Social Security spousal benefits stuck in processing for 2 months - no backpay received

Yep thats normal! My dad waited almost 3 months for his spousal benefits to start. SSA is super backed up right now. Just keep waiting they'll get to it eventually

3 months?! That's insane. Did they at least give your dad all his backpay in one lump sum when it finally came through?

This is unfortunately becoming more common with SSA processing times. For spousal benefits, what's concerning is that you should be further along than step 2 after 9 weeks. A few things to try:1. Request a formal status update through the SSA website (not just checking the portal)2. Contact your Congressional representative's constituent services3. Ask for a callback appointment with the officeSpousal benefits usually don't take this long unless there's a complication with the application. Is your father already receiving his own retirement benefits? Sometimes that creates coordination issues. Also, make sure all requested documents were received - sometimes applications stall because SSA is waiting for something they never told you they needed.

Thank you for these suggestions! He is receiving his own retirement already (about $970/month) but was eligible for the higher spousal amount since my stepmom was a high earner. I'll try requesting a formal status update and look into contacting our Representative's office too. Never thought of that option!

OMG the EXACT same thing happened to me!!!! Applied for spousal benefits in January and didn't get ANYTHING until April!!! The SSA is a NIGHTMARE to deal with right now!!! And good luck trying to talk to an actual HUMAN BEING on the phone - I spent HOURS listening to that awful hold music only to get disconnected EVERY SINGLE TIME!!! 😡😡😡

In my experience a lot of this depends on which field office handles your claim. Some are reasonably efficient, others are TERRIBLE. My wife and I applied for benefits on the same day but through different offices based on our addresses (we were in transition between homes). Her application was processed in 3 weeks, mine took 11 weeks! Same exact situation otherwise.

I was in a similar situation trying to reach SSA about my disabled daughter's benefits. After weeks of failed call attempts, I discovered a service called Claimyr that got me through to an agent in under 15 minutes. It basically navigates the SSA phone system for you and calls you back when it reaches an agent. Saved me so much frustration! You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU and sign up at claimyr.com. Speaking to a live agent made all the difference in resolving our stalled application.

I've never heard of this service before. Do they actually work? I'm desperate enough to try anything at this point if it means getting a real person on the phone.

Yes, it really worked for me. I was skeptical too but after being disconnected 5 times trying to reach someone at SSA, I was willing to try anything. Got through to an agent who was able to see there was a flag on our account that was causing the delay.

somtimes backpay comes separate from monthly payments! dad might get reguler payment first an backpay later. thats how mine worked. you should check if he got appruved for monthly payments first

Hmm, he hasn't received any payments at all yet - no regular payment or backpay. The portal just shows it's still processing. That's why I'm so confused!

I had this happen and turned out they had the wrong bank account information. Double-check all the payment details in the MySSA portal. If that's correct, you might need to check if there are any outstanding verification requests they sent. Sometimes they mail letters asking for more info and the application just sits there until you respond.

When dealing with delayed spousal benefits, it's important to understand that the processing time can vary significantly based on several factors. In your father's case, since he's already receiving his own retirement benefits, this becomes a

This is really helpful context, thank you! I didn't realize the dual entitlement would make it more complicated. We'll definitely try calling right at 7am - that's a good tip. And I'll double check if there's any indication of missing documents on his account.

my cousin waited 4 months for her widows benefits lol. ss is just slow

Based on your responses, it sounds like your father's application may be facing a coordination issue between his own benefits and the spousal benefits. Since he's 72, also verify if they're calculating any delayed retirement credits correctly. One strategy that often works is to request what's called a \

Thank you! I had no idea about the \

My dad went through EXACTLY THIS last year!!! After two months of getting nowhere, we finally contacted our Congressman's office. Miraculously, the benefits were processed within 10 days after that. Their office has liaisons specifically for dealing with federal agencies like SSA. Don't wait any longer - political office constituent services are literally there for these situations!

I dont mean to hijack but im having a SIMILAR issue with my disabilitie benefits!!! Applied in january and the website has said \

Disability claims (SSDI/SSI) unfortunately take much longer than retirement or spousal benefits - typically 3-5 months for initial decisions, and that's if everything goes smoothly. But you should still be able to get status updates. Try the advice about calling right at opening time, and specifically ask if your claim is in \

One update to add - if your father filed for spousal benefits on your stepmother's record, make sure that she was actually entitled to benefits herself when he applied. This is a common issue that delays spousal applications. If she hadn't yet filed for her own benefits when he applied for spousal, his application might be held pending her application completion.

That's a good point to check! My stepmom has been collecting her retirement for about 3 years now, so I think we're okay on that front. It seems like it might be the dual entitlement review that's causing the holdup based on what others have said.

I'm going through something similar with my mother's spousal benefits right now - filed 7 weeks ago and still stuck in processing. After reading through all these responses, I'm definitely going to try the Congressional representative route that several people mentioned. It's frustrating because the SSA website makes it sound like these applications should be straightforward, but clearly there are a lot of behind-the-scenes complications they don't tell you about upfront. The dual entitlement review explanation makes a lot of sense for why it's taking so long. Keep us posted on what works for you - I'm sure there are others in similar situations who could benefit from knowing which approach finally gets results!

