How to reach Social Security about survivor benefits without waiting 2+ hours on hold?

I'm sorry for your loss. Unfortunately, survivor benefits require speaking with a representative - there's no way around that part. Have you tried making an in-person appointment at your local SSA office? Their website lets you schedule those now, though wait times for appointments can be 2-3 weeks out. Another option is to call right when they open (8:00 AM local time). Wait times are typically shortest then. Also, try calling on Wednesday or Thursday - those days tend to have shorter wait times than Mondays or Fridays in my experience.

so sorry about ur husband. i had same problem last year when my mom died. try using a landline phone if u have one those dont drop calls like cell phones do

When I needed to apply for survivor benefits after my wife passed, I used a service called Claimyr that got me through to a Social Security representative in about 10 minutes instead of waiting for hours. It worked really well - saved me a ton of frustration. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The service basically waits on hold for you and then calls you when they get a real person on the line. It was especially helpful for survivor benefits since those definitely require speaking with an agent. Good luck with everything during this difficult time.

THE SSA PHONE SYSTEM IS COMPLETELY BROKEN!!! I tried calling for FOUR DAYS straight trying to fix an issue with my disability payment. Each time I was on hold 3+ hours and got disconnected TWICE after waiting all that time. They claim they're "improving service" but it just gets worse every year. I finally had to take a bus to the local office and wait in line for 2.5 hours just to talk to someone for 10 minutes. The whole system is designed to make people give up!!!!

have u tried calling from public library? they have good internet and phones sometimes u can use

I'm sorry about your husband's passing. One important detail to be aware of: you generally need to apply for survivor benefits within the first 6 months after death to get the maximum retroactive benefits. After that, you might lose out on some payments you're entitled to. When I applied for widow's benefits, I found that calling the national number (1-800-772-1213) and selecting the Spanish option, then pressing 1 to continue in English sometimes got me through faster. It's a bit of a workaround, but it worked for me twice. The representatives in that queue can help with all the same services.

Just to clarify something important: while applying sooner is better, the 6-month rule mentioned above isn't entirely accurate. For survivor benefits, you can receive up to 6 months of retroactive benefits from when you apply, but there isn't a strict 6-month deadline that causes you to permanently lose benefits. However, there is a lump-sum death payment of $255 that you should apply for promptly. And of course, the sooner you apply, the sooner your monthly benefits can begin.

My neighbor just went through this same situation after her husband died. She said she ended up calling her congressional representative's office and they helped her get an expedited appointment with Social Security. Might be worth trying if you're really stuck!

Update: I tried the Claimyr service that someone recommended above, and I actually got through to a Social Security rep this morning! Only had to wait about 15 minutes after they connected me. I've now got my survivor benefits application started. The rep was very helpful and I've got an in-person appointment next week to bring in my documents. Thank you everyone for all your suggestions and support!