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!
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- 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 :)
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After trying for weeks to reach SSA about my retirement application status, I finally tried using Claimyr (claimyr.com). It worked exactly as promised - got me a callback from SSA within hours without having to spend days redialing. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU showing how it works. Definitely worth it to avoid the frustration you're experiencing, especially with your medical procedure tomorrow potentially making you miss their call.
does that actually work? seems like it wouldnt be allowed or something
Yes, it actually does. It's just a service that navigates the phone system for you and secures a callback spot. The actual conversation is still directly between you and the SSA representative, so there are no privacy concerns. It's basically just saving you from the hours of redialing.
UPDATE: They actually called me back this morning! I was able to answer and got my issue resolved. For anyone dealing with similar callback problems, they did tell me their system automatically rolls over callbacks they can't complete before closing time to the next business day. The representative said they've been extremely understaffed which is why the callback times are often longer than the estimate. Thanks everyone for your help!
That's great news! Thanks for coming back to update us. It's always helpful to hear positive outcomes - gives the rest of us hope! Did they resolve your underlying issue as well?
Yes, they were able to fix the underpayment issue! They said I should receive the missing funds within 30 days. The representative was actually very helpful once I finally got through.
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whats FRA mean?
FRA = Full Retirement Age. It's when you're eligible for 100% of your Social Security benefit. It's 66 and some months for people born 1943-1959, and 67 for people born 1960 or later.
Update: We called SSA again today and got some clarification. The representative said our request is still in the queue but estimated it would be about 6-8 weeks total. He also confirmed they'll withhold taxes at the rate my wife specified on her original application (which was 12%). Still concerned about the potential IRMAA impact, but we'll deal with that when the time comes. Thanks everyone for your helpful responses!
nice! hope it comes through faster for you!
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One important point that hasn't been mentioned: self-employment income (which most acting gigs would be) is counted when you perform the service, not when you receive payment. This differs from W-2 wages which count when paid. So if you film a commercial in December but don't get paid until January, the income still counts for December's earnings test. Regarding your original question, after your first calendar year receiving benefits, SSA only cares about your total annual earnings, not monthly fluctuations. During the initial year, however, they will withhold benefits for any month you earn over the monthly limit (approximately $1,970 for 2025). If you expect to stay under the annual limit but might have occasional months over the monthly limit in your first year, consider delaying the start of your benefits until January so you immediately transition to the annual test.
That's a really smart suggestion about waiting until January! I hadn't thought about that strategic timing aspect. So if I wait until January 2026 to start benefits, I'll immediately be under the annual test rather than monthly? That might be worth the 2-3 month delay to avoid complications with the monthly test.
Exactly. If you start in January, your entire first year will be evaluated using the annual test rather than the monthly test. This gives you complete flexibility for how your earnings are distributed throughout the year. Given your irregular income pattern, this could save you significant hassle in managing benefit reductions.
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NOBODY has mentioned the most important thing!!! Ex-spouse benefits are capped at 50% of your ex's PIA (Primary Insurance Amount) at HIS full retirement age. And that's IF you wait until YOUR full retirement age. If you take it early at 62, you'll get WAY less - like 35% of his benefit amount. And if your own benefit is higher than that, you just get your own anyway!!! The whole divorced spouse benefit might not even be worth it for you!
This is a good point about the 50% maximum, but your math is a bit off. At age 62, she'd receive approximately 32.5% of her ex's PIA (that's 50% reduced by 35% for early claiming). And you're absolutely right that she should compare this with her own benefit - whichever is higher is what she'll receive. This is why getting a benefit estimate from SSA based on both records is so important before making any decisions.
Just want to emphasize something important based on my own experience: when you go to apply, make sure you specifically tell them you want to apply for divorced spouse benefits. I made the mistake of just saying I wanted to apply for Social Security, and they only looked at my own record. When I went back later and specifically asked about ex-spouse benefits, they said "Oh, you didn't mention you were applying for that" and I had to start the process over. Be very clear about which benefit you're applying for, and ask them to compare both options for you.
That's a really important tip! I'll definitely make sure to specifically mention divorced spouse benefits when I apply. I would have assumed they'd automatically check both options. Thanks for the heads-up!
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Im surprised nobody mentioned health yet?? If either of u have health issues or family history of not living long then taking it early makes more sense. My husband and me both took SS at 62 because both our parents died before 75. We figured we'd rather have smaller checks for longer than risk waiting for bigger checks we might never get.
That's a very practical consideration. Both our families tend to be long-lived (parents all made it to their late 80s), so we're probably looking at a different calculation than you were. But you're absolutely right that health and life expectancy should be part of the decision.
Whatever calculator you use, make sure you understand the "break-even point" concept. If you claim at 62 vs waiting until FRA (66-67 depending on birth year), you'll need to live to around 78-80 for the waiting strategy to pay off. If you wait until 70, the break-even against claiming at FRA is usually around 82-83. The calculators others have mentioned will show you these breakeven ages based on your specific numbers. That's what makes them so valuable compared to the basic SSA calculator.
this is what i always try to tell people! my aunt waited till 70 to get "max benefit" then died at 73. She lost 8 YEARS of payments she could have had!!
