Welcome to Social Security hell. Can anyone guide this woman through the process of getting her benefits? Naomi R Richmond May 22, 2014 Whomever It Should, But Probably Doesn’t Concern Office Chair Empty Seat Filler Social Security Department STE A To: Whomever It Should, But Probably Doesn’t Concern February 16, 2014, my husband, David Richmond, of one month and two days shy of our 25th Wedding Anniversary, had a massive heart attack, and died on our bathroom floor. I followed the ambulance to the hospital. When I returned home a few hours later, I discovered that some very considerate person or persons had felt it would be a good time to kick in my front door, burglarize my home, and remove items that might sadden me by reminding me of my husband. After dealing with the initial shock of losing David, my husband, the love of my life, soul mate, partner, best friend, and then dealing with the problems associated with the burglary, I began the process of investigating my future financial situation. I contacted your office to apply for the one time lump sum death benefit. This was on February 24, 2014. I was told I would have to make a telephone appointment. I did. My telephone appointment was set for March 14, 2014 at 10:45A.M. At the appointed date and time, I was prepared for my appointment. I received the call and spoke with a gentleman (who did not give his name), and expressed my desire to apply for the surviving spouse death benefit of $255.00. He took my information and said that he would take care of the matter. The unnamed gentleman then went on to say, that it would be beneficial for me to apply for David’s social security, as it was more than what I was receiving. He explained to me that I was entitled to receive my benefit and additionally receive the difference between what I had been receiving and what David had been receiving. He then told me he would file all the necessary paperwork and that I should begin receiving the additional amount beginning in 30 to 60 days. On what would have been David and my 25th Wedding Anniversary, March 18th, 2014, David was interred with full military honors at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery in Dixon, California. It was a very moving ceremony, I cried. On the same date, the $255.00 one time lump sum death benefit was deposited into my bank account. I was impressed. It only took four days for a government agency to process my claim and to have it deposited into my account. Thirty days passed, and I had not received anything. I called your office and spoke with a woman (also, did not give her name.) She told me that I would have to wait until the 13th of May before I would receive anything. She went on to tell me that if I hadn’t begun receiving the additional amount by then, that I should call them again. The 13th of May came and went without seeing the additional funds deposited into my account. I thought I should probably give it a few more days to see if it would be deposited, before calling your office again. Today, May 22nd, 2014, I checked my bank account. There were no deposits from Social Security. I called your office, another unnamed woman answered the phone and I told her why I was calling. I gave her all my and David’s information. She asked to whom I had spoken with previously. I told her I didn’t know, as I had spoken with two people, neither of which had given me their name. She asked me to hold for a moment while she looked into the matter. Upon returning to the phone, she asked me again for my information, and then for David’s information. I again gave her the requested information. She then told me that she saw what the problem was. I hadn’t sent them a copy of the marriage certificate showing that I was indeed married to David. I replied that we had provided the document when first we had applied for Social Security Disability three years ago. This unnamed woman then informed me that my application would not be processed until I again provided the certificate. I asked her why, had I not been asked for, nor informed of the need for my marriage certificate, before my claim would be processed during either of my two previous phone calls. She had no response to my question, and only repeated that nothing would be done, and my claim wouldn’t be processed until I provided the marriage certificate. I asked her how long then, after receiving the requested document, would it take to process my claim before I started receiving the benefits owed me. She told me she had no idea. I asked was it going to take another two months. She replied again that she had no idea how long it would take. I’m afraid at this point, I became a bit more than irritated with having to deal with people, whose actions have a negative effect on the very people for which they have been hired to serve, simply by their incompetence in doing their job. I informed her that their office “sucked and was useless.” I continued on with “maybe if you all got off your (impolite word) and did your jobs”…whereupon (and I don’t blame her) she hung up on me. While this letter is no way meant as an apology for the sentiment behind my statement, I do apologize for the language that I chose to use (though I am sure that she and everyone else in that office has heard much worse.) I now find myself back where I started in February (three months ago), as far as my future financial situation is concerned. This is extremely frustrating. I am enclosing a copy of my and David’s marriage certificate. I also, (just so three months from now, some unnamed person, won’t be able to inform me that I needed to have previously submitted them) am enclosing a copy of David’s birth certificate, my birth certificate and David’s death certificate. (I probably should also enclose a copy of the deed to my home, my dog, Buddy’s chip number and license, and how many pairs of underwear I own, but I’ll take a chance on these not being necessary sometime in the future.) Please expedite my claim to the best of your limited ability. Sincerely, Naomi R Richmond Frustrated Widow
Posted on: Thu, 22 May 2014 23:21:45 +0000