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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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That's such wonderful news! I'm so happy you finally got through and received an update. Your experience really highlights the importance of being persistent and calling the local office directly rather than just waiting indefinitely. It sounds like your application was actually moving through the system, but the online status just wasn't reflecting the real progress. I hope everyone else dealing with similar delays takes encouragement from your success story. Thanks for coming back to update us - it gives the rest of us hope that our applications are probably progressing too, even when the system shows "processing" forever!
This is exactly what I needed to hear! I'm currently in week 7 of waiting for my disability application to be processed, and seeing success stories like yours gives me hope that persistence really does pay off. Your advice about calling the local office directly instead of the national number is so valuable - I'm going to try that first thing tomorrow morning. It's frustrating how the online system doesn't give us real-time updates, but knowing that applications can be approved even when the status still shows "processing" is really reassuring. Thanks for taking the time to share your positive outcome with the community!
I'm so relieved to see this positive update! Your story really shows how important it is to be proactive and call directly rather than just waiting and hoping. I'm currently at week 6 waiting for my spouse's retirement application to process, and reading about your success gives me the motivation to call our local office tomorrow. It's encouraging to know that applications can actually be approved even when the online system still shows "processing" - that tracking system really needs an overhaul! Thanks for coming back to share the good news with everyone. Stories like yours help keep the rest of us from giving up hope during these long waits.
This is such an encouraging outcome! I'm actually dealing with a similar situation right now - my application has been stuck at "processing" for about 8 weeks and I was starting to lose hope. Reading your story makes me realize I need to stop waiting around and actually call my local office directly. It's so frustrating that the online system doesn't give us accurate updates about what's really happening behind the scenes. Your experience proves that sometimes our applications are actually moving forward even when it looks like nothing is happening. I'm definitely going to follow your example and be more persistent about following up. Thanks for sharing this positive update - it's exactly what those of us still waiting needed to hear!
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btw make sure when you DO file that you do it online if possible! the SS offices are still backed up from covid and appointments take FOREVER to get. online was super easy for me took like 30 min tops
Good tip! I'll definitely try the online application first. I'm pretty comfortable with computers so hopefully it'll be straightforward.
One more consideration since you mentioned you worked for state government: If any of your state employment wasn't covered by Social Security (common for some state/local government jobs), you might be subject to the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) or Government Pension Offset (GPO). These could affect your Social Security benefit calculations. Worth checking if this applies to your situation before filing.
Oh! That's a critical point. I did work for about 12 years in a position that was under our state's pension system instead of Social Security. I'll definitely need to factor in the WEP in my planning. Thank you for bringing this up - might change the calculations significantly.
@7c47d0ab2c9a The WEP can definitely have a significant impact! Since you mentioned 12 years in non-SS covered employment, you'll want to use the WEP calculator on the SSA website to see how it affects your benefit estimate. The reduction depends on your "years of substantial earnings" under Social Security - if you have 30+ years, there's no WEP reduction, but with fewer years the reduction increases. This could potentially make the spousal benefit option more relevant to your situation, so definitely worth calculating both scenarios with WEP applied before making your final decision.
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Thank you all for the helpful advice! I think we're going to start with the online application but make sure to explicitly mention the spousal benefits in the remarks section. Then we'll follow up with a phone call to confirm everything is being processed correctly. If we run into trouble getting through on the phone, I might try that Claimyr service that someone mentioned. It's reassuring to hear from people who've been through similar situations. I'll update this thread once we get everything sorted out in case it helps someone else down the road. I really appreciate all your insights!
Good luck with your application! Just wanted to add one more tip - when you do the online application, take screenshots of each page as you go through it. I learned this the hard way when my mom applied and we had questions later about what she had entered. Having those screenshots saved us a lot of confusion when we needed to reference her original answers during a follow-up call. Also, if you do end up needing to call, try calling right when they open at 8am - the wait times are usually much shorter first thing in the morning. Hope everything goes smoothly for you and your wife!
That's such great advice about taking screenshots! I never would have thought of that but it makes total sense - you never know what questions might come up later. And thanks for the tip about calling at 8am. I'm definitely not a morning person but if it means avoiding those horror stories about being on hold for hours, I'll set my alarm early. Really appreciate you sharing your mom's experience!
