Social Security Administration
CommunityGovernment Services
Can't reach Social Security Administration? Claimyr calls for you, so you don't have to wait on hold.
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
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 :)
Social Security divorced spouse benefits at 62 - will survivor benefits be reduced if ex dies before my FRA?
I divorced after 25 years of marriage and don't have enough work credits for my own Social Security. I'm turning 62 next month and considering taking ex-spousal benefits since my ex-husband just reached his full retirement age (67). I understand my spousal benefits will be permanently reduced because I'm claiming early. What's keeping me up at night - if my ex passes away before I reach my FRA (which is 67), what happens to my benefits? • Will I automatically be switched to survivor benefits? • If I'm receiving reduced spousal benefits and he dies when I'm 64, will my survivor benefits be permanently reduced too? • Is there any way to decline survivor benefits temporarily if he passes before my FRA, then claim the full amount at 67? • If I'm already getting reduced spousal benefits and he dies after I reach FRA, does the early spousal claim affect my survivor benefit amount? I've looked everywhere online but can't find answers specific to my situation. Thank you for any help!
Join the conversation
Can I claim Social Security survivor benefits at 70 when husband died 16 years ago?
After a recent conversation with my sister about retirement finances, I realized I might have left money on the table. My husband passed away 16 years ago when I was 54 (he was 61). We were married for 17 years, and I never remarried. I'm now 70 and have been collecting my own Social Security retirement benefits since my Full Retirement Age (66), but I just learned widows can sometimes get survivor benefits. Is it too late to apply? Have I permanently lost those benefits by not applying earlier? I'm completely confused about whether I should have been getting his benefit amount all this time if it was higher than mine. The SSA website is so overwhelming, and I'm worried I've missed out on years of higher payments.
Join the conversation
Just to clarify some misunderstandings I'm seeing in this thread: For survivor benefits, the rules are different than for regular retirement benefits. While it's true you can apply as early as 60, the benefit reduction formula is different. Also, if you remarry after age 60, you can still collect survivor benefits from your previous spouse. As for the original poster's situation, at age 70, you would receive 100% of your deceased husband's benefit amount IF it's higher than your current retirement benefit. You should request an appointment specifically for survivor benefits and ask them to do a complete benefits calculation to determine the best option for you. One more tip: if your husband had delayed retirement credits (meaning he worked past his full retirement age), those would be factored into your survivor benefit as well.
Wait, is that true about remarrying after 60? I thought once you remarried you lost all benefits from a previous spouse! This whole system is so confusing - they should make this information clearer on their website instead of burying it in complicated language!
Yes, that's correct about remarriage after 60 for survivor benefits! It's different from spousal benefits (where remarriage at any age ends eligibility). For survivors, if you remarry after 60, you can still claim on your deceased spouse's record. Confusing, I know!
Thank you everyone for all this helpful information. I've written down all these points to discuss when I call SSA. I'm going to try calling first thing tomorrow morning.
Can my wife claim spousal Social Security benefits after receiving pension lump sum from school job?
My wife (67) and I (68) have an appointment at our local Social Security office next week, and we're completely confused about what benefits she might qualify for. I've been collecting my Social Security since I was 65, but my wife worked for our school district's transportation department and received a lump sum pension payment when she retired. We're both enrolled in Medicare already. The big question: Can she claim spousal benefits based on my work record? Or is there some other benefit she's entitled to? The lump sum retirement payment has me wondering if there's some kind of pension offset rule that might apply. We honestly don't even know what questions to ask when we go to the appointment. If anyone has experience with school system pensions and Social Security benefits, we could really use some guidance before our meeting!
Join the conversation
One more thing to keep in mind - since your wife is at full retirement age (FRA), she's eligible for the full spousal benefit of 50% of your Primary Insurance Amount (before any GPO reduction). If she's eligible for both her own retirement benefit and a spousal benefit, SSA will pay her own benefit plus the difference to equal the higher amount. Also, since she's past FRA, there's no penalty for either of you working while collecting benefits. The earnings test doesn't apply after FRA. Bring to your appointment: 1. Photo ID for both of you 2. Social Security cards 3. Marriage certificate 4. Pension documentation with lump sum details 5. Recent tax returns 6. Bank account information for direct deposit Good luck with your appointment!
Thank you for the detailed checklist! I hadn't thought about bringing our marriage certificate, so that's really helpful. And it's good to know that there's no penalty for working since we both still do some part-time consulting work.
