Re: Social Security in the current climate
 

Seems that now at least you do, if "verfication" refers to the ID checks done by ID.me, for example. OH saw his records as late as last year with just a regular sign-in (ssn, user name, password). But now he has to set up a new account access using one of the two mentioned.

If "verification" refers to some further step when you want to start drawing, then I have no idea.

Re: Social Security in the current climate
 

5 years is utterly ridiculous. The time frame will be longer than a few months but much closer to the DOGE estimate than the SS estimate. That’s what wrong with the government, slow and inefficient is accepted as normal and not challenged. It is not at all unusual these days to create code from AI that humans then optimize and enhance. Saves cost and money, nothing wrong with that. It’s called progress and it works. The quality of the testing is paramount and that applies whether it’s code written from scratch or by AI.

DOGE are highlighting issues that need addressed and fast. We may not agree on all the issues or the solutions, but there is enough common ground that we could resolve a lot if we would just sit down and agree that there are some real obvious problems out there and get on with crafting solutions rather than continually firing shots at the other side. Seems we would rather fail as a country than let the other side have success.

Re: Social Security in the current climate
 

Sadly, Musk and Trump have no interest in sitting down with anyone much, other than a handful of billionaires. Equally sadly, Musk isn't crafting a solution to anything, he is charging about and breaking things on largely ideological grounds, at huge cost. It isn't at all clear that he had "highlighted issues" - a huge number of their claims have been debunked or shown to be simply false. What he and Trump call "waste" others call education, national parks, health care, human rights, etc.

Updating software may be a good idea and I expect that falls into an area he knows something about, but there is no benefit to creating chaos while you do it. Nor do I have any confidence that his motives are for the good of the country and all its citizens, or even benign. He has form, and that's not about "sides".

Re: Social Security in the current climate
 

What I would say is absolutely critical is that she sets up the login.gov and/or id.me accounts, which are a pre-requisite now to even just logging in to Social Security (SSA.gov) to check your statement. id.me seems to be more useful than login.gov but I would get both set up 'just in case'. The process is very involved (includes a video call, where you have to show your passport, etc) so best to do it while you are in country / in time-zone.

When you actually claim is another question, based on the various factors mentioned in this thread.

I have yet to determine how much effort / hassle is involved after the initial claim is made (the 'steps 2 and 3' referred to above). I've submitted my application now, and I'll report back on how that part goes.

This is what I see as the process:
1) get yourself an id.me and/or login.gov account (hard!)
2) submit the online application (piece of cake)
3) deal with the post-application questions (potentially troublesome, based on the reports of others).

You have to go through a one-time, complex verification process to get the id.me or login.gov account, which is a pre-req for logging in and viewing your SS statement. Once you have the id.me or login.gov account, logging in to ssa.gov is easy. BUT - if you set up your SSA.gov account a long time ago, before id.me or login.gov was introduced, you will be forced to go through the ide.me or login.gov setup process first.

Re: Social Security in the current climate
 

Both Mrs CKUSA and myself have the login.gov accounts (annoyingly my SSA un/pw doesn't work, but my US government PIV card works - something I need to sort out before I leave a loose my PIV card!)

Re: Social Security in the current climate
 

When you say your 'SSA un/pw doesn't work' - are you talking about using the third login option below - "sign in with Social Security Username"? For me, when I tried that years ago, I was forced to create the login.gov or id.me login. It does say 'For accounts created before September 18, 2021', but it didn't let me use my old SSA username/pwd that I created a very long time ago (10+ years, I believe).

And since you say you have a login.gov account, does that not work for you?

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...750a207946.png

Re: Social Security in the current climate
 

I intend to apply for SS benefits from the UK via the US Embassy on my retirement date of 24 August 2025. Can anyone advise in the current climate if I'm better to start the application now in the US or wait and do it via the US Embassy in the UK?
I'm leaving the US shortly and plan on retiring in the UK and surrendering my green card
Thank you
Jenny

Re: Social Security in the current climate
 

From what I've just been reading (and posted above) you can apply up to 4 months ahead of the 'desired start date'. So if your retirement date is 24 August 2025, then your application can be made as early as April 24 2025. Where will you be on that date? I have no idea how easy/hard it will be doing it via the US embassy. Do you live in/near London? But from what I just experienced (and posted above), the application itself is a 30 minute easy-peasy process and can be done from anywhere with one arm tied behind your back (assuming you have your login.gov or id.me account setup). The challenge may come after that date, once they start reviewing your application. This is the 'step 2 and 3' bit mentioned above. And that doesn't even start until after the application, so not until May, June, July ...

