Social Security Protective Filing Date for my kids - how long do we have after my approval?

Your Protective Filing Date should protect your children's application for 6 months from when you initially filed in July 2024. So they should be covered until January 2025. Make sure to specifically mention your original PFD when you finally get their applications processed. The SSA representative needs to code it correctly to ensure they receive benefits retroactive to your filing date. Also, have you tried scheduling appointments online through the mySSA portal? Sometimes that works better than phone calls.

same thing happened with my grandson. we waited 4 months betwen my filing and his. ssa gave him all the back benefits to my original date. just make sure u bring it up when u finally get the appt!!

Your children are definitely covered under your protective filing date, but there are some important details to understand: 1. The protective filing date is generally valid for 6 months from the date you contacted SSA expressing intent to file. 2. Since your retirement claim has already been approved, you should immediately submit SSA-4-BK forms (Application for Child's Benefits) for each child, even before getting an interview. You can download these from SSA.gov and mail them in or drop them off at your local office. 3. Include a cover letter specifically mentioning your July 2024 protective filing date and your own claim number. 4. Even if they can't interview the children until January, having the applications physically submitted creates a paper trail protecting their filing date. 5. Make sure to bring birth certificates and your children's Social Security cards to the eventual interview. The key is getting those child benefit applications submitted in some form before the 6-month window expires.

Don't trust what anyone says online about protective filing dates! When my husband filed for retirement, we took our son in 4 months later thinking we were within the "window" and they said we missed it by ONE MONTH! They claimed the PFD was only 3 months for child benefits even though it's 6 months for spouses. We lost thousands in backpay because of this. CALL THEM and get a specific answer for YOUR situation. Each office seems to interpret the rules differently!!!!

I experienced the exact same issue trying to reach SSA for my kids' benefits last year. After wasting weeks on hold and missing calls, I found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to a real SSA agent in under 10 minutes. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU I used it to schedule specific appointment times for my children's interviews rather than waiting for random calls. The agent I spoke with was able to note in the system that we needed after-school hours for the interviews. Saved me so much frustration after weeks of playing phone tag.

my neighbor works for ssa and she says protective filing dates are good for SIX months so your fine. but you should really get those kids applications in asap just in case theres any problems

Thanks everyone for the help! I'm going to print out those SSA-4-BK forms tonight and drop them off at the local office tomorrow with a cover letter mentioning our July PFD. Then I'll try to get through on the phone to schedule proper interviews. At least I feel better knowing we haven't lost our filing date protection yet!

one more thing - dont forget you need to set up bank accounts for your kids benefits. some banks have special accounts for minors receiving ss benefits with no fees. might want to check into that before the interview

As someone who went through this exact process last year, I can confirm that protective filing dates for auxiliary benefits (like children's benefits) are valid for 6 months from your original contact with SSA. Since you filed in July 2024, you should be protected through January 2025. However, I'd strongly recommend taking action NOW rather than waiting until January. Here's what worked for me: 1. Download and complete Form SSA-4-BK (Application for Child's Benefits) for EACH child immediately 2. Include a cover letter specifically referencing your July 2024 protective filing date and your claim number 3. Drop these off in person at your local SSA office and get a receipt - this creates an official record Even though you can't get interviews until January, having the actual applications on file protects you from any potential disputes about timing. When I did this, the SSA representative told me it was the smart approach because it removes any ambiguity about intent to file. Also, try calling the national SSA number (1-800-772-1213) early in the morning (around 8 AM) - I had better luck getting through then than calling the local office directly. You should be fine, but don't leave it to chance when a simple form submission can guarantee your protection!

Just wanted to add that if you're having trouble getting through by phone, you can also try visiting your local SSA office first thing in the morning without an appointment. I know it sounds counterintuitive, but sometimes they have walk-in availability for urgent situations or can at least accept your paperwork and give you a receipt on the spot. When I was dealing with a similar situation, the field office staff were actually more helpful in person than over the phone. They could see my urgency and helped expedite things. Plus, having that face-to-face interaction meant I could ask follow-up questions immediately instead of playing phone tag. Just make sure to bring all your documentation - your approval letter, the kids' birth certificates, Social Security cards, and those completed SSA-4-BK forms. Even if they can't do the full interview that day, at least you'll have everything officially submitted and timestamped.

I went through this exact same situation with my daughter's benefits earlier this year! The 6-month protective filing window is correct, so you're definitely still covered until January 2025. But here's what I wish someone had told me - don't just rely on getting those SSA-4-BK forms submitted. When you do finally get your interview (whether in January or sooner), bring EVERYTHING with you: your original approval letter showing the July filing date, copies of any correspondence from SSA, birth certificates, Social Security cards, school enrollment records, and most importantly - write down exactly what you want to tell them about your July protective filing date before you go in. The interviewer might not automatically connect your kids' applications to your original filing date, so you need to be very clear about it. I had to interrupt the interview halfway through because I realized the representative wasn't coding it correctly. Don't assume they'll figure it out on their own - you have to advocate for yourself and your kids. Also, once everything is processed, keep checking your mySSA account regularly. There can be delays in the system updating, and sometimes you need to follow up if payments don't start when expected. Good luck!