Social Security madness

[Easterncedar]

What a difference a week makes.

Last week I had a great conversation with someone at Social Security to finalize my application for benefits, according to an appointment for a phone call I had been given at my in-person visit to the local office. She was helpful and positive and went through all my details of employment history, including that I was applying under the new (Biden-era) end of the windfall elimination provision. Hurray, I was eligible.

Amazingly, my retroactive payment was credited to my account this week.

Then I got the paper confirmation, and there’s an error in it that makes the whole application invalid, maybe even appearing fraudulent. It specifies that I state I have no other pension income, which I do, which is why I had not applied for SS before the WEP repeal. The agent I spoke to understood that.

So I go to the SS page to check my account information. I can’t access the account using my new password because it says it’s only accepting logins created after 2021?

So I am going to sequester all payments until I can clear this up of course, and be very grateful I can do that.

What does this mean for everyone else?

[Dennis Donovan]

1. I can only offer the fact that I was able to log into my ssa.gov this am w/o a problem-everything was normal

I'm on Social Security disability, FWIW.

Good luck!

[Easterncedar]

2. Glad to hear it

Last edited Mon May 12, 2025, 12:23 PM - Edit history (1)

I really don’t want the goons to destroy Social Security, but the commercials on a government phone line are deeply disturbing. No grift opportunity unexploited.

Update: I mixed up the 800 and 866 numbers. The real number was no help, but it didn’t have the commercials.

[Squaredeal]

3. You probably dialed the wrong number.

A lot of commercial sites that sell things related to the governmental program you want to reach often have similar numbers to the programs that are off by one digit , with the expectation that some unsuspecting callers will dial it and won’t realize otherwise.

[Easterncedar]

6. O hah thank you. You are right.

I was over-prepared for disaster and should have checked before getting outraged. They gave me two numbers, one 866 and one 800. My mix up. I still need to figure out how to fix the error as my new login is still not being accepted. I may have to go back to the office.

I am fortunate in living close to one.

[Easterncedar]

7. Called the correct number just now

No commercial, just a recorded litany of delays in processing due to staff reductions. (Disability applications are taking 210 days or more, is that new?) No way to access helpful information. Every option offered sends me back to the first recording.

[senseandsensibility]

10. Is there an option to say anything?

Sometimes I say "agent" and that leads me to a waiting list with an option for a call back. Can take up to two hours or even longer to get the call back, but I've done that a couple of times.

[Easterncedar]

11. Thanks. Something to try

I do think going back to the office will be next

[Easterncedar]

16. Thanks again for setting me straight

Update below. Things are ok, although the idea that one line on an online form can’t be fixed more than 3 months after the law took effect seems absurd to me. I remain suspicious generally - that seems safest!

[enough]

4. Kafka is in the house. This is appalling and ominous.

Please keep us posted on your situation. Might be worth communicating with your Congressperson.

[Easterncedar]

8. Might be interesting to see what Dino Golden's response might be

He’s thinking of running for Governor, because ambition is his only purpose.

[Easterncedar]

15. Less ominous than my panicked brain assumed

Sorry for my mistakes. I did dial a wrong number, and the situation had been generally resolved as far as it can be. The actual staff I have spoken to on the phone (by appointment made a month before) and in the office have been helpful.

Thanks for caring!

[marybourg]

5. You were using either login.gov or Id.me?

[Easterncedar]

14. Thanks! I did go to the login.gov afterwards

See update below. All is ok, I guess. I wish the form didn’t include “my” statement that I am not getting and will not get a state pension. There’s no way to correct it or register that I tried to.

[EmmaLee E]

9. Oh, no!

I have been having trouble with the SSA login for awhile now (Al's login info sent in the mail twice), but since we are receiving benefits, I hadn't been too concerned.

I have read that once you do get to your account information - download any documents that you have to substantiate your work history, etc. You never know if everything will be deleted from their systems.

I'm so sorry this is happening to you. I hope it's remedied - a slight headache instead of a gut-punch.

[Easterncedar]

12. More a headache, thanks

I am less worried for myself than seeing as a sign that the dysfunction is setting in for folks who need it.

[Easterncedar]

13. Update

Having successfully logged into SS admin through the general gov site, I found I was unable to access any useful page, so I went into the office this morning.

It’s good news, I guess. I was assured by the very helpful person that the letter I received misstating my application information was just from a form they had been unable to update after the law changed in January. That seems silly, given all those great tech brains, but hey, ok. I didn’t have a long wait at the office and she did her best to convince me I have no reason to worry.

When I mentioned news about clawbacks hitting folks hard lately, she said it was all lies and that I shouldn’t believe what I read.

She also said that of course there was no way to actually interact with the SSA on the site, that it’s only for general information and the few basic functions. You have to come in. I am just lucky I have a federal office building close to me, although it’s one that’s up for sale.

Thanks to all who chimed in to help. The bottom line for now is that Biden’s repeal of the WEP is holding.