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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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This thread has been so useful. I had no idea there were so many options with survivor benefits. Has anyone used a financial advisor who specializes in Social Security planning? Worth it?
Thank you everyone for the helpful information! I feel much better knowing that my husband's early claiming won't permanently reduce what I might receive as a survivor benefit if I wait until my FRA. I'm also intrigued by the strategy of possibly taking survivor benefits at FRA and then switching to my own benefit at 70 if it would be higher with the delayed retirement credits. I've been trying to call SSA to confirm all this for my specific situation but haven't been able to get through. I'll try that Claimyr service someone mentioned. It's such a relief to understand this better - these decisions affect the rest of our lives and it's so hard to find clear information sometimes.
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Has anyone else noticed they keep changing these rules every few years?? My mom got benefits from her ex husband but they were only married 8 years I think... but that was back in the 90s so maybe rules were different then???
The 10-year duration requirement for ex-spouse benefits has actually been in place since 1977, so your mom may be mistaken about either the length of the marriage or the type of benefit she received. Perhaps she received survivor benefits after he passed away, which follow different rules, or she may have received benefits based on her own record.
Just wanted to add that if you're still worried about any of this, you can create a my Social Security account online at ssa.gov to see your earnings record and get benefit estimates. It's really helpful for planning purposes and you can see exactly what your projected benefits would be based on your current earnings history. Plus, if there are any errors in your record, you can spot them early and get them corrected. The online account also shows you what documents SSA has on file for you, including marriage and divorce records that affect benefit eligibility.
That's really good advice! I hadn't thought about checking my earnings record online. I should probably do that to make sure everything looks accurate, especially since I've had a few different jobs over the years. It would be nice to see those benefit estimates too so I can better plan for retirement. Thanks for mentioning that!
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just wanted to say im sorry for your loss. please make sure you also apply for the lump sum death payment from social security. its only $255 but its something. you have to call them about it though they dont just give it to you automatically
Thank you - I didn't know about this payment. Every little bit helps right now.
I'm so deeply sorry for your loss, Chloe. What you're going through is incredibly difficult, and having to navigate these complex Social Security decisions while grieving is overwhelming. Based on what everyone has shared, I'd strongly encourage you to withdraw your current retirement application using Form SSA-521 before benefits begin. As a widow, you now have strategic options that weren't available before - you can potentially optimize between your own retirement benefits and survivor benefits. A few additional points to consider: 1. **Timing flexibility**: Since you're 63, you have time to make the optimal choice rather than rushing into the first available option. 2. **Work considerations**: The earnings test ($23,520 annual limit for 2025) applies equally to both retirement and survivor benefits, so your work income will impact either choice the same way until you reach FRA. 3. **Professional guidance**: Given the complexity and long-term financial impact (potentially tens of thousands over your lifetime), consider consulting with a fee-only financial planner who specializes in Social Security strategies, in addition to speaking with SSA directly. Take your time with this decision - there's no rush once you withdraw your current application. Your financial security is important, but so is your emotional well-being during this difficult time.
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I'm new to this community but dealing with a very similar situation! Applied for my retirement benefits in late November and I'm also stuck at step 2. Haven't gotten any of those mysterious text messages yet, but after reading everyone's experiences here, I'm almost expecting them now! It's both frustrating and somewhat reassuring to see I'm not alone in this. The inconsistency in processing times and communication from SSA is really concerning - some people waiting 6 weeks, others 14+ weeks, all for what should be straightforward applications. @Zara Mirza - I hope you get some movement on your application soon! Based on what others have shared, it sounds like you're still within the normal (albeit frustrating) timeframe. Thanks for posting this - it's been really helpful to read everyone's advice and experiences.
Welcome to the community, @Liam Sullivan! It's unfortunate that so many of us are dealing with the same issue, but you're right that there's some comfort in knowing we're not alone. The lack of consistency in SSA's processing and communication really is concerning - it seems like they need to seriously overhaul their systems and staffing. Since you applied around the same time as me, maybe we'll both get lucky and see some movement soon. I'm trying to stay patient for another week or two based on everyone's advice here. Hopefully your application moves through faster than some of the longer cases people have mentioned! Keep us posted on how it goes.
Welcome to the community! I'm also a newcomer here but unfortunately not new to SSA delays. I submitted my disability application 8 months ago and it's been a rollercoaster of confusing communications and long waits. What strikes me about your situation @Zara Mirza is how common these phantom text messages seem to be - I've gotten them too! It's like their notification system is completely disconnected from their actual case management. I've learned to just ignore the texts at this point since they never correspond to anything real in my account. One thing that helped me was creating a simple spreadsheet to track all my interactions with SSA - dates of calls, reference numbers, what each rep told me, etc. It's been invaluable when I have to call back because at least I can reference exactly what was said before. The inconsistency in information between different representatives is mind-boggling. Hang in there - from what I've seen in this thread, retirement claims do seem to move faster than disability once they get going. Hopefully you'll see movement soon!
Miguel Silva
my payment just came thru today! check your accounts everyone
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Dmitry Ivanov
•Just checked - mine arrived too! What a relief. Thanks everyone for your help and sharing your experiences.
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Zainab Ismail
This whole thread has me worried about my upcoming move abroad. Does anyone know if receiving payments on a US bank account and then transferring internationally is more reliable than direct international deposit? I'm on SSDI and absolutely cannot handle payment delays when I move.
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Ava Garcia
•Thats what i do! Keep my US bank and use wise to send money to Thailand when exchange rates are good. Much less stress than depending on direct deposit internationally.
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Freya Thomsen
•I can add some perspective as someone who's been receiving SSDI internationally for 4 years. I initially tried direct international deposit to my German bank, but after experiencing 2-3 delays per year, I switched to keeping a US account with Navy Federal and using their international ATMs. Haven't had a single issue since making that change. The peace of mind is worth the small ATM fees, especially when you're on a fixed disability income and can't afford delays.
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