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
My cousin took her ex spousal benefit at 62 and regrets it SO MUCH cause it got reduced like 30%! Def wait for ur FRA if u can afford to!
This is good advice. Taking ex-spouse benefits early results in the same reduction percentages as taking your own retirement benefits early. At 62, that's approximately a 30% permanent reduction from what you'd get at FRA. The only time it might make sense to claim early is if you absolutely need the income or have health concerns that might limit your longevity.
wait im confused does this mean my ex taking SS early screws me over? or not? can someone explain this in simple terms plz
No, your ex taking Social Security early does NOT affect your benefit amount. Your ex-spouse benefit is based on what your ex would have received at their full retirement age (their PIA), NOT what they actually receive after early retirement reductions. The only thing that reduces YOUR ex-spouse benefit is if YOU take it before YOUR full retirement age. If your ex takes it early, it has zero impact on your potential benefit amount.
Join the conversation
One more important thing I forgot to mention - your husband should apply for the widower benefits as soon as possible after your passing (though I hope that's many years from now). The application process can be lengthy, especially for disability-based survivor benefits. Also, if he's denied initially (which happens frequently), he should definitely appeal. Many legitimate claims are denied on the first try but approved on reconsideration or at a hearing level. And having a disability attorney can help tremendously - they typically only charge if they win the case (usually 25% of backpay with a cap).
Thank you for this additional information. I've heard that many disability claims get denied initially. I'll make sure he knows to appeal if necessary. Do you know if there are any specific forms or documentation he should have ready? I want to prepare as much as possible for him.
When my father died, my disabled mother had a similar situation. A key thing that helped was having a "funeral fund" set aside because survivor benefits don't start immediately, and there's often a gap period with no income. Also, make sure your husband knows where all important documents are kept - death certificate, marriage certificate, your SS number, birth certificates, etc. The SSA requires these for the application process. Having them organized ahead of time saved my mom a lot of stress.
This is really practical advice, thank you. I hadn't thought about the gap between when I might pass and when benefits would actually start coming in. I'll start setting aside some emergency funds and get our documents organized in one place.
Join the conversation
my sister found a loophole! she started a small business and pays herself as a consultant AFTER she hits full retirement age so she doesnt have to deal with any of this. not sayin its for everyone but thought id mention...
Just a clarification - that's not actually a loophole. Once someone reaches Full Retirement Age, the earnings test no longer applies regardless of employment type. They can earn unlimited income without reduction in benefits. Self-employment income is still subject to FICA taxes (though paid through self-employment tax), and the earnings test would still apply to self-employment income before FRA. The strategy you mentioned only works because she waited until FRA, not because of how she structured her income.
When my husband retired we went through the EXACT same thing! We thought we were being so clever with the 401k idea but NOPE! Social Security taxes still came out and the earnings still counted for the limit. He ended up just fully retiring 6 months earlier than planned because the math worked out better that way. Sometimes simple is better.
Join the conversation
To clarify the Medicare point: Yes, if the husband is covered under the wife's current employer health insurance (from her active employment), AND the employer has 20+ employees, then he can delay enrolling in Medicare Part B without penalty. He would need to get a form called \
This is all super helpful information. I definitely don't want to file early just to enable his spousal benefits if it's going to permanently reduce my benefit. It sounds like the best approach might be for him to wait until his FRA at 67 to claim his own benefit, and then I can file for mine when I reach my FRA (which would be 67 too, I think).
Zara Mirza
OK I'M CONFUSED!!! I thought that if you were married for 10+ years you could claim 50% of your ex's benefit REGARDLESS of when they claim??? Isn't that the WHOLE POINT of the divorced spouse benefit?? That you don't have to coordinate with them?? Why is everyone saying you have to wait until your ex is 62? That makes NO SENSE to me and defeats the purpose of the benefit!! Also my cousin's friend got divorced after 11 years and she's getting benefits on her ex-husband's record RIGHT NOW even though he hasn't filed yet so I KNOW it's possible!!!
0 coins
Diego Chavez
•You're confusing two different rules: 1. You don't have to coordinate WITH your ex-spouse (they don't need to file first, and you don't need their permission) 2. BUT your ex-spouse still needs to be at least 62 (eligible for benefits) before you can claim on their record Your cousin's friend's ex-husband is presumably at least 62, which is why she can claim on his record even if he hasn't filed yet. The original poster's ex is only 51, so they wouldn't be eligible for another 11 years. The "not having to coordinate" part means once the ex is 62+, you don't need them to actually file for benefits before you can claim on their record.
0 coins
NeonNebula
Been there done that with the ex-spouse stuff. Just remember you need ur marriage certificate AND divorce decree when you apply! They made me go home and come back when I didn't have both. Super annoying since I had to take another day off work.
0 coins
Freya Christensen
•That's a great tip, thank you! I think I know where my divorce decree is, but I'll have to hunt down the marriage certificate. It's been so long I'm not even sure where I put it.
0 coins