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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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Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
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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.
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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 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!
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I'm confused why youd even consider claiming now?? If your still working full time at a good job just wait until you ACTUALLY retire! Your getting penalized with the earnings limit AND taking reduced benefits before FRA. Makes no sense to file early in your situation, just my 2 cents!
It's actually a valid question. Sometimes there are situations where claiming early makes sense, like if someone has health concerns or cash flow issues. But you're right that with a good full-time income, the earnings test would significantly reduce any benefits received before FRA. Each situation is unique - that's why getting accurate information from SSA about both benefit amounts is so crucial to making an informed decision.
To address your follow-up question - claiming ex-spouse benefits doesn't impact your own retirement benefits. When you eventually claim your own benefits, if they're higher than what you're receiving as an ex-spouse, you'll be automatically switched to the higher amount. This is different from spousal benefits strategies that existed before 2016. Given your full-time work and earnings level, you might want to consider these options: 1. Wait until your FRA (66+10 months) to avoid the earnings test entirely 2. Wait until you actually retire from your job 3. Speak with SSA to compare both benefit amounts to make an informed decision Remember that your own benefit increases by 8% per year if you delay claiming beyond your FRA, up until age 70, while ex-spouse benefits don't increase after your FRA.
Thank you! I think I'm going to wait until my FRA since I'm planning to work at least until then anyway. The earnings test would really eat into any benefits I'd receive now. I appreciate everyone's help in understanding this complicated system!
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dont forget to bring ur marriage certificates and divorce papers!! they wont be able to tell u accurate info without those!! my sister went in 3 times before they could help her with ex spouse benefits bcuz she didnt have right paperwork
This is excellent advice. For the appointment, you should bring: - Marriage certificates for all marriages - Divorce decrees for all divorces - Death certificates if applicable - Your birth certificate - Your Social Security card - Photo ID Without these documents, they may not be able to give you accurate calculations or properly document your marital history in their system.
Something no one has mentioned yet: if your current husband passes away, you could take widow's benefits at 60 (reduced), then switch to your own retirement at 62 if higher, then potentially switch AGAIN to ex-spouse survivor benefits if ex-spouse #2 passes away and those benefits would be higher. This maximizing strategy is complex but could mean thousands more in benefits over your lifetime. Make sure to ask the SSA rep to explain all possible sequencing scenarios. And definitely mention the RIB-LIM rule specifically - not all reps are familiar with how it works unless you use the technical term.
Thank you! I hadn't even considered this multi-switching strategy. This is why I'm so glad I asked here first before my appointment. I'm writing down all these scenarios and technical terms so I don't forget anything important during my meeting.
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I'm so confused about all this COLA stuff. I'm on SSDI (not SSI), will I get the same 3.2% increase? And when will it show up? My payment date is January 24th this month.
Yes, you'll receive the same 3.2% COLA increase. Since your payment date is January 24th, that payment will include your increase. SSDI follows the same payment schedule as retirement benefits (based on birth date). The increase is automatic - you don't need to do anything to receive it.
Thanks everyone for the helpful info! I'll let my sister know about the PA state supplement too - she probably doesn't even know about that extra $22. Seems like such a small amount though when everything costs so much these days.
Tell her to check if she qualifies for SNAP benefits too if she hasnt already! My mom gets about $180/month for food on top of her SSI and it helps A LOT. Also worth checking into energy assistance programs in your area!
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What state are you in? Some states have different rules about how their pensions interact with Social Security.
I'm in Texas. From what I understand, Texas TRS is definitely affected by GPO since we don't pay into Social Security while teaching here.
Based on the numbers you've shared, here's what your situation might look like: 1. Your TRS pension will be $3,750/month 2. Your survivor benefit is $2,280/month 3. Your own SS benefit would be about $840/month Under GPO, they would reduce your survivor benefit by $2,500 (2/3 of $3,750), which would eliminate your survivor benefit completely. However, your own SS benefit of $840 would be subject to WEP but not GPO. The WEP reduction is generally less severe than GPO and depends on your years of substantial earnings under Social Security. So your best option might be to take your TRS pension and your own reduced SS benefit rather than the survivor benefit. I'd recommend speaking with an SSA representative who can calculate the exact WEP reduction based on your work history.
Thank you for breaking down the numbers so clearly! That really helps me understand my options better. I'll definitely need to talk to SSA about the specific WEP reduction for my case, but at least now I have a better idea of what to expect and what questions to ask.
Jade O'Malley
has anyone here tried going to the congressperson office for help with SS? my neighbor did that when she couldnt get anwhere with her disability claim and suddenly everything got fixed in like 2 weeks
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Alexis Renard
•I did this last year! Called my representative's office and explained I was about to be evicted while waiting for my SS appeal. They have dedicated caseworkers for social security issues and got me a status update within 3 days. Didn't speed up my whole case but at least I knew what was happening.
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Andrew Pinnock
Update on your deadline question: Submitting a written request for extension BEFORE the deadline counts as meeting the requirement. Make sure you include your name, SSN, the date of the denial letter, and explain your good cause reason (documented phone attempts + doctor unavailability). Send it certified mail with return receipt. You should still try to submit your appeal form with whatever evidence you currently have, but the extension request protects your rights.
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Harper Thompson
•THANK YOU!!! This is exactly what I needed to know. I'm going to send in what I have tomorrow with the extension request letter via certified mail. You've seriously saved me from a panic attack. I'll also try the Claimyr thing another person mentioned to see if I can actually talk to someone and get verbal confirmation.
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