to find in the official SSA materials. The consensus seems clear: expect the MySocialSecurity website to be unreliable, plan for delays in online information updating, have multiple backup methods ready (mobile app, screenshots, paper statements, automated phone line), and focus on your actual bank deposits as the most reliable indicator of correct payments. I'm definitely going to download the mobile app now, set up text alerts for payments, request paper statements as backup, and find my local SSA office number before I even file. The tip about the automated phone line at 1-800-772-1213 for basic payment info is brilliant too. One thing that really stands out from all these experiences is how much the SSA systems seem to struggle with basic reliability in 2025. It's pretty disappointing that we need so many workarounds just to access our own benefit information, but I'm grateful this community has shared all these practical solutions! For those who mentioned it can take 2-3 months to feel confident about having complete information - that's really helpful for setting realistic expectations. Better to be pleasantly surprised if things work smoothly than frustrated if they don't. Thanks again to everyone for creating such a comprehensive resource here. This is exactly the kind of practical advice that makes all the difference!
Welcome to the community and thank you for such a thoughtful summary! As someone who's also preparing to navigate this system soon, I really appreciate how you've distilled all the key takeaways from everyone's experiences. Your checklist of preparation steps (downloading the app, setting up alerts, getting paper statements, finding local office info) is exactly what I needed to see laid out clearly. It really is eye-opening how many backup systems we need just to track our own benefits reliably. While it's frustrating that the SSA technology seems so outdated, at least this community has created an amazing resource of practical workarounds and realistic expectations. The 2-3 month timeline for feeling fully confident about all the information is particularly helpful - I would have expected everything to be crystal clear immediately. Thanks for pulling together such a comprehensive summary of all the advice shared here. It's going to be my reference guide when I start this process myself! Best of luck when you file in the coming months - sounds like you'll be well-prepared thanks to everyone's shared wisdom.
As someone who's currently going through the initial enrollment process for both Social Security and Medicare (turning 65 next month), this entire thread has been incredibly enlightening! I had no idea about the potential reliability issues with the MySocialSecurity website or the delays in information updating online. A couple of questions based on what I've read: For those who mentioned Medicare Part D IRMAA - is this something that would show up in the first year of benefits, or does it typically take time for the IRS to share income information with SSA? I'm trying to understand the timeline for when various deductions might start appearing. Also, I'm curious about the experience of those who started benefits mid-year versus at the beginning of a year. Does the timing affect how quickly the online systems get updated with accurate information? The practical advice about having multiple backup methods (mobile app, screenshots, paper statements, local office contacts, automated phone line) is definitely going to be my approach. It's unfortunate that so many workarounds are necessary, but I'm grateful this community has shared such detailed real-world experiences. Much more valuable than trying to decode the official SSA documentation! Thanks to everyone for creating such a comprehensive resource here. This thread should honestly be required reading for anyone approaching Social Security eligibility!
Hi Ruby! Great questions about the Medicare Part D IRMAA timing. From what I've experienced and learned from others here, IRMAA adjustments (both Part B and Part D) are typically based on your tax return from two years prior. So for 2025 benefits, they'd use your 2023 tax return that the IRS has already shared with SSA. This means if you're subject to IRMAA, it should show up right from your first payments rather than appearing later in the year. Regarding timing of starting benefits (mid-year vs beginning of year), I haven't noticed that it makes much difference in how quickly the online systems update. The delays seem to be more about the SSA website infrastructure than the timing of when you start. Whether you begin in January or July, you're likely looking at that same 2-3 month window for everything to display reliably online. You're absolutely right about this thread being required reading! The practical, real-world advice here is so much more valuable than the official documentation. Your preparation strategy of having multiple backup methods sounds perfect - you'll be well-equipped to handle whatever technical glitches come your way. Best of luck with your enrollment process next month!
Join the conversation
As a newcomer to this community, I've been following this discussion with great interest since I'm also a federal retiree dealing with WEP reductions. I retired from a different agency in 2019 and have been trying to understand HR 82's potential impact on my benefits. What I've found most helpful from reading everyone's experiences is the emphasis on getting your specific situation analyzed rather than relying on general estimates. I called SSA last month using the early morning strategy someone mentioned, and while I did wait about 45 minutes, I finally got through to a knowledgeable representative who walked me through my WEP calculation step by step. She explained that my reduction is based on having only 18 years of "substantial earnings" in SS-covered employment, which puts me in a higher reduction category. For anyone still trying to reach SSA, I found Tuesday mornings around 8:30 AM (Eastern) to have shorter wait times. Like many of you, I'm cautiously optimistic about HR 82 but trying not to plan my finances around it passing. The legislative history and cost concerns make it clear this isn't a sure thing, despite the strong House support. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge - this community has been invaluable in helping me understand this complex issue!
