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
Just be prepared for them 2 say no. Thats what they do. Say NO first and make u appeal. Thats how they save $$$ by hoping people give up!!!!
This isn't an adversarial situation where they're likely to deny a legitimate claim. Ex-spousal benefits have clear eligibility rules. If the original poster meets the criteria (which it sounds like they do), this is a straightforward benefit calculation process, not a subjective determination like some disability claims can be.
One more technical point that might help: When you speak with SSA, the specific term for what you're applying for is "auxiliary benefits as a divorced spouse." Using this terminology might help ensure you're directed to the right information. Also, prepare for the possibility that even if you're eligible for additional benefits, the increase might be modest depending on your ex's earnings record. Any increase helps, but just setting realistic expectations.
Thank you for the specific terminology! That will definitely help when I talk to them. And yes, I'm trying not to get my hopes up too much about the amount. My ex did earn more than me throughout our marriage (he was in management), but I know there are all sorts of calculations involved.
Join the conversation
I'm so sorry for your loss and for the financial stress this is causing. When my husband passed in 2023, I also applied for survivor benefits. It took about 7 weeks to process, which seemed long at the time, but nothing like what you're experiencing. One thing that helped was asking specifically for the \
Join the conversation
wait i just remembered something - could the kids qualify for SSI maybe? thats different from regular SS and is based on need not relationship i think
That's a good point. SSI (Supplemental Security Income) is needs-based and doesn't require a specific relationship to a beneficiary. However, it's for people with limited income and resources who are disabled, blind, or age 65+. Unless the grandchildren have qualifying disabilities, they wouldn't be eligible for SSI based solely on financial need. But again, this underscores why speaking directly with SSA about your specific situation is so important.
Thank you all for the helpful responses. I'm going to try contacting SSA directly to get a definitive answer for our situation. The Claimyr service someone mentioned sounds helpful since I've had trouble getting through on the phone before. I appreciate the clarification about Colorado recognizing common-law marriage, but it sounds like that alone won't help with the grandchildren's eligibility. Neither child has disabilities that would qualify for SSI, so that's unfortunately not an option either. I'll update this thread if I learn anything that might help others in similar situations.
Good luck! One last thought - check if either of the biological parents might have work credits with Social Security. If the mother has enough work credits and qualifies as disabled due to her addiction issues (even if not officially designated as disabled yet), the children might qualify for benefits on HER record. It's worth asking SSA about this possibility too!
Join the conversation
Tell your friend he should look at his life expectancy. Everyone here is assuming he'll live a long time but what if he doesn't? My dad waited to claim and then only got benefits for 4 years before he passed. If he claims at 62, that's 8 years of benefits he'd get before 70. That's a lot of money! And another thing - what about spousal benefits for his wife? His wife has to be 62 to claim those I think so that's a long way off. But once she reaches that age it's based on his PIA so if he takes early it won't affect her spousal amount I'm pretty sure.
There's a correction needed here: spousal benefits ARE affected if he claims early. While her spousal benefit would be based on his PIA (Primary Insurance Amount), if she claims spousal benefits early (before her FRA), her amount would be reduced. Additionally, survivor benefits for both children and the spouse would be permanently reduced if he claims early. Given the 17-year age difference and children involved, this creates a very long potential benefit period where the higher amount would be valuable.
Thank you all for the incredible advice! I spoke with my friend today and shared your insights. He was surprised to learn about how his claiming age would affect potential survivor benefits for both his kids AND his wife. He's going to try using the Claimyr service to actually speak with someone at SSA about his specific numbers. He's now leaning toward waiting until at least his FRA, possibly longer. The family maximum benefit concept was new to him too. It sounds like the best approach is to get actual calculations from SSA for different claiming scenarios to see the real impact on total family benefits. Really appreciate all your help with this unusual situation!
Glad we could help! It's definitely worth getting those specific calculations. When we did that, seeing the actual dollar amounts made the decision much clearer. The difference between filing at 62 vs waiting can be substantial when multiplied across multiple beneficiaries over many years.
Join the conversation
when i had this problem last yr i couldn't get anyone at ssa on the phone EVER!!!! office was hr away with no bus service. i ended up missing deadline and lost benefits for 2 months!!! don't let that happen to u
That's my biggest fear! I don't drive and can't afford to lose benefits for even a month. I think I'll try that phone service someone mentioned since getting to the office is so difficult for me.
