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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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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!
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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.
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I started receiving my deceased husband's benefits right after he died but i was already 68 so no issues with working. The whole process took about 45 days from application to first deposit. Make sure u have certified copies of everything they ask for.
One more important point - you mentioned your HR department is pressuring you about retirement plans. Just to be clear, collecting Social Security survivor benefits doesn't require you to retire from your job. You can work indefinitely while collecting survivor benefits once you reach your FRA of 66 and 8 months. Also, when you apply, make sure SSA compares your own benefit amount to your wife's. They should pay you the higher of the two. And if you delay your own retirement benefit until 70 while collecting survivors now, be aware that you'll need to proactively apply for your retirement benefit when you reach 70 - the switch isn't automatic.
This is really helpful, thank you. I'm going to make an appointment with HR to clarify that I plan to continue working even after I start collecting survivor benefits. And I'll definitely mark my calendar to apply for my own benefits at 70 if that ends up being the better option.
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One thing that really helped me decide when to claim between my FRA and 70 was calculating my "break-even point." Basically, I figured out how long I'd need to live for the higher monthly payment from waiting to be worth more than collecting sooner. For me, waiting until exactly 68 made the most sense based on my family health history and financial needs. The SSA actually won't give you break-even analysis (they stopped doing that years ago), but there are online calculators that can help. Everyone's situation is different!
Thanks everyone for all the helpful responses! What a relief to know I have complete flexibility between FRA and 70. I think I'll probably wait at least a year past my FRA since I'm still working, but it's great to know I can claim anytime if circumstances change. Really appreciate all the insights about delayed retirement credits being calculated monthly too - that wasn't clear from what I was reading online.
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Another important difference: If your father ever wants to try working again (even part-time), SSDI and SSI have COMPLETELY different rules about earnings. SSDI has a Trial Work Period where he could test his ability to work for 9 months while keeping full benefits. SSI reduces benefits gradually based on earnings. It's really important to know which one he has before he earns any income.
That's good to know. His doctors think some part-time work might actually help with his recovery, so I'll look more into the SSDI trial work period rules.
The WHOLE SYSTEM is designed to be confusing!!! They make it complicated on purpose so people don't get all the benefits they deserve! I've been fighting with them for YEARS about my benefits. Every time I call I get different answers!!!!!
While the system can certainly be confusing, the differences between SSI and SSDI actually serve different purposes. SSDI is insurance-based (you pay in through FICA taxes while working) and SSI is needs-based (for those with limited income and resources). But I agree the terminology and paperwork could be much clearer.
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My neighbor said her daughter had to call the SS office like 20 times before they even looked at her application last month. Something about them being super understaffed right now???
Ally Tailer
After thinking about your situation more, one more important factor: the 4% rule for retirement withdrawals suggests you can safely withdraw about 4% of your nest egg annually. If your SS payment would be $1,200/month higher by waiting ($14,400/year), that's equivalent to having an additional $360,000 in retirement savings ($14,400 ÷ 0.04). This perspective often helps people see the true value of delayed Social Security benefits. If you had an extra $360K in your retirement account, would you be more comfortable?
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Landon Flounder
•Wow, I hadn't thought about it that way! Putting it in terms of equivalent retirement savings makes the delayed credits seem much more valuable. When you frame it as essentially having $360K more in my retirement account, waiting to 70 sounds like a no-brainer given my family history.
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Callum Savage
everyone keeps talking bout the MATH but what about ENJOYING LIFE?? my brother waited to 70 and then got cancer at 71... all that waiting for nothin. just my 2 cents
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Landon Flounder
•I'm very sorry about your brother. That's definitely the fear I have too - waiting and then not getting to enjoy it for very long. It's the uncertainty that makes this such a tough decision.
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Miranda Singer
•This is a valid perspective that highlights the personal nature of this decision. The mathematical optimization approach assumes longevity, but life has no guarantees. Each person needs to balance the statistical likelihood of living longer (especially with family history of longevity) against the desire to enjoy benefits earlier.
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