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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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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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Melissa Lin
wait i just thought of something - doesnt this affect medicare premiums too? like if u show too much income don't they charge u more for part b or something?
Yes, that's called IRMAA (Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount). If your modified adjusted gross income from two years prior exceeds certain thresholds, you pay higher Part B and Part D premiums. So income reported in 2024 would affect your 2026 Medicare premiums if you're enrolled by then. It's another factor to consider in your calculation.
Oh wow, I hadn't considered the Medicare angle. I need to check those IRMAA thresholds too. This is getting complicated!
just wondering why worry about this at all? social security is going bankrupt anyway lol
That's a common misconception. Social Security is not going bankrupt. According to the 2023 Trustees Report, even if Congress does absolutely nothing (which is unlikely), the trust fund would be depleted in the 2030s, but ongoing payroll taxes would still fund approximately 80% of promised benefits. And Congress has always acted to shore up the program before significant cuts would take effect, as they've done several times over the program's 89-year history.
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CosmicCowboy
I HATE the windfall elimination!!!! Its so unfair to teachers!!! We work our whole lives and then get penalized for choosing a public service career?? Make it make sense!!!
The rationale behind WEP is that Social Security benefits are designed to replace a higher percentage of income for lower-wage workers. Since teachers with non-covered pensions appear to Social Security as "low-wage workers" (because their teaching earnings don't show up in SS records), WEP was created to adjust for this. I agree it feels unfair, but that's the current policy logic. There are ongoing efforts to reform it.
Just to add to my earlier comment: When you suspend benefits, you continue earning delayed retirement credits until age 70, which will permanently increase your benefit by about 8% per year. So suspending from FRA (67) to 70 could increase your benefit by around 24% for the rest of your life. Also, regarding WEP - if you have 30+ years of "substantial earnings" in Social Security-covered employment, WEP doesn't apply at all. If you have 21-29 years, the WEP reduction is lessened. Might be worth checking your earnings record to see where you stand.
Zainab Omar
•I just checked my SS statement online and I only have about 15 years of substantial earnings under Social Security. Most of my career has been teaching. So I guess the full WEP will apply to me regardless. Still, getting that 24% increase by waiting until 70 seems worthwhile.
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GamerGirl99
just wondering - does ur mom's pension come from a job where she DIDNT pay into social security at all? or did she pay into both? my mom paid into both and they still did the GPO thing to her which seemed so unfair!!!
She paid into both! She worked at a school district that had its own pension system, but she also had several side jobs over the years where she paid into Social Security. Then she worked part-time at a private company after retiring from the school district. So she definitely contributed to both systems, which is why the GPO seemed so unfair to us too!
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Miguel Ramos
who else gets confused between all these dif benefits? survivors, retirement, spousal, SSI, SSDI...my head spins! 🤯
Ava Martinez
•It's definitely confusing! Quick summary: Retirement benefits are based on your own work. Spousal benefits are based on a living spouse's record. Survivor benefits are based on a deceased spouse's record. SSDI is disability insurance based on work credits. SSI is needs-based for limited income/resources. Each has different rules!
Just to clarify some technical details about your strategy: This approach (survivor benefits first, then switching to retirement) can work very well when your own benefit at 70 exceeds your survivor benefit. A few important facts: 1. Your survivor benefit reached maximum value at your FRA (66 years, 8 months) 2. Your own retirement benefit grows until age 70 (getting 8% delayed credits per year) 3. Taking survivor benefits early at 64.5 means you're accepting a reduced amount (about 88-90% of the full survivor benefit) 4. But that reduction doesn't affect your own retirement benefit at 70 So mathematically, your strategy makes perfect sense if your own benefit at 70 is indeed higher than your survivor benefit would be at FRA, as the SSA rep confirmed.
Thank you for breaking down the math! So even though I'm taking reduced survivor benefits early, it was still the right move if my own benefit at 70 will be higher than the full survivor benefit would have been? That's a relief!
Asher Levin
My condolences for your loss. When my wife passed I was so confused about all this stuff too!! I ended up taking the survivors benefit early even though I was still working. SSA withheld almost everything because of the earnings test, but what nobody told me was that I'd get some small payments during months when I earned less (like when I took some unpaid time off). So even though I didn't get much until FRA, it wasn't zero either. Just something to consider.
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Monique Byrd
•That's helpful to know. I typically take a few weeks of unpaid leave each year to visit my kids, so I might at least get some payments during those months.
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Jackie Martinez
Based on your situation, here's what I would recommend: 1. Apply for survivor benefits now even though they'll be reduced and mostly withheld 2. Continue working until your FRA (this won't affect your future options) 3. At FRA, evaluate whether to keep the survivor benefit or switch to your own retirement benefit 4. If your own benefit would be higher with delayed credits, consider switching to your own benefit at age 70 This strategy preserves maximum flexibility. And remember - after FRA, there's no earnings test, so you can work and collect full benefits. One thing to note: you mentioned being 2.5 years from FRA, which means your FRA is likely 67. The survivor FRA might be slightly different (66 or 66.5), so double-check that specific detail when you apply.
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Monique Byrd
•Thank you so much for this clear strategy. I'll definitely apply for the survivor benefits now to keep my options open, even if most is withheld. You're right about checking my exact FRA - I need to confirm that. I really appreciate everyone's help as I navigate all this during such a difficult time.
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