Can't reach Social Security Administration? Claimyr connects you to a live SSA agent in minutes.
Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.
Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the SSA
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- Give you free callbacks if the SSA drops your call
If I could give 10 stars I would
If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
Really made a difference
Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
Worth not wasting your time calling for hours.
Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.
An incredibly helpful service
An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.
Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
IT WORKS!! Not a scam!
I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
Ask the community...
- DO post questions about your issues.
- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
Join the conversation
Join the conversation
Wait so your own benefit is higher than your husbands? In my case my husbands benefit was way higher than mine would ever be so I just took his. But if yours is higher then yeah do what everyone is saying.
Good point about benefit amounts. If the survivor benefit is higher than her own retirement benefit would be at FRA, then she should just take the survivor benefit permanently. But since she mentioned her own benefit would be higher (after 38 years as a nurse), the strategy of taking survivor benefits temporarily and then switching makes perfect sense.
Thanks everyone for the helpful advice! I'm going to try making an appointment at my local office instead of dealing with the phone system. I'll be very clear that I ONLY want survivor benefits for now. I'll also bring printouts of the SSA rules about this to the appointment, just in case. It's so frustrating that even the SSA employees seem confused about their own policies sometimes. I just want to make sure I'm not leaving money on the table while I wait for my FRA in a few months.
That's a smart approach. One more tip: when you go to your appointment, ask specifically for someone who specializes in survivor benefits. And if you sense the person helping you seems unsure, politely ask to speak with a technical expert or supervisor. Good luck!
Join the conversation
my cousin said something about a 60 day window after applying where u can withdraw ur application if u change ur mind about taking early benefits. might be worth asking about that too in case she decides to wait for full amount later
That's interesting and could be really helpful information. I'll add it to the list of things for her to ask about. Thanks!
Another thing she should consider is that survivor benefits taken early are reduced differently than regular retirement benefits. The reduction for survivor benefits at age 62 is about 28.5%, while regular retirement at 62 would be reduced by about 30%. The exact percentage depends on her specific FRA. The SSA representative should be able to calculate the exact amount during her appointment.
I didn't realize there was a difference in how they calculate the reductions. Thanks for pointing that out!
Join the conversation
Make sure to ask about the Lump Sum Death Payment too! If you were living with your second husband when he passed, you might qualify for the $255 payment even if you don't qualify for monthly survivor benefits. It's not much but every bit helps. Also, something I learned the hard way - bring proof of ALL your marriages and divorces to your appointment. They wanted my marriage certificate from 30 years ago! I had to reschedule and hunt through old boxes. Have birth certificates, social security cards, death certificates, marriage/divorce papers all ready to go so you don't have to do multiple appointments.
That's really helpful! I wouldn't have thought to bring ALL that documentation. I'll start gathering everything now. And thank you for the tip about the lump sum payment - I hadn't heard about that and you're right, every bit does help in my situation.
when u go on SS at 60 u get 71.5% of what youd get at full retirement age. make sure u can live on that amount. my sister thought shed get full amount and was shocked how much less it was taking early.
Thank you for this warning. I didn't realize the reduction was that significant! I'll definitely ask for the exact amount during my appointment. Even a reduced amount will help my situation, but I need to know the number for planning.
Join the conversation
i dont understand why SSA dosent just SAY whats changed? like tell us exactly what the diffrence is now vs before. im affected by WEP not GPO but its all so confusing!!!!
They haven't changed the actual GPO formula or rules - that would require Congress. What they're clarifying is that application timing still matters for GPO-affected individuals. The optimum filing strategies for someone affected by GPO/WEP can be complex and case-specific, which is probably why they're being cautious about making broad statements. But you're right - clearer communication would be helpful.
Just an update - I called SSA this morning (was on hold for almost 2 hours!) and the agent confirmed they're seeing many GPO-affected people filing now. He said they're processing these applications faster than normal because of the increased volume. He also mentioned something about "protective filing dates" being important, though I didn't fully understand what that meant.
A "protective filing date" basically secures your filing date even if your application isn't complete. This can be important because benefits are calculated based on when you apply. By establishing this date, you protect potential benefits while gathering additional documentation or information they might need. It's good they mentioned this - shows they're taking the timing factor seriously for GPO cases.
Miguel Castro
i think u need his w2s too maybe? or at least thats what my aunt needed when she did this
0 coins
Connor Byrne
•No, she won't need his W-2s. The SSA already has his complete earnings record in their system. They just need enough identifying information to locate his record (SSN, date of birth, etc.) and proof of the marriage/death.
0 coins
StarSurfer
Thank you all for your help! I called SSA this morning but couldn't get through after waiting an hour. Will try that Claimyr service tomorrow. I found all our documents including his social security card. I had no idea I might be missing out on hundreds of dollars each month for the past 2 years. Really appreciate everyone's advice!
0 coins
Ava Martinez
•Come back and let us know how it goes! I'm hoping you'll see a significant increase in your monthly benefit.
0 coins