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 thought the earnings limit was $18,240? thats what my friend told me when i was thinking about applying early
The $18,240 figure was from 2023. For 2024, it's $22,320 for those under FRA all year. This is why it's important to check the current year's limits as they change annually with cost-of-living adjustments.
Join the conversation
WAIT I THINK EVERYONE IS MISSING AN IMPORTANT POINT!!! Even if you use the annual limit, if you earn over the ENTIRE annual limit in a single month, ALL your benefits for the year could be withheld! SSA regulations say if you earn more than your annual limit, they withhold $1 in benefits for every $2 you earn over the limit. If you earn the whole $25,410 in January, they'd withhold your ENTIRE annual benefit!!!! BE CAREFUL!!!
This is incorrect. If you qualify for the Annual Earnings Test, it doesn't matter WHEN during the year you earn the money. You could earn $25,000 in January and $0 the rest of the year, and as long as your total stays under the annual limit ($25,410), there's no reduction in benefits. If you exceed the annual limit, then yes, SSA withholds $1 in benefits for every $2 over the limit, but this is calculated based on total annual earnings, not month-by-month. The Monthly Earnings Test (which doesn't apply in OP's case if they follow the plan) is the only scenario where the timing of earnings matters.
Just wanted to give a quick update. I called SSA today and spoke with a rep who confirmed what most of you have said. As long as I apply in January WITH January as my benefit month, I can use the annual earnings test for all of 2025. I made sure to specifically tell them I wanted January 2025 as my benefit month, not February. The rep did initially try to set it for February saying "that's our normal procedure" but I politely insisted on January, and they were able to do it. So relieved I don't have to track monthly earnings! Thanks for all your help everyone.
Great news! Glad you stood your ground. This will make your year SO much easier, especially with variable income. Make sure to keep track of your annual earnings though - if you do go over the annual limit, you'll need to report it.
Join the conversation
To clarify a few technical points: 1. When you were receiving disability benefits on your husband's record, you were actually receiving what's called "Disabled Widow(er)'s Benefits" (DWB), a specific type of survivor benefit, not traditional SSDI on your own record. 2. Now that you've reached your FRA and switched to your own retirement benefit, you've undergone what's called a "technical termination" of your disability status. Your benefit is now calculated and treated exactly like any retirement benefit. 3. The earnings test (which limits how much you can earn) only applies to people receiving benefits before their FRA. Since you're at your FRA, you can earn unlimited amounts without affecting your monthly benefit amount. 4. The question about future work is standard during benefit conversion interviews. It helps the representative determine if they need to explain earnings limitations (not applicable in your case) or provide information about how work might affect taxes on your benefits (which is still relevant). 5. You don't need to report your intention to work to SSA, but your earnings will be reported through normal tax channels, which is all that's required.
Thank you for such a detailed explanation! That makes so much sense now - I didn't realize I was technically on Disabled Widow's Benefits rather than regular SSDI. The "technical termination" of disability status explains why they were asking those questions. This has been really helpful!
Just wanted to add that working part-time from home was such a positive thing for me after years on disability. Beyond the extra income, it gave me purpose and routine that actually helped my health in some ways. Hope it works out well for you too!
thats so true! i volunteer 2 days a week and it keeps me going even though its not paid work. gives me something to look forward to.
Join the conversation
my sister took SS at 62 and her neighbor waited till 70. the neighbor gets like $1000 more a month but my sister already collected for 8 years before neighbor got anything. sister says shell be dead before neighbor catches up lol
Your sister isn't wrong that there's a breakeven point! But that point is typically around age 80-82 for most people comparing age 62 vs 70 filing. For someone with above-average life expectancy, the total lifetime benefits can be substantially higher when delaying. Each situation is different though - some people genuinely need the money earlier or have health concerns that make early filing reasonable.
Thanks everyone for the thoughtful responses! After reading all your comments, I've decided to wait until 70 to claim my Social Security. I'll look into the special home renovation loans that were suggested and plan to have the work done after I fully retire. The math of getting an extra $744/month for potentially 20+ years is just too compelling to ignore.
Elijah O'Reilly
One warning from my experience - watch out for the timing of everything! If they deny your reconsideration and then you request a hearing with the ALJ, there can be a gap where they start taking money. I had that happen and it was a NIGHTMARE getting those funds back even after I won my case. Make sure any attorney you hire knows to file for continued benefits during appeal if that's an option in your case.
0 coins
Mason Kaczka
•this hapened to my uncle too they took money for 7 months even tho he was fighting it and won!!
0 coins
Emily Sanjay
Thank you everyone for all this helpful information! I've decided to: 1) File the SSA-632 waiver form TODAY, 2) Contact legal aid in my county tomorrow morning, 3) Submit a FOIA request for my file, and 4) Try to make an in-person appointment at my local office. If legal aid can't help, I'll look for an attorney who specializes in Social Security and works on contingency. I feel so much better having a plan now. Will update once I have news!
0 coins
Amara Torres
•That sounds like an excellent plan. One final suggestion - keep a detailed log of every contact you have with SSA. Note the date, time, who you spoke with (get names if possible), and what was discussed. This documentation can be extremely valuable if your case goes to a hearing.
0 coins