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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
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- 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 :)
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Zara Khan
Does anyone know if you'll get the increased benefits AUTOMATICALLY or do we have to reapply? I don't trust the SSA to just adjust everything properly!
From what I understand, if you're already receiving reduced benefits due to WEP/GPO, SSA should recalculate and adjust your payments automatically. But if you were completely offset by GPO before (getting $0 in benefits), you would need to apply since you weren't in the system receiving payments. In the OP's case, since she wasn't receiving any benefits due to the full offset, she would need to submit an application for survivor benefits. That said, with a change this big affecting millions of beneficiaries, there could be delays in implementation. I'd recommend applying or contacting SSA regardless to ensure you're in their system for the adjustments.
Nia Williams
My cousin works for the SS office and she told me that Jan. 1st 2026 is when the 100% starts not this year.
Your cousin is correct that January 1, 2026 is when the GPO is fully eliminated (100% gone). But the phase-out begins earlier: - January 1, 2024: GPO reduction decreases from 2/3 of pension to 40% of pension (so you get more now) - January 1, 2025: GPO reduction decreases to 20% of pension (you get even more) - January 1, 2026: GPO completely eliminated (you get full benefits) So the original poster can definitely get some benefits now, just not 100% of her husband's benefit until 2026.
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My aunt just went thru this exact thing last yr. SSA gave her a nice chunk of backpay for 6 months plus her monthly check went up by like $800 or something. She was so mad nobody told her sooner!
Ella Harper
•This is EXACTLY why the system is broken!!! They KNOW when people qualify for higher benefits but they don't TELL them!!! It's like they WANT people to miss out on money they deserve!!! They should automatically calculate and pay the higher amount!!!
Isla Fischer
One more important point - when you call SSA, specifically ask for the "spousal benefit" or "spouse's benefit" by name. Sometimes if you just say you want to see if you can get a higher benefit, the representative might not check all options. Be sure to mention that your husband's benefit is significantly higher than yours and you believe you qualify for a spousal top-up benefit. Write down the name of the representative you speak with and ask for a confirmation number for your application.
Logan Chiang
•That's excellent advice! I'll make sure to use those exact terms and get the representative's name and a confirmation number. I don't want anything to fall through the cracks.
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Yara Assad
I've been through this exact situation! The first thing you should do is request a written PEBES statement showing the detailed calculation. Having everything in writing really helped me straighten out the discrepancy in my case. When I talked with Claimyr's customer service, they mentioned that a lot of their users are survivors dealing with similar benefit calculation issues. The SSA seems particularly prone to inconsistency with survivor benefits calculations for some reason.
TechNinja
Whatever you do, DON'T trust what they tell you over the phone!!! Get EVERYTHING in writing!!! When my husband passed, I got THREE different benefit amounts from THREE different reps, and the actual amount I received was LOWER than all three estimates! I was counting on that money and it created a real financial hardship. The SSA makes "mistakes" that conveniently always seem to save THEM money, not us! 😡
Ava Williams
•I'm so sorry that happened to you. It's really concerning how inconsistent they are. I'll definitely get everything in writing - thank you for the warning!
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One more thing - DOCUMENT EVERYTHING!! Write down every conversation with SSA, get names of reps, take screenshots of your MySocialSecurity account info!!!! Trust me on this!!!!!
Amara Okafor
Thank you all for the helpful advice! I'm going to put together all these calculations before I make my filing decision. It sounds like my husband should definitely apply for the spousal benefit once I file, regardless of when I decide to start taking benefits. I'll make sure to document everything and specifically mention the WEP-spousal benefit calculation when we apply. And I'll definitely look into that Claimyr service - sounds like it could save a lot of frustration with the phone calls. I really appreciate everyone taking the time to explain this complicated situation!
Lydia Bailey
no u dont have to tell them before working!! just report it on taxes. thats what i do and im way over the limit. they just send me a letter once a year saying they adjusted my benefit.
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Sofia Price
One clarification on the earnings limit - truck drivers need to be careful about how they calculate their income. If your husband is an independent contractor (1099 worker), SSA counts net earnings from self-employment, not gross income. If he's a W-2 employee, they count gross wages. This difference can significantly impact how much is withheld. Also, only income from actual work counts toward the earnings limit. Investment income, pension payments, or other government benefits don't count against the limit. From what you've described, having him work while receiving reduced benefits probably makes more financial sense than withdrawing the application entirely.
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