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
i was just thinking... have you checked if you can get survivors benefits now? i thought there was something about benefits for widows taking care of kids or something
You're thinking of Mother's/Father's benefits, which are available to surviving spouses caring for the worker's child who is under 16 or disabled. Since the original poster mentioned her daughter was in high school when her husband died, and that was 3 years ago, her daughter is likely over 18 now and no longer eligible for benefits. The mother would therefore not qualify for Mother's benefits at this point.
I'm so sorry for your loss. As others have mentioned, your survivor benefit at 60 won't be the same as your daughter's was. Here's what might help with your planning: you can create a my Social Security account online and request a benefit estimate. While it won't show survivor benefits directly, you can call SSA with your husband's Social Security number and they can give you a projection of your potential survivor benefit amount at different claiming ages. One thing to keep in mind - if you're planning to work part-time after claiming at 60, make sure to factor in the earnings test. But here's something that might help: you can claim survivor benefits and still let your own retirement benefit grow with delayed retirement credits until age 70. If your own benefit would be higher by then, you could switch. This strategy gives you some income at 60 while potentially maximizing your long-term benefit. I'd recommend scheduling an appointment with SSA to run the actual numbers for your situation. They can show you exactly what to expect at different claiming ages and help you make the best decision for your financial future.
This is really comprehensive advice, thank you! I'm new to all of this and honestly feeling a bit overwhelmed trying to navigate the SSA system. The idea of being able to claim survivor benefits at 60 while letting my own retirement benefit grow until 70 sounds like it could be a good strategy, but I'll definitely need to see the actual numbers to know for sure. I appreciate the suggestion about calling with my husband's Social Security number - I didn't realize they could give projections that way. Has anyone had success getting accurate estimates this way, or do they sometimes give you the runaround?
Join the conversation
One last thing about the SSDI application - make sure your doctor includes detailed notes about your physical limitations and how the cancer and treatment affect your ability to work. Mention specific job requirements you can no longer meet (standing/walking requirements, lifting restrictions, cognitive issues from chemo, etc). This strengthens your case tremendously. Wishing you the best with your treatment and hoping for a full recovery.
Thank you so much for this advice and the kind words. I've scheduled a talk with my oncologist about the SSDI application tomorrow. This community has been incredibly helpful.
I'm really sorry to hear about your diagnosis. As someone who went through the SSDI process with my late husband, I wanted to add that you should also gather all your medical records now while you have the energy. The SSA will request them anyway, but having copies ready speeds things up. Also, don't be discouraged if your initial application gets denied - that's unfortunately common even with serious conditions like cancer. If that happens, request a hearing immediately. The approval rates are much higher at the hearing level. Your wife is smart to think ahead about this. The survivor benefits will definitely help her financially when the time comes. Take care of yourself and focus on your treatment.
This is really solid advice about gathering medical records early. I'm going through a similar process with my mom right now and wish we had started collecting everything sooner. The hearing approval rate being higher is encouraging to know - gives some hope if the first application doesn't go through. Thanks for sharing your experience during what must have been a really difficult time.
Join the conversation
I just went through this exact situation last year! You absolutely CAN earn the entire amount in a shorter period. I worked January-April, made about $21,000, then completely stopped working and had zero issues with SSA. Just make sure you're tracking your YTD earnings carefully. The only thing that tripped me up was I had to explicitly tell my employer I was "retiring" even though I was just quitting that job. This stopped them from contesting my unemployment when I applied for it during the months I wasn't working or collecting SS yet.
Thank you for sharing your real experience! It's reassuring to hear from someone who's actually done this successfully. Good tip about communicating clearly with the employer too - I might be in a similar situation.
One more thing to consider - if you're planning to work part-time after claiming benefits, you might want to check if your employer offers any flexibility with timing of pay. Some employers can adjust when bonuses or commissions are paid out, which could help you stay under the limit in years when you're subject to the earnings test. Also, if you're thinking about consulting or freelance work, you have more control over when you invoice clients and receive payments. Just another strategy to help manage your earnings timing!
Join the conversation
when is your birthday? if your turning 64 soon maybe wait? the earnings limit goes up when you hit your FRA year
I'm turning 64 in November, but my husband is 67 and already collecting his benefits. From what I understand, I can apply for spousal benefits now, I'll just get a reduced amount because I'm not at my FRA yet. But now with this GPO issue, I definitely need professional advice.
The GPO can be really devastating - I've seen cases where people's spousal benefits are completely wiped out. Since you worked 18 years in California without paying Social Security taxes, you'll likely face the full GPO reduction. Before you apply, try to get an estimate of what your spousal benefit would be without GPO, then subtract 2/3 of your monthly pension amount. If that number is zero or negative, you won't receive any spousal benefits at all. It's harsh, but better to know upfront than be surprised later.
Malik Johnson
just wondering but what happens with medicare in this scenario? do u still sign up at 65 even if ur not taking ur own benefits yet? i get so confused with all these different rules!!
0 coins
Omar Zaki
•Great question! Medicare and Social Security benefits are separate decisions. You should still enroll in Medicare during your Initial Enrollment Period (3 months before your 65th birthday month through 3 months after) regardless of when you claim Social Security benefits. Missing your Medicare enrollment period can result in permanent premium penalties, even if you're still working and have employer coverage (unless your employer has 20+ employees).
0 coins
Brian Downey
I'm in a very similar situation - my spouse passed away 3 years ago and I'm approaching 65 while still working full-time. This thread has been incredibly helpful! One thing I want to add based on my research: make sure you understand the "deemed filing" rules. Before your full retirement age, SSA might automatically file you for both benefits even if you only want one. But once you reach your survivor FRA (which sounds like 66 years and 8 months for you), you can file a "restricted application" for survivor benefits only. I'd also recommend getting a written confirmation from SSA about your filing strategy before you submit anything. The stories about applications being processed incorrectly are really concerning. Has anyone here successfully gotten written confirmation of their restricted application strategy before filing?
0 coins