Can I call Social Security about my 90-year-old mom's survivor benefits and GPO reduction from my firefighter dad?
I'm trying to help my 90-year-old mother with her Social Security benefits, but I'm not sure about the protocol for calling on her behalf. My father passed away about 17 years ago after working as a firefighter, and I believe my mother has been receiving survivor benefits with a Government Pension Offset (GPO) reduction applied. I'd like to verify if this is correct and possibly discuss her benefit amount, but I'm not sure if I can call Social Security myself to ask about her situation or if I need to have her with me on the call. Has anyone dealt with this before? What's the best approach for helping an elderly parent with Social Security matters when they might struggle with these conversations? Any advice would be appreciated!
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Nia Davis
You'll need to become her official representative to speak with SSA about her specific benefit details. Look into becoming her "Representative Payee" or get an "Appointment of Representative" (Form SSA-1696) completed. Without this, they won't discuss her specific benefits due to privacy laws. When you call, they'll likely ask for her SSN, DOB, and other identifying info which you can't provide without authorization. If she's with you during the call, that can work too - she can give verbal permission for you to speak on her behalf during that specific call.
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Luca Ferrari
•Thank you for explaining! I didn't realize I needed formal authorization. The form route sounds like a good long-term solution since I'm helping her with other matters too. Do you know if the form needs to be notarized or if there's a waiting period after submitting it?
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Mateo Martinez
i went thru this with my mom last year. easiest thing is just having her with you when you call. she can tell them she authorizes you to speak for her right then on the call. thats what we did. she just had to confirm her identity first with ssn and stuff. no paperwork needed that way. they'll talk to you after she gives permission.
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Luca Ferrari
•That's good to know! Having her with me for the call does seem simpler. She gets confused sometimes though, so I was hoping to handle it completely on my own. But if that's the quickest option, we'll try that first. Thanks for sharing your experience!
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QuantumQueen
The GPO question is important to verify. If your father was a firefighter who didn't pay into Social Security (common for many public safety jobs), and your mother is receiving a survivor benefit from his pension, then the GPO could significantly reduce any Social Security benefits she's entitled to from her own work record. The reduction is typically 2/3 of her government pension amount. At 90 years old, she might also qualify for additional benefits or programs she's not currently receiving. I'd recommend having her with you for the call and asking specifically about: 1. Current GPO reduction amount 2. Whether she's receiving the maximum survivor benefit 3. Any additional benefits available at her age 4. Medicare Savings Programs if she's on a limited income
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Aisha Rahman
•This! My mom was missing out on extra help with Medicare costs for YEARS because nobody at Social Security ever mentioned she qualified. Definitely ask about Medicare Savings Programs and Extra Help for prescriptions!
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Ethan Wilson
GOOD LUCK getting anyone on the phone!!! I tried calling for THREE WEEKS for my own benefits question. Either busy signal or 3+ hour wait times and then disconnected!!! The system is BROKEN!!!
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Yuki Sato
•I had the same frustrating experience trying to help my father with his benefits. After getting disconnected multiple times, I discovered a service called Claimyr that helped me reach an agent quickly. You can check them out at claimyr.com - they have a video explaining how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. Saved me hours of waiting and got my dad's benefit issue resolved in one call. Much less stressful for both of us, especially since he gets anxious about these matters.
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Carmen Flores
my wife handles all our ss stuff and she just puts phone on speaker when calling so i can hear but she does talking. they always ask bunch of security questions at start to verify identity. maybe easiest if your mom is with you but you do most talking?
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QuantumQueen
•This is correct. Social Security requires the beneficiary to verify their identity before allowing another person to speak for them during the call. They'll typically ask for: - Full name - Date of birth - Social Security Number - Current address - Sometimes banking info for direct deposit verification After verification, your mother can state that she authorizes you to speak on her behalf for that specific call. For longer-term authorization, Form SSA-1696 or becoming a Representative Payee would be necessary.
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Aisha Rahman
I dont mean to hijack but my own mother has similar situation her husband (my stepdad) was police officer who died in 2022 and she got reduced SS because of some pension thing. Is this the same GPO thing you guys talking about? She said they took away almost all her SS when she started getting his pension
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Nia Davis
•Yes, that sounds exactly like the Government Pension Offset (GPO). It reduces Social Security spousal or survivor benefits by approximately 2/3 of the pension amount received from employment not covered by Social Security (like many police and firefighter positions). There's also the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) which is similar but affects your own Social Security benefits rather than spousal/survivor benefits. These provisions are controversial but were designed to prevent "double-dipping" from both government pensions and Social Security.
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Luca Ferrari
Thank you all for the helpful responses! I'm going to try calling with my mother present first so she can give verbal authorization. Then I'll look into the Form SSA-1696 for longer-term help. I'll specifically ask about the GPO reduction, maximum survivor benefits, and those Medicare assistance programs mentioned. Really appreciate all the advice!
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QuantumQueen
•That sounds like a good plan. One more suggestion - when you call, ask them to make a note in her file that you assist her with these matters. While it's not formal authorization, sometimes having this note can streamline future interactions. Also, consider requesting a Benefits Verification Letter during the call - it will show her current benefit amounts and any reductions being applied, which gives you a good baseline for understanding her situation.
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