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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
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- 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 :)
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whatever u decide DOCUMENT EVERYTHING!!! save emails texts everything about what they promised and how they said it would work. SSA can audit u years later and u need proof!!!
That's excellent advice. I'll start a folder with all communications about this arrangement just in case questions come up later.
Just wanted to chime in as someone who went through a similar situation last year. I was 68 and took on some consulting work with a bonus that was structured as an employer 401k contribution. The key things I learned: 1) Since you're past FRA, no worries about earnings limits affecting your SS benefits, 2) Make sure you get clarity on whether this is deferred compensation (counts as income for the year you work) or an employer contribution (different tax treatment), and 3) The timing of the deposit matters less than when the income is considered "earned" by IRS standards. I ended up having my tax preparer review everything beforehand and it saved me from any surprises. The documentation advice from others here is spot on - keep everything in writing!
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As someone who went through this exact situation two years ago, I feel your pain! The SSA phone wait times are absolutely brutal. Here's what finally worked for me: I called my local SSA office directly (not the main 1-800 number) and was able to schedule a phone appointment for later that week. Many local offices offer scheduled phone consultations where they call YOU at the appointed time - no waiting on hold! You can find your local office number on the SSA website using your zip code. When I had my scheduled call, the representative was able to calculate my ex-spouse benefit estimate in about 10 minutes. Just make sure you have your ex's full name, date of birth, and SSN ready (which you mentioned you have from old tax returns). The estimate they gave me was spot-on when I actually filed. This approach saved me hours of frustration and I got accurate information from someone who had time to explain everything properly.
This is exactly what I needed to hear! I had no idea local SSA offices could schedule phone appointments - that sounds so much better than the endless hold times on the main number. I'm going to look up my local office right now and try to schedule one of these phone consultations. Having someone call me back at a set time would be perfect since I can plan around it instead of being stuck on hold indefinitely. Thanks for sharing what worked for you - this gives me hope that I can actually get this sorted out without losing my sanity!
I just discovered another option that might help - some SSA offices have self-service kiosks where you can pull certain benefit information without waiting in line. However, I'm not sure if they show ex-spouse benefit estimates specifically. You might also want to check if your local library has a SSA outreach program - mine has a volunteer AARP tax counselor who comes in twice a month and is really knowledgeable about Social Security benefits. She helped my neighbor figure out her widow's benefits without having to deal with SSA directly. It's worth asking your librarian if they have any similar programs. The volunteer couldn't give official estimates, but she walked through the calculation method so my neighbor knew roughly what to expect before making the SSA appointment.
That's a really interesting suggestion about the library programs! I hadn't thought about AARP volunteers helping with Social Security questions. Even if they can't give official estimates, having someone walk through the calculation method would be super helpful for understanding what to expect. I'm definitely going to call my local library to see if they have any similar outreach programs. Sometimes these community resources are hidden gems that can save you so much time and frustration compared to dealing with government agencies directly.
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my payment just came thru today! check your accounts everyone
Just checked - mine arrived too! What a relief. Thanks everyone for your help and sharing your experiences.
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.
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.
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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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.
Sean Flanagan
Thank you everyone for the helpful responses! Just to summarize what I've learned: 1. My 2024 earnings won't affect my benefits starting in January 2025 2. Since I'm not working in 2025, I won't have any earnings test issues 3. I understand I'm taking a permanent reduction by claiming at 63.4 4. My 2024 earnings might actually increase my benefit slightly when SSA recalculates I think I'm good to proceed with filing in early December for my January start date. Really appreciate all the advice!
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Zara Shah
•Perfect summary! Good luck with your retirement!
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Javier Torres
Congratulations on your upcoming retirement, Sean! You've got a solid plan and the community has given you excellent advice. One small tip from my own experience - when you file in December, make sure to ask SSA specifically about your first payment date. Sometimes there can be processing delays, especially during busy periods, and you want to make sure your January start date is locked in. Also, keep copies of all your filing paperwork just in case there are any questions later. Enjoy your retirement!
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AstroAlpha
•Great advice about keeping copies of everything! I learned this the hard way with other government benefits - documentation is so important when dealing with federal agencies. Sean, you might also want to screenshot or print out any confirmation numbers or reference numbers they give you when you file. Having that info handy can save you a lot of time if you need to call back for any reason.
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