Seniors
Related: About this forumProblem with SS
I've been retired for a year, now. Got out of the workforce a couple of years early, since I could no longer make the sacrifices demanded of me by my employer. It seemed pointless after my wife of 33 years died in 2010.
In preparing for retirement, I inquired at our local Social Security office about survivor's benefits, and was informed that I'd receive them when I retired. At that time, I was not aware that many of the staffers at our office had no idea what they were doing, or had malicious senses of humor. Now I know.
So, I eventually filed for retirement online, and kissed my job goodbye. Payments started arriving, and life was good. Four months later, SS sent me a dunning letter, demanding repayment of survivor's benefits. It seems that one cannot receive BOTH Social Security and survivor's benefits. Nobody told ME. So, I hied me off to our office to see what I should do. After waiting about three hours (The place is always SRO), I got to go to a counter and explain things. There I received the helpful advice that I could just keep the money. That struck me as rather a bad idea. Another clerk told me that the PTB would hound me to the gates of Hell and beyond if I didn't repay it. That sounded more like the typical government procedure, so I decided to repay it. I mailed off the check in October of 2011, clipped tom the necessary paperwork. The department sent me several more threatening letters. By December, they still claimed to have never received the check. Many telephone calls later (With incredible on-hold periods), they still refused to acknowledge receipt of payment, although they sent me a photocopy of the paperwork that I had paperclipped to the check. More trips to our local office, with multi-hour waits. Nobody knew anything. Finally, a bright spark suggested that I put a stop-pay on the check, write them another one there in the office, and they would see that it got to the responsible parties. This sounded wise, and it was done. All was good, and peace finally descended upon my life. In April, they sent me a refund check for the amount that I had payed: some $3500. This was a good thing, for the money was desperately needed. Shortly thereafter, they sent me another dunning letter, demanding repayment.
I started doing some research in my bank account. They had cashed the the second check within days of my writing it. The day after that, they tried to cash the first, blocked, check... that they had continuously denied receiving. Months later, they sent me the refund, then demanded repayment. I have given all this info to my lawyer. My Congressman Ron Barber is investigating, and I am mightily pissed.
Any suggestions on action?
elleng
(136,043 posts)but sounds like something's amiss. Maybe to do with Survivor's benefits you were previously entitled to?
I retired around 2007, and started receiving SocSec. (Small amount as most of my working years had been as Fed. Govt. employee under CSRS, so didn't pay into SocSec.) Also received Fed Govt. pension.
Husband, also a Federal govt employee, passed May 15, 2013, I applied for Soc Sec Survivor's benefit about a month ago, and received it immediately.
I suggest you check with your attorney, find out to what extent s/he understands SocSec.
Good luck.
receive one or the other but not both. It would sure make my life easier if I could get both because its impossible to live on just one.
elleng
(136,043 posts)even ask. I was very ill, still am, but I decided now I'm going to ask. I tried to call them on day last week but they closed like
at 3 that day so I will call this week to see what they say. I had been talking to this one woman over the last year, she had given me her ext number, but she retired
so now it's just dealing with whoever answers. I'll let you know if I find out anything!
elleng
(136,043 posts)As I understand it, they make records of conversations etc they have with us, so what woman and you discussed should be available to whomever answers.
But don't call today! Mondays worst day of the week to initiate stuff with most offices/businesses, cause everyone comes off the weekend and says, Oh, I think I'll do it NOW!
Suich
(10,642 posts)If you've already gotten a lawyer and communicated with Congressman Barber, I can't think of anything else you can do.
Good luck...I hope things get straightened out sooner than later!
No Vested Interest
(5,196 posts)Document your visits to SS office, and persons you spoke with, if you have names. If you don't have names, it's always good to get a business card of any SS employee you deal with.
Then ask be assigned to one individual who will deal with your problem case until all is settled. this should be able to be done via USPS. In fact, it may be better, because it will give your SS person time to research and consult whomever necessary to get a final resolution.
Let them know you want/need a final resolution to this case.
Good luck.
ChazInAz
(2,778 posts)Somewhere along the line, the amount owed has magically doubled from $3500 to $7000....far more than I ever received and a hell of a lot more than I have available. It's pretty obvious that somewhere in the main Chicago office there are a couple of departments that aren't talking to one another. I hope that's the case. The improbable idea of there being a thief in the office is rather scary.
scary! Sounds like they don't know what they are doing and it hurts you because of stupidity. I hope you get a good lawyer.