Welcome to the community, Kristin! Thank you for sharing that specific timing tip about calling SSA on Tuesday mornings around 8:30 AM Eastern - that's incredibly practical advice that I'm sure many of us will use. Your experience with getting a detailed explanation of your WEP calculation based on years of substantial earnings is exactly what I need to do. I've been putting off that call for months because of the wait time horror stories, but knowing there are better windows gives me the motivation to finally make it happen. It's interesting that you mentioned having 18 years of substantial earnings puts you in a higher reduction category - I think I'm in a similar situation but haven't had it properly explained by SSA yet. Like you and everyone else here, I'm trying to stay realistic about HR 82 while still hoping it might finally pass. This community has been such a valuable resource for understanding these complex issues, and I appreciate newcomers like you continuing to share practical experiences and tips!
As a newcomer to this community, I want to thank everyone for this incredibly detailed and helpful discussion about HR 82 and WEP reductions! I'm also a federal retiree (worked for a different agency for 28 years, retired in 2021) and have been struggling to understand exactly how this legislation would affect my situation. Reading through all these comments has given me more clarity than months of trying to research this on my own. What really resonates with me is how we're all dealing with the same fundamental issue - reduced Social Security benefits due to WEP - but from such different circumstances and career paths. I'm particularly grateful for the practical tips shared here, especially about checking the Social Security statement online for both reduced and unreduced amounts, the suggestion to call SSA during off-peak hours like Tuesday mornings, and the mention of the WEP calculator tool on their website. Like many of you, I've been cautiously following HR 82's progress while trying not to get my hopes up too high given the legislative history and the $196 billion cost estimate. But having this community to learn from and share experiences with makes navigating this complex issue so much more manageable. I'm planning to call SSA next week using the timing strategies mentioned here to finally get a clear explanation of my specific WEP calculation. Thank you all for creating such an informative and supportive discussion!
Camila Castillo
As a newcomer to this community, I really appreciate seeing all this detailed information about Social Security strategies! I'm 58 and starting to think about my own retirement planning. One thing I'm wondering about from reading this discussion - @Keisha Taylor, have you considered getting a personalized Social Security statement from the SSA website? It should show your projected benefits at different claiming ages (62, FRA, and 70) which might help with your number-crunching. Also, I've heard that some people benefit from working with a fee-only financial planner who specializes in Social Security optimization. With the complexity of spousal benefits, survivor benefits, and timing strategies that everyone has mentioned, it might be worth the consultation fee to get a personalized analysis of your specific situation. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - this has been really educational for someone just starting to navigate these decisions!
0 coins
Kiara Fisherman
•Welcome to the community @Camila Castillo! Great suggestion about the personalized Social Security statement - I actually did pull mine recently but it doesn't break down the spousal benefit scenarios which is where I'm getting confused. You're absolutely right about considering a fee-only planner. After reading all these responses, I'm realizing this decision is more complex than I initially thought, especially with the survivor benefit considerations that @Oliver Becker brought up. The timing strategy between my husband and me could really impact our long-term financial security. Thanks for jumping in with such helpful advice! It s'nice to have fresh perspective from someone who s'also starting to think through these decisions.
0 coins
Kaiya Rivera
As someone new to this community and currently navigating Social Security decisions myself, I want to echo what others have said about the complexity of these choices. @Keisha Taylor, your situation really highlights how important it is to understand all the moving parts. One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is that you might want to create a my Social Security account on ssa.gov if you haven't already. Beyond just showing your projected benefits, you can also use their online calculators to model different claiming scenarios. There's a retirement estimator that lets you input different retirement dates and see how your benefits change. Also, given that you're a teacher, make sure you're aware of any potential impact from the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) or Government Pension Offset (GPO) if you have a pension from work where you didn't pay Social Security taxes. These rules can significantly affect Social Security benefits for government employees, though they may not apply to your specific teaching position. The advice about consulting with a fee-only financial advisor who specializes in Social Security is spot-on. With the amounts you're dealing with and the long-term implications for both you and your husband, even a few hundred dollars for professional guidance could save you thousands over your lifetime. Best of luck with your decision!
0 coins