Social security widows benefits.

[bclover]

Jeez louise, every time I call the SS administration the wait times are insane.
9 am wait time was 55 minutes.

Anyhoo, anyone know how I can find out my late cutie pies benefits? my game plan is to start his benefits when I hit 60 and then turn mine on at 70 (if greater)
I can't apply on line and I can't get the information on line.

Am I doomed to hold on the phone for 1 hour.

[DatumPoint5]

Doomed to the phone for 1 or more hours, and/or a visit to your local SS office. Their is no online option for that version of benefits. (Survivor/Widow) e.g. copied from SS website (A widow, widower, or surviving divorced spouse cannot apply online for survivors benefits.)

Click here for a link to where it talks about not being able to apply online (about half-way down)

Social Security Website - Surivors

[GravitySucks]

I just did this.
The phone first call was a 3 hour wait or they'll cal! You back.
I opted for the call back..
Second call was an hour wait no callback option. Second call was to schedule a third call to apply over the phone. They called me and I applied over the phone. I opted to later in the day bring my marriage license to the local office. Ended up having to mail it in later anyway.
They could not tell me my expected benefit until the actual application call..
If you're trying to just find an estimate you could guess his DR A number and use 70% of that. If he was a maximum layer you can use 70% of SS FRA max.
Pretty sure they will not make an appointment until two months before your birthday. (That's what they told me on call 1)
Things you'll need on hand may be:
Marriage certificate.
Death Certificate.
ID for you. They accepted drivers license.
Bank routing and account.
The process was simple and the processor was kind and efficient.
Best wishes....

[Walt34]

One thing to try may be to call or go into the office (if they're close) of your local congresscritter's office. They have staff whose full time jobs are to navigate the federal bureaucracy and "make things happen" such as a return phone call. This should be pretty easy for them.

It worked for us when we were dealing with the VA for FIL.

[imoldernu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walt34 One thing to try may be to call or go into the office (if they're close) of your local congresscritter's office. They have staff whose full time jobs are to navigate the federal bureaucracy and "make things happen" such as a return phone call. This should be pretty easy for them. It worked for us when we were dealing with the VA for FIL.

+1 Our SS Office is at the end of our street. No wait, nice people who are very sharp.
BTW... love the "congresscritter"...