The joys of dealing with Social Security.

[Tabonga | 2,345]

With Mrs.Tabonga's untimely passing I decided to sign up for Social Security earlier than planned (I originally was going to wait until I hit 70).

So I filled out the online application and got  phone calls from two different Social Security personnel.

One was about a death benefit* application (which I hadn't filed since I knew Mrs. Tobanga didn't have enough credits to make a claim for her).

I called the other representative and answered a whole bunch of questions - answers to which they should have had on file.  After about 20 minutes I asked about the death benefits call since I hadn't applied for them.  She said Mrs. Tabonga qualified under my credits so they automatically filed for me. 

After playing phone tag I got in touch with the second rep.  I then proceeded to answer much of the same roster of questions for another 20 minutes. I just needed to give them a copy of our marriage license for  them to proceed.  (Despite the fact that both reps referred to Mrs.Tabonga as my spouse.  Mrs.Tabonga had also changed her name with them when we got married.)  I know the marriage license is in the house somewhere - but I have no idea exactly where.

So my brother navigated the county records website and got it to spit out a copy - which I mailed in.  I got a letter back saying my claim was denied since they needed the original or a certified copy.  My brother ordered a certified copy which is arriving by snail mail.

Today I got a letter from Social Security saying that the death benefit claim was denied since Mrs. Tabonga didn't have enough credits.   Hello McFly - that is what I thought in the first place.

*A whopping $255!!!!!

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On the bright side I did receive my first Social Security deposit - shockingly miniscule after being reduced by a large (and permanent) penalty, taxes and Medicare.

 

[SilverspoonGaming | 334]

Just more stress to pile on top of you.  Stay strong, and dont rely on Soc Security.

[CMR | 522]

Sounds like it's the same bunch in charge of unemployment benefits.  Ugh.

[Tabonga | 2,345]

9 hours ago, SilverspoonGaming said:

Just more stress to pile on top of you.  Stay strong, and dont rely on Soc Security.

Fortunately I have my pension and 1/2 of Mrs. Tabonga's - so I am not really dependent on the SS - it will help a bit though to clear up expenses related to her passing.  And  I did pay into it so I may as well collect it - and the Medicare coverage is good to have.

Edited May 2, 2021 by Tabonga

[Tabonga | 2,345]

The fun never ends.  Yesterday I got a letter from the IRS saying that one of the ss#'s used on our taxes for 2020 was that of a deceased person.  Well duh!

I had filled out our taxes and mailed them in long before Mrs. Tabonga's passing.  After several pages of reading I determined that they wanted to know when the dead person died and who was claiming the refund.

Well they were somehow notified that she had died (I am assuming that whole process gets started when the county issued the death certificate) so they should have known when as part of that process.  And since we filed a joint return and I am presumably still alive it should be pretty obvious that the refund should still wing its way to me.

So I gave them the info and also included a copy of her death certificate just to be on the safe side.  

So now I guess I will twiddle my thumbs until they do whatever it is they think they need to do next.

 

Edited May 21, 2021 by Tabonga

[ThePhleo | 2,186]

@Tabonga sorry to hear this. Punches keep coming in and you certainly deserve a break.

One good thing about the IRS is they are really good people as long as you work with them.

 They usually are super understanding in these sort of things and aren’t robotic men in black like how they’re portrayed in pop culture.

 Try and see if your local office is open and see if they can expedite it.

[Tabonga | 2,345]

8 hours ago, ThePhleo said:

@Tabonga sorry to hear this. Punches keep coming in and you certainly deserve a break.

One good thing about the IRS is they are really good people as long as you work with them.

 They usually are super understanding in these sort of things and aren’t robotic men in black like how they’re portrayed in pop culture.

 Try and see if your local office is open and see if they can expedite it.

Having worked in a bureaucracy myself I know a lot of weird stuff (which may have at one time served a purpose) slips into processes and once there is hard to root out.  It would help if those running such places listened to the people that actually do the work.

Fortunately I am in no grand rush to get the refund - it just will just be going into my cash on hand reserve  fund in any event.