Can't apply for spousal benefits online with WEP - forced to wait months for appointment

Unfortunately, this is still an issue with WEP cases. While the SSA has expanded online applications for many benefits, certain situations like WEP and GPO (Government Pension Offset) still cause problems with the online system. The algorithms that calculate benefit amounts can't properly handle the complexity of these cases through the online portal. Your March 18th appointment is actually pretty good - I've seen people wait 3-4 months in some offices.

same thing happened to my sister last year!! she has WEP too from her county job. she tried calling SSA like 20 times and kept getting disconnected, ended up waiting like 3 months for her appointment.

While you're waiting for your appointment, gather all your documentation: marriage certificate, pension info showing WEP reduction, your husband's SSN, and proof of any name changes. Having everything ready will make the process go much smoother when you finally get your appointment. Also, if you haven't already, create a my Social Security account online to review your benefit information, which will help during your appointment. The issue is that WEP/GPO cases require manual review by a claims specialist to ensure the correct reduction is applied. The online system isn't sophisticated enough yet to handle these calculations automatically.

I heard they changed this so EVERYONE can apply online now!! My friend just did hers online last month no problem. Maybe try a different browser? I think the SSA website works better with Chrome than Firefox. Also delete your cookies before trying again.

I went through exactly what you're experiencing last year. The WEP situation complicates everything with Social Security. After waiting 6 weeks for my appointment and still getting nowhere, I discovered a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual SSA agent over the phone. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU It saved me from waiting for that appointment and I was able to start my application process right away. The agent I spoke with actually helped me understand why the online system wasn't working with my WEP situation and got everything set up properly.

wait i'm confused about something - isn't WEP only for your own benefits? i thought spousal benefits weren't affected by WEP? or am i mixing it up with GPO?

THIS IS WHY THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN!!! They keep cutting SSA staff while making the rules more complicated! I had to deal with similar garbage when applying for SSDI. The online system is a JOKE and they expect us to just wait MONTHS for appointments! Meanwhile we're supposed to live on what exactly???

One thing to try while waiting: call your local SSA office directly (not the main 800 number) first thing when they open in the morning. Explain your situation and ask if they've had any appointment cancellations. Sometimes they can fit you in much earlier if you catch them at the right time. Make sure to mention that you've already attempted to apply online but the system wouldn't allow it due to WEP.

I'm dealing with a similar WEP situation and it's incredibly frustrating! I'm a retired teacher receiving a pension, and when I tried to apply for spousal benefits online last month, I got the same error messages. What's particularly annoying is that the SSA website makes it sound like ALL spousal benefit applications can be done online now, but they don't mention anywhere that WEP cases are excluded. I ended up having to schedule an appointment for February 14th, which felt like forever to wait. One thing that helped me was contacting my congressman's office - they have caseworkers who can sometimes expedite SSA appointments for constituents. It might be worth a try if you're really in a bind financially. Good luck with your March appointment!