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Thank you all for the helpful information! I just checked my Social Security statement online and it does show earnings for all my years of work including my FERS time, which confirms what many of you have said about paying into the system during that time. I'm relieved to know that WEP probably won't affect me much since I was in FERS. I'm going to try to schedule an appointment with SSA to get the exact calculations. If I can't get through on the phone, I'll try that Claimyr service someone mentioned. One more question - does anyone know if any of this affects when I should start taking my Social Security benefits? I'll be 63 next year when I retire, but wondering if I should wait until my full retirement age or even 70?
That's a great question about timing! The decision of when to claim Social Security is complex and very personal. For every year you delay claiming beyond full retirement age (which is likely 66-67 for you), you get approximately an 8% increase in benefits up until age 70. That's a guaranteed return you can't get anywhere else! Since you'll have your FERS pension providing guaranteed income, you might be in a good position to delay Social Security if you can afford to. This can be especially valuable if you expect to have a long lifespan or if you're the higher earner in a marriage (as it would maximize potential survivor benefits for your spouse). But there are many factors to consider including your health, other income sources, tax situation, and immediate needs. I'd suggest consulting with a financial advisor who has experience with federal employees to run some numbers specific to your situation.
As someone who went through a similar transition (federal service to private sector), I can confirm what others have said about FERS not being affected by WEP the same way CSRS is. However, I'd also recommend looking into whether you qualify for the "special retirement supplement" (SRS) if you retire before age 62. Since you have 23 years of FERS service, you might be eligible for this temporary payment that bridges the gap until you can claim Social Security at 62. The SRS is designed to approximate what your Social Security benefit would be based on your federal service alone, and it can provide valuable income during those early retirement years. Just something else to factor into your retirement planning timeline!
That's really helpful information about the SRS! I hadn't heard of the special retirement supplement before. Do you know what the eligibility requirements are beyond the years of service? Since I'm planning to retire at 63, this could definitely help bridge that gap until I can claim Social Security at 62... wait, that doesn't sound right. Can you clarify - I thought you had to be at least 62 to claim Social Security, so how would the SRS work if I retire at 63?
Victoria Stark
Welcome to the community, Javier! You've gotten some excellent advice here already. Just to summarize the key points for your situation: 1. **Apply in June** (3 months before your September birthday) 2. **First payment arrives in October** (benefits are paid the month after they're due) 3. **Monthly earnings test applies** in your first year - you can earn up to $1,860/month without benefit reduction after you start collecting 4. **Pre-September earnings don't matter** - only what you earn in months when you're actually receiving benefits Since you're planning to have already exceeded the annual limit by September, you're in a perfect position to take advantage of that monthly test. If you stop working or significantly reduce hours in September, you should receive full benefits from that point forward. One additional tip: Make sure to report any work income to SSA promptly once you start receiving benefits. They have an online portal where you can report monthly earnings, which helps avoid overpayments that would need to be repaid later. Good luck with your retirement planning!
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Fatima Al-Mansour
•Thank you Victoria for that excellent summary! As someone new to all this Social Security stuff, having it broken down into clear action items like that is incredibly helpful. I was definitely overthinking the earnings limit situation - the monthly test concept makes so much more sense now that everyone has explained it. I'm feeling much more confident about my timeline now. June application for September birthday, expect first payment in October, and I can stop worrying about what I earned earlier in the year. That takes a huge weight off my shoulders! The tip about reporting work income through the online portal is great too. I want to make sure I stay on top of everything to avoid any complications down the road. Really appreciate how supportive this community has been for a newcomer like me. Thanks everyone!
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Ethan Clark
Great summary from Victoria! I'd like to add one more consideration that might be relevant to your situation, Javier. Since you mentioned your health isn't great in an earlier comment, you might want to look into whether you qualify for any disability benefits before claiming regular retirement at 62. Disability benefits aren't reduced for early claiming like retirement benefits are, so if you have a qualifying condition, you could potentially receive your full Primary Insurance Amount rather than the reduced amount you'd get by claiming at 62. You can actually apply for both and SSA will process whichever you're eligible for. Also, once you reach Full Retirement Age, disability benefits automatically convert to retirement benefits at the full amount. Just something to consider given your health concerns - it might be worth discussing with your doctor or a disability attorney to see if it's worth exploring. The application process can take longer for disability claims, so if you think you might qualify, you'd want to start that process sooner rather than later.
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