Social Security spousal benefits application rejected - do we appeal or call the local office?
I'm confused about what to do next with my wife's spousal benefits application. I recently started collecting my Social Security retirement benefits and since my wife doesn't have enough work credits for her own benefit, we tried to get her approved for spousal benefits on my record. Here's where it gets weird: When I first got approved, an SSA representative actually called me about getting my wife set up on my record, but she wasn't home. The rep specifically told me to apply online for her, said we would initially get rejected, but then they would set her up to collect on my work record. We followed those instructions exactly - even clearly stated in her application that she knew she didn't have enough credits but was applying for spousal benefits on my record. Well, we just got the rejection letter, but it doesn't mention anything about the next steps for spousal benefits. It only talks about an appeal process. I'm not sure if we're supposed to file an appeal now or if we should call our local SSA office to get her properly signed up for spousal benefits. Has anyone been through this process before? Any guidance would be appreciated!
18 comments
Join the conversation
Andre Rousseau
this exact thing happened to me! the rejection letter is normal. don't appeal - just call your local office and ask to schedule an appointment to apply for spousal benefits. the online system isn't set up to handle this properly.
0 coins
Carmen Ortiz
•Thank you for confirming this! I was worried we did something wrong. I'll call the local office tomorrow morning.
0 coins
Zoe Papadakis
The representative you spoke with gave you incorrect information. The proper procedure is not to apply online knowing you'll be rejected. Your wife should have been told to contact the office directly to apply for spousal benefits, as the online application system primarily processes retirement benefits based on one's own work record. Call your local office and explain the situation. Request an appointment specifically for spousal benefits application. Bring your marriage certificate, both your Social Security cards, photo IDs, and a copy of your benefit award letter to the appointment. They'll process her application correctly as a spouse claim. The rejection letter you received is simply stating she doesn't qualify for retirement benefits on her own record, which you already knew. Don't file an appeal - that would be addressing the wrong issue.
0 coins
Carmen Ortiz
•This is really helpful, thank you! We'll definitely call to set up an appointment. Do you know if there's any penalty for the delay caused by this confusion? Will her benefits be backdated to when I started receiving mine?
0 coins
Zoe Papadakis
Yes, as long as she applies within 12 months of your entitlement to retirement benefits, SSA can provide up to 6 months of retroactive spousal benefits (though never earlier than your entitlement date). Make sure to mention this when you speak with them. Bring documentation showing when you first contacted them about spousal benefits, including notes about the phone call if possible. This helps establish protective filing.
0 coins
Jamal Carter
•my sister got backpay for 4 months when this happened to her, so its def possible!
0 coins
AstroAdventurer
I work with a lot of couples navigating Social Security, and unfortunately this kind of confusion is pretty common. The online system isn't designed well for spousal-only claims. Here's what's actually happening: The rejection letter is specifically rejecting her claim for benefits based on HER OWN work record (which is expected since she doesn't have enough credits). But this doesn't automatically trigger the spousal benefit process like the rep suggested it would. You need to call the local office, but fair warning - you might be on hold forever. I've been recommending Claimyr (claimyr.com) to my clients lately. They'll get you through to a live SSA agent usually within 20 minutes instead of waiting for hours or getting disconnected. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. I used it last month when I needed to fix an issue with my wife's spousal benefits and it saved me hours of frustration.
0 coins
Carmen Ortiz
•Thank you for explaining what happened with the rejection. That service sounds really helpful - I'll check it out since I've tried calling SSA before and always end up waiting forever.
0 coins
Mei Liu
DO NOT APPEAL! That will just waste more time. The rejection letter is normal because the SSA online system first checks if she qualifies on her own record (which you know she doesn't). Callling the local office is the right move, but make sure you're speaking specifically about filing for "auxiliary benefits as a spouse" - using the right terminology helps. Also, be aware that if your wife is under her Full Retirement Age, her spousal benefit will be reduced permanently if she claims now. If she's under FRA, she'll get approximately 35% of your full benefit instead of the maximum 50%. Did the SSA rep give you their name or extension? That could help speed things up when you call.
0 coins
Carmen Ortiz
•I didn't get the rep's name or extension unfortunately. My wife is 67 now (already past her FRA), so sounds like she should get the full 50%, right? I'll definitely use the term "auxiliary benefits as a spouse" when I call - thanks for that tip!
0 coins
Liam O'Sullivan
SSA always rejects everyone the first time!!! its how they save money. they WANT you to give up. my husband and me had to apply THREE TIMES before they gave him his spousal benefits on my record. you HAVE TO BE PERSISTENT with these people or they will just keep saying no!!!! call everyday if you have too!!!
0 coins
Zoe Papadakis
•This is not accurate. SSA does not have a policy of automatic rejection to save money. What's happening here is a procedural issue specific to how spousal benefits are processed, not a deliberate attempt to deny benefits. While persistence is important when navigating government systems, your experience of needing three applications was unusual and not typical.
0 coins
Jamal Carter
dumb question maybe but are you guys actually married with license and everything? my cousin thought his girlfriend of 20 years could get his ss but they weren't legally married so she couldn't
0 coins
Carmen Ortiz
•Yes, we've been legally married for 41 years! Great point though - I know the rules are different for common law marriages depending on the state.
0 coins
Amara Chukwu
I went through this with my husband last year. The rejection is just step 1. It sounds crazy but it's actually how the process works! After the rejection, call and say you want to apply for spouse benefits. You'll need to provide: - Marriage certificate - Her birth certificate (original or certified copy) - Both SS cards - Your award letter Also make sure you mention the date when the SSA person first called you about this. That could be her "protective filing date" which means benefits might be paid from that date!
0 coins
Liam O'Sullivan
ok this makes me so MAD!!!! why does the govt make everything so COMPLICATED????!! why would they tell you to apply online if thats not even the right way to do it? and then send a scary rejection letter?? this is why people hate dealing with social security!! its like they TRY to confuse us seniors on purpose!!!!
0 coins
Jamal Carter
•ikr? my dad spent 3 months trying to get mom's spousal benefits and almost gave up. system is broken
0 coins
AstroAdventurer
Let us know how it goes after you contact them! I'm curious if they'll backdate her benefits to when you first applied. In my experience, if you specifically mention the date of that phone call as your first contact about spousal benefits, they should establish that as a protective filing date. Document everything going forward - names of representatives you speak with, dates, and what was discussed. The SSA can be a challenge to navigate, but they generally do get things right eventually.
0 coins