Do you need to 'surrender' the Green Card right away? Is there any benefit in doing so? Having the Green Card may make it easier to deal with the US Embassy? (I have no idea if that's the case).

Re: Social Security in the current climate
 

The US embassy was so slow that I ended up applying online which was easy to do, but once accepted the status moved to stage 2 of being reviewed by an agent in London where it stuck for many months so I would definitely recommend applying before leaving the USA as that is one step less. Once finally being reviewed by an agent in London my application went back to the USA anyway for final review. My wife’s application followed a similar process back in 2021 of first being reviewed by London then back to the USA. Even without WEP I would guess that for a person living in the UK then the FBU in London is still going to review the application for authentication.

Re: Social Security in the current climate
 

My OH is in a similar position to you, so if you don't mind it would be great to hear from you how the process goes with the embassy.

He is/was (we have movec to the UK) a US permanent resident. We will be attempting to set up his ID.me account this coming week (he had the old username/pword system) from here. I can report back on how that goes.

He would like to start his benefits in Feb of 2026 but really not sure yet what is required to do that from the UK - will everybody not in the US need to go thrugh the US embassy, and is it instead of or as well as applying online now?

Not at all sure how much time to allow, either. I believe there was always lagtime, but is there now more? Musk has now started rumours of firing staff who handle social security, so I am envisioning the agency being short staffed and under strain but no idea how to estimate the effect of that on timelines. I know that if they are late they will eventually give you any missed back payments, but that's not much consolation when you need the money to live off.

It also seems that if you are already of retirement age when you apply, you can apply to delay your benefits until a specific date, buffering the delay, but also not sure how that works in terms of ultimately getting the same level of benefits you would get if you applied later.

Re: Social Security in the current climate
 

Ah, this may have answered one of my questions - you can apply to receive benefits online even if you are in the UK? And/or might the embassy route be quicker in terms of not getting stuck?

Do you mind sharing how long it all took? Just wondering if OH should start the process now if he wants to collect in Feb 26, and also whether it will be even longer since he is not a citizen.

Re: Social Security in the current climate
 

When you applied, I assume it asked you the month and year you wanted to start? If so, was there any time limit on that, eg no more than 4 months from the day you applied? Wondering if OH can start the process now and put a date as late as Feb 26 to start.

Re: Social Security in the current climate
 

I applied through the FBU in London on September 15th to start in February on my 70th birthday. This is an email type application through the FBU website. Nothing except an automated response for weeks including no response to any follow up messages and it is near impossible to phone them, as they have no phone queue just simply all our agents are busy and the line drops. I tried 45 times over a 2 hour period one morning.

I then made the application online from my SS account and it was a comprehensive process including being able to enter my UK address, phone number and UK bank details. After it had been forwarded to London and eventually back again then in March I called the SSA in Baltimore and was on hold for over 3 hours but then talked with a very knowledgeable lady who couldn’t understand why my application was not progressing and flagged it for progress. 4 days later it was approved and I received February’s payment in March and expect my nest payment in a few days.

Re: Social Security in the current climate
 

Thank you. What month did you give up on the embassy route and apply online?

And you were then able to select a start date greater than 4 months out?

Also, do you happen to remember if proof of UK address or birth ceryificate was required for either id.me (pretty sure not) or to apply? Just trying to assemble everything. Sorry about all the questions. OH has a panic/ptsd disorder and "officialdom" is a huge trigger so I'm trying to get everything clear anead of time and avoid surprises, and real experiences are more reliable than online info.

Re: Social Security in the current climate
 

I applied online after 2 months trying to get a response from the FBU then after another 3 months from the accepted online application I called SSA in Baltimore. I started the application 4 months out, and eventually after the phone call to SSA had it fully approved after 5 months.

When my wife applied for her SS in 2021 she had to send in copies of her US passport and Naturalization certificate so I took the opportunity at that point to send mine in as well so when I applied no additional documentation was needed. I believe the FBU in London has access to birth records in the UK so we were never asked to provide proof of birth, they will have recorded our DOBs along with our passports etc at that point.