Based on all the comments, here's a summary of your best approach: 1. Start the process 3 months before turning 62 2. Your total monthly income will likely be slightly higher after the transition (your $587 retirement + some supplemental SSI, minus the reduction) 3. You don't need your ex's cooperation - SSA can access his earnings record since you were married 10+ years 4. Explicitly ask about continued Medicaid eligibility in your state when you switch benefits 5. Request a written breakdown of your future benefits before any changes happen 6. If you receive any notices about benefit changes, respond immediately Many people actually end up slightly better off financially after this transition, but the key is ensuring everything is processed correctly and simultaneously to avoid gaps in coverage. The system is complex but you're asking all the right questions.
Thank you for the encouraging words and clear summary! I feel much better about navigating this now. I'm going to call SSA next week to start the process since I'll be turning 62 in about 4 months. I'll update here if I run into any issues or learn anything that might help others in my situation.
Join the conversation
My wife had to deal with this when I had a health scare last year. Something important no one mentioned yet - if you're getting your own SS retirement benefit already, you would only switch to survivors if his benefit amount is HIGHER than what you're currently receiving. The SSA will pay the higher of the two amounts, not both. Make sure to compare the benefit amounts when making your plans.
Yes, someone mentioned this earlier but it's worth repeating. His benefit would be higher than mine, so switching would definitely make sense financially. Thank you for reinforcing this important point.
Does anyone know if there's a waiting period after death before survivor benefits start? My grandma had to wait 3 months which seemed really long.
There's no mandatory waiting period, but processing can sometimes take 2-3 months depending on workload. Benefits should be paid retroactively to the appropriate start date once approved. The initial month is typically not paid (due to how SSA pays benefits the month after they're due), but there shouldn't be a 3-month gap unless there were issues with the application or documentation.
Join the conversation
I got widowed in 2019 and got hit with the GPO too because of my federal pension. I actually called my local office last week about something else and asked about this while I had them on the phone. The rep specifically said I don't need to do anything since I'm already getting the reduced amount. She said they'll be adjusting everyone automatically starting in 2025 and it'll happen in phases over 3 years.
how did u even get someone on the phone??? i try calling my local office and it always sends me to the national number where i sit on hold forever
I called right when they opened at 9am on a Wednesday. Still waited like 45 minutes but eventually got through. Seems like mid-week mornings might be slightly better.
Thank you all for the responses! This has been incredibly helpful. I'm going to ignore my friend's advice and trust that SSA will adjust my benefits automatically as their website states. I appreciate everyone sharing their experiences and knowledge - it's given me peace of mind knowing I'm not missing some crucial deadline. I might try that Claimyr service just to get official confirmation from SSA, but it sounds like I'm already doing everything right by simply waiting for the automatic adjustment in 2025.
Join the conversation
I strongly recommend consulting with a financial advisor who specializes in Social Security planning. We paid for a consultation and it was worth every penny. They ran multiple scenarios through specialized software and showed us exactly how different claiming strategies would play out over our lifetimes. The difference between optimal and sub-optimal claiming strategies can literally be tens of thousands of dollars over your lifetime. This isn't something to figure out through a forum (though we're trying to help!).
That's excellent advice. I hadn't considered hiring a specialist, but with so much money potentially at stake, it makes sense. Do you have any tips on finding a reputable advisor who truly understands Social Security strategies?
Look for a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) who specifically lists Social Security planning as a specialty. Ask if they use specialized Social Security analysis software. And definitely check reviews and ask for references. The good ones will offer a free initial consultation to see if you're a good fit.
Join the conversation
my husband tried the Claimyr thing someone mentioned above when he was dealing with his mom's SS problems. it did get him thru to a person pretty quick tbh. better than spending all day on hold!
I'm skeptical of these services... did they ask for a lot of personal info? I'm always wary of giving out sensitive details, especially anything related to SS numbers.
One more thing - make sure you're dealing with actual government websites. There are LOTS of scam sites offering to "help" with Social Security forms. Only trust ssa.gov and medicare.gov for official forms and information.
Great reminder! I'll make sure to only use the official sites. I appreciate everyone's help here - this gives me a solid plan of action to get started with.
Melissa Lin
my niece works for ssa and she told me its the CALENDAR year not 12 months from when u start. so yeah january is when it switches to annual
0 coins
Hugh Intensity
Thank you all for the super helpful responses! This clarifies everything for me. I'll make note of the 2025 earnings limit when they announce it and plan my work schedule accordingly. It's such a relief knowing I can earn more in some months as long as I stay under the annual limit for the year.
0 coins