Welcome to the community! I'm dealing with a similar situation with my elderly uncle's spousal benefits application. It's been stuck for about 6 weeks now and reading through everyone's experiences here has been really eye-opening. I had no idea about the dual entitlement review process that @defef4c9b885 and @83f1d3cb8ee7 explained - that completely makes sense for why these applications take so much longer than expected. I'm definitely going to try the Congressional representative approach that @4ec3e81f774e mentioned since multiple people have had success with that route. The 7am calling strategy also seems like solid advice. It's frustrating that SSA doesn't explain these potential complications upfront, but I'm grateful for this community sharing real experiences and practical solutions. Thanks everyone for the detailed responses - they've given me a much clearer action plan to help my uncle get his benefits sorted out!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm really impressed by how helpful and detailed everyone's responses have been! I'm currently helping my grandfather with his SSA benefits and this thread has been incredibly educational. The explanation about dual entitlement reviews from @defef4c9b885 and @83f1d3cb8ee7 really clarifies why these spousal benefit applications can take so much longer than expected. The Congressional representative approach that @4ec3e81f774e mentioned seems to be the most consistently successful strategy based on multiple success stories shared here. I'm definitely going to try the 7am calling tip and look into requesting a protective filing status inquiry. It's unfortunate that SSA doesn't explain these potential complications upfront, but I'm grateful to have found such a knowledgeable and supportive community. Thanks to everyone for sharing your experiences and practical solutions!

Hi everyone! I'm new to this community but found this discussion incredibly helpful as I'm dealing with a very similar situation with my mother's spousal benefits application. She applied 8 weeks ago and we're also stuck at step 2 with no movement or communication from SSA. Reading through all the responses here has given me so much valuable insight - especially the explanations from @defef4c9b885 and @83f1d3cb8ee7 about dual entitlement reviews. I had no idea that receiving your own retirement benefits could complicate the spousal benefit process! The Congressional representative approach that @4ec3e81f774e mentioned sounds promising, and I'm definitely going to try the 7am calling strategy that several people recommended. It's frustrating that SSA doesn't explain these potential delays upfront, but I'm grateful to have found such a knowledgeable community. @d3125d870638 - please keep us updated on what works for your dad's case, as I'm sure many of us are in similar boats and could benefit from knowing which approach finally gets results!

Hi everyone! I'm new to this community but found this thread incredibly valuable as I'm currently helping my elderly aunt navigate a similar spousal benefits delay. She applied 10 weeks ago and we're also stuck in processing limbo with no clear timeline from SSA. The detailed explanations from @defef4c9b885 and @83f1d3cb8ee7 about dual entitlement reviews have been so enlightening - I had no idea that already receiving retirement benefits could create such complex coordination issues behind the scenes! The Congressional representative approach that @4ec3e81f774e and @b4139f71fb24c2462fdd6e6a11484481 mentioned sounds like our best bet at this point, especially after reading about the 10-day turnaround success story. I'm also going to try the 7am calling strategy and specifically ask about protective filing status like @defef4c9b885 suggested. It's really unfortunate that SSA doesn't explain these potential complications upfront, but I'm so grateful for this knowledgeable community sharing real experiences and actionable solutions. @d3125d870638 - I hope one of these strategies works for your dad soon, and please keep us posted on what finally breaks through the bureaucratic logjam!

Hi everyone! I'm new to this community and currently helping my grandmother with her spousal benefits application that's been stuck for about 7 weeks now. This thread has been incredibly informative - I had no idea about the complexity behind these seemingly straightforward applications! The explanations from @defef4c9b885 and @83f1d3cb8ee7 about dual entitlement reviews really clarify why these cases take so much longer than expected. My grandmother is also already receiving her own retirement benefits, so it sounds like we're likely dealing with the same coordination issues. The Congressional representative approach that @4ec3e81f774e and others have mentioned seems to be the most consistently successful strategy based on all the success stories shared here. I'm definitely going to try calling right at 7am and specifically ask about protective filing status like @defef4c9b885 suggested. It's frustrating that SSA doesn't explain these potential delays upfront, but I'm so grateful to have found such a knowledgeable and supportive community. @d3125d870638 - I hope your dad's situation gets resolved soon, and please keep us updated on which approach finally works! Your experience could really help others who are facing similar delays.

Hi everyone! I'm new to this community and currently dealing with a very similar situation with my father-in-law's spousal benefits application. He applied about 6 weeks ago and we're also stuck in processing with no clear timeline from SSA. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly enlightening - especially the detailed explanations from @defef4c9b885 and @83f1d3cb8ee7 about dual entitlement reviews. I had no idea that already receiving your own retirement benefits could create such complex coordination issues! The Congressional representative approach that @4ec3e81f774e mentioned sounds like our best option at this point, given all the success stories shared here. I'm also going to try the 7am calling strategy and specifically ask about protective filing status. It's really frustrating that SSA doesn't explain these potential complications upfront when you apply. @d3125d870638 - thank you for starting this discussion, it's been so helpful to see we're not alone in dealing with these delays. Please keep us posted on what finally works for your dad's case - I'm sure many of us would benefit from knowing which approach actually gets results!