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 2 cents - enjoy life NOW. my sister waited to retire "to get maximum SS" and passed at 67 before ever collecting a dime! with your family history, retiring at 60 sounds smart. the financial difference over time might not be as big as people think when u factor in actually GETTING the money for more years.
One more important point: once you reach your Full Retirement Age, the earnings limit no longer applies. Before FRA, if you work and earn above certain limits ($21,240 in 2025), your benefits are reduced by $1 for every $2 you earn above the limit. If your husband plans to continue working while collecting, this could impact his benefits until he reaches FRA. And since spousal benefits are tied to when he files, this becomes part of your calculation too. For the most precise information, create a my Social Security account at ssa.gov to see your exact benefit estimates at various claiming ages.
Thank you! I do have a my Social Security account but the estimates there seem to assume I'll keep working at my current salary until whatever age I claim benefits. Is there a way to calculate what happens if I stop working at 60 but don't claim until 62? Do those zeroes for 2 years hurt my average a lot?
Yes, you can adjust future earnings in your my Social Security account to see how different scenarios affect your benefits. Look for the "Change future earnings" option when viewing your estimated benefits. This will let you model stopping work at 60 while claiming at 62.
Join the conversation
My sister went through this exact same thing! She was so worried but then when January came they only took like 10% each month which was WAYYYY better than losing a whole check at once. But yes you def have to CALL THEM and tell them what's happening. Don't just rely on their systems figuring it out correctly lol that's asking for trouble!! Good luck with it all!!
One more thing to consider - have you looked into whether an Adjustment to the Monthly Earnings Test might help in your situation? If your earnings were concentrated in those months when you had to cover for your coworker, and you don't expect to earn over the monthly limit in the remaining months of the year, you might qualify for full benefits in those later months. For example, if you earned $5,000 per month for 3 months (well over the monthly limit) but then earn under the monthly limit for the rest of the year, SSA might only withhold benefits for those 3 months rather than reducing benefits based on the annual total. This is a bit complex to navigate, but worth discussing when you call SSA. Many representatives aren't familiar with this provision, so you might need to specifically ask about the "monthly earnings test" or speak with a technical expert.
I had no idea this was even an option! Yes, my extra earnings were definitely concentrated in February-April when I was covering those extra shifts. I'll absolutely bring this up when I call. Thank you so much for mentioning this - it could make a huge difference for us.
Join the conversation
And make SURE your friend doesn't just apply online!!! The SSA website won't tell her about all her options!!! She needs to TALK to a representative directly and ask specifically about the "restricted application" strategy!!! Don't let them rush her off the phone!!!
Just a clarification: the "restricted application" strategy is only available to people born before January 2, 1954, and it allowed people to claim just spousal benefits while their own retirement benefit grew. Based on the ages mentioned, your friend's friend likely doesn't qualify for this specific strategy. But speaking with a representative is still good advice to understand all options.
Thank you all SO much for the helpful responses! I'll definitely tell my friend to apply for her benefits now and not worry about her husband's income affecting her checks. And I'll warn her about the potential tax implications too. It's such a relief to have clear answers - this has been causing so much unnecessary stress during an already difficult time.
You're very welcome! One more thing - have her create a my Social Security account at ssa.gov before applying. She can see her estimated benefit amount there, and it makes the application process smoother. Wishing her and her husband all the best during this challenging time.
Join the conversation
I'm not totally sure on this, but I think there's still a way to get spousal benefits while letting your own grow??? My sister-in-law did something like this just last year. You might want to ask specifically about that at your local SSA office.
With respect, this is incorrect. The restricted application strategy (claiming spousal while letting your own grow) is only available to people born before January 2, 1954. For everyone born after that date, when you file for any benefit, you are deemed to be filing for all benefits you're eligible for, and you'll receive whichever is higher. Your sister-in-law was likely born before that cutoff date, which is why she was able to use that strategy.
Update: I wanted to thank everyone for their advice. I scheduled a meeting with a financial advisor who specializes in Social Security planning for families with disabled dependents. Based on our discussion and your comments, I'm leaning toward working 2 more years past my FRA. The long-term security for my son is the deciding factor - knowing that he'll have a higher benefit available throughout his lifetime if something happens to both my wife and me. The potential tax changes would be nice, but as many of you pointed out, that's not something to bank on.
That sounds like a wise decision! Getting professional advice specific to your situation is always smart. One other thing to consider - if you're still working, you might look into an ABLE account for your son if you haven't already. It allows disabled individuals to save money (up to $16,000/year) without impacting their SSI eligibility. Could be another way to provide security.
Zainab Ahmed
this reminds me I need to update my beneficiaries on my 401k... been meaning to do that since my divorce last year
0 coins
Dylan Wright
•Yes, definitely update those beneficiaries! It's something people often forget after major life changes, but it's so important.
0 coins
Dmitry Smirnov
One thing nobody mentioned - be careful with that financial advisor! My dad's advisor tried to get him to move money around after mom died and it turned out he was just trying to generate commissions. Make sure your advisor is a fiduciary (legally obligated to act in your best interest) and not just a salesperson. Some advisors don't understand how SS benefits work at all!
0 coins
Fatima Al-Farsi
•That's a really good point. He was my husband's advisor for years, but I'll definitely ask if he's a fiduciary. I hadn't even thought about the commission angle.
0 coins