Confused about WEP and applying for Social Security spousal benefits - what's the process?
I'm turning 65 next month and trying to figure out how to apply for spousal benefits through Social Security. My husband has been collecting his retirement benefits for 3 years now (he's 68). I worked as a teacher for 22 years in Ohio where we didn't pay into Social Security, so I know I'll be affected by WEP (Windmill Elimination Provision? Windfall something?). Do I need to apply for my own benefits first even though they'll be reduced by WEP? Or can I just apply for spousal benefits directly? The SSA website is so confusing and I can't get through on the phone. Every time I call, I'm on hold for hours! Also, is there anything special I need to document about my teacher's pension? I start collecting that next year too. Any help would be really appreciated!
Join the conversation
Don't let anyone tell you there's nothing you can do about these unfair provisions! There are bills in Congress right now to reform or eliminate WEP/GPO. Contact your representatives! My mom's teacher group is fighting this tooth and nail. Public servants deserve better!
I've been writing my congressman for years about this. The Social Security Fairness Act keeps getting introduced but never passes. Still worth fighting for though.
Thank you all for your helpful responses! I've scheduled an in-person appointment at my local SSA office for next week and I'm gathering all my pension documentation. I've also made a list of questions based on all your advice. I'm still frustrated about the WEP/GPO reductions, but at least I understand the process better now. I'll update once I've had my appointment and let you know how it goes.
Social Security spousal benefits showing $0 due to GPO - did I already apply?
I'm confused about my Social Security spousal benefit status. For several years (until 2015), I used to receive an annual letter from Social Security that showed what my spousal amount would be, but then stated I would receive $0 due to the Government Pension Offset (GPO). These letters suddenly stopped coming around 2015. When I check my Social Security statement online now, it just shows "$0" and "suspended" next to my benefits, with a note saying I am the "dependent of the wage earner." I understand this is how they refer to spouses. What's bothering me is that I don't remember ever formally applying for spousal benefits. Does this "suspended" status mean I've already applied for spousal benefits in the past? Or is this just their way of showing I'm eligible but affected by GPO? My pension is from teaching for 29 years, and my husband has been collecting his retirement benefits since 2010. I just want to make sure I haven't missed something important or if I need to take any action.
Join the conversation
wait im confused about the gpo thing...does this mean teachers cant get ANY spouse benefits?? my wife is retiring from teaching next year, will she get any of my ss??
It depends on several factors. The Government Pension Offset (GPO) reduces spousal/widow(er) Social Security benefits by 2/3 of the government pension amount. If your wife receives a pension from teaching in a state where she didn't pay into Social Security (like California, Texas, or several others), then yes, her spousal benefits would be reduced by 2/3 of her pension amount. For example, if she would be eligible for $1000 in spousal benefits, but receives a $1200 monthly teacher's pension, the GPO reduction would be $800 (2/3 of $1200), leaving her with $200 in spousal benefits. If her pension is large enough that 2/3 of it exceeds her potential spousal benefit, she would receive $0 in spousal benefits. However, if she taught in a state where teachers DO pay into Social Security, GPO might not apply. I'd recommend consulting with a financial advisor who specializes in government pensions.
Thanks everyone for the helpful responses! Looks like I need to contact SSA directly to get a definitive answer. I'll try calling them (with help from that service someone mentioned if needed) and specifically ask if there's an application on file for me. Even though the GPO means I'll get $0 either way, I just want to make sure everything is correct in their system. I appreciate all the explanations about how the notation on my statement might just be showing my theoretical entitlement rather than confirming I've applied.
Good plan. For peace of mind, it's worth confirming your status. When you do reach them, also ask them to explain why those annual letters stopped coming after 2015. There might have been a policy change about notifications that's good to understand.
Savanna Franklin
I just thought of something important! When you apply, make sure to bring your marriage certificate AND divorce decree to prove you were married at least 10 years. They're super strict about this. My friend almost got denied because she couldn't find her divorce papers right away.
0 coins
Juan Moreno
Also bring ur birth certificate. They made my wife go back home to get hers even tho she had her drivers license and passport! SS office is crazy about original documents.
0 coins
Esteban Tate
isnt it crazy how complicated they make this?? my mom was in a similar situation and ended up just taking whatever they offered because it was too confusing to figure out the best option. i hope u get this sorted out!
0 coins