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my situation was kinda like yours but reversed because i was the higher earner and my husband was deciding when to claim. we actually found it worked best for him to claim at 62 and me to wait till 70. we ran the numbers a million ways and that gave us the most money over our expected lifetimes. so dont just assume waiting is always better you have to look at your specific situation
That's interesting! Can I ask what made that strategy work better in your situation? Were there specific factors that made claiming early better for one of you?
well my benefit was much higher (similar to your situation) and we needed some income but not all of it right away. so by having him claim early we got some money coming in while letting my larger benefit grow till 70. since my benefit would be the survivor benefit if i die first it made sense to maximize that one. his early filing reduction didn't matter as much in the big picture since his benefit wasnt that big anyway and he didn't qualify for much spousal benefit because of the PIA comparison thing others explained.
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To add to my previous comment: Retirement benefits do have their own earnings test that applies until you reach your Full Retirement Age (FRA). For 2025, if you're under FRA for the whole year, you can earn up to $22,320 annually before they reduce your retirement benefits ($1 reduction for every $2 over the limit). However, since you're now approved for SSDI, the disability rules will take precedence. Your benefits are now technically being paid as disability benefits until you reach FRA, at which point they automatically convert to retirement benefits. This is why it's critical to understand that while you have SSDI, you must stay under the monthly SGA limit ($1,550 in 2025) after your Trial Work Period ends. Once you reach FRA, the disability work restrictions end completely, and you can earn unlimited amounts without affecting your now-converted retirement benefits.
WAIT im so confused now!! I thought we only had to worry about the SSDI limits not the retirement limits if were getting both???
Let me try to clear up the confusion here: When you receive BOTH early retirement and SSDI, your benefits are effectively being paid as SSDI until you reach Full Retirement Age. During this time, you only need to worry about the SSDI work rules (SGA limits, Trial Work Period, etc.). The early retirement earnings test does not apply while you're receiving SSDI. Once you reach your Full Retirement Age, your benefits automatically convert to retirement benefits, and all work restrictions disappear completely. The important thing to remember is that you're not receiving two separate payments - you're receiving a single payment that equals the higher of the two benefit amounts. The SSA is essentially treating your benefits as SSDI until FRA, then as retirement benefits after FRA.
That makes perfect sense now, thank you! So since my SSDI was just approved, I need to focus on staying under the SGA limit (with the 9-month Trial Work Period exception), and not worry about the retirement earnings test. I really appreciate everyone's help understanding this complicated situation. I've got a much clearer picture now of how I can approach going back to part-time work while protecting my benefits.
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Thanks everyone for the information! I'm thinking maybe I should wait until my FRA now. But one more question - if I do retire at 62 and they withhold some benefits due to earnings, do I get those withheld benefits back later?
Yes! This is an important point many people miss. SSA recalculates your benefit when you reach FRA and gives you credit for all the months they withheld benefits. Your monthly benefit amount will increase at FRA to account for those previous reductions. So you do eventually get the money back, just later and spread out over your lifetime.
my cousin did somthing smart, he worked jan-oct full time then retired in nov and got 2 SS checks that yr becuz he didnt go over monthly limit for those 2 months even tho the yearly total was over
Your cousin used the first-year retirement rule correctly! In the calendar year you first retire, SSA will use a monthly test rather than annual if it benefits you. You get a full benefit for any month you earn under the monthly limit ($1,860 in 2025) AND don't perform substantial services in self-employment. This special rule only applies for that first calendar year of retirement.
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My brothers disabled and his payment is exactly half of my moms retirement check. But when she first filed it took almost 12 weeks for his payment to change. SSA is crazy slow with everything!! Just hang tight, they'll get to it eventually.
Just to clarify a technical point - the benefit isn't half of your mother's actual retirement check, but half of her Primary Insurance Amount (PIA). This is an important distinction because if your mother claimed benefits after her Full Retirement Age, her actual check is larger than her PIA due to delayed retirement credits. These delayed credits don't increase dependent benefits. Similarly, if someone claims early, their check is reduced, but the dependent's 50% is based on the full PIA, not the reduced amount.
Thank you everyone for your helpful responses! I'm relieved to hear this delay seems normal, though frustrated it takes so long. I'll wait another month before taking action. To clarify - my son's disability definitely began before age 22 (he was 20), so it sounds like he should qualify for the DAC benefits at 50% of my PIA (not my actual increased benefit for delaying to 68). I'm also glad to hear they'll backpay the increased amount once it's processed. I'll update here when it finally goes through in case it helps someone else in the future!
That sounds like a good plan. One more thing - when the adjustment finally happens, double-check that they've calculated the correct amount. Sometimes there are errors. Your son's new benefit should be 50% of your PIA (minus any Medicare premiums). If the amount seems off, don't hesitate to question it. Good luck!
Ryan Kim
when i tried to withdraw mine the lady at the ssa office told me i should think about it for a couple more days before submitting the withdrawal form... she said lots of people change their mind back and forth. just something to think about since you only applied last week maybe give it a few more days?
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Emily Thompson
•I appreciate the suggestion, but I've done quite a bit of math on this and am confident waiting until my FRA will give me a significantly better financial outcome given my health and family longevity. My decision is pretty firm at this point.
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Sophie Hernandez
After you submit the withdrawal form make sure to follow up! My cousin submitted his withdrawal form and they somehow lost it. He had to submit it again and almost missed the 12-month deadline. The SSA is a mess these days!
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Emily Thompson
•That's concerning... I'll definitely follow up. Would hate to assume it's being processed only to find out they never received it!
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