The fact that dealing with Social Security can be extremely frustrating is not exactly breaking news, but many people attempt to contact Social Security for the first time every day and have no idea what they are getting into because they have no experience. If you’ve never had to deal with Social Security you might be surprised to learn that during a phone call to Social Security you could be on hold for an hour or longer, your call could drop or you could even be hung-up on. The answer is not to avoid the task, but to understand the situation and build up your patience level before contacting them.
Things have been even more difficult in 2021 and most of 2020 because Social Security offices have remained mostly closed to the public. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic most days Social Security offices were packed to capacity with customers trying to obtain service. This was not an efficient way to receive service from Social Security either, but at least you have a fighting chance. Now, for most people, the option is either to conduct Social Security business online or by phone. If you decide you want to work the phone route there are some tips available that might make the process a bit less frustrating.
- Give it time – You should prepare yourself that a call to Social Security is going to take some time so don’t try to do it when you have limited availability. You could end up on hold for the better part of a day and not even receive the service you were trying to obtain. Social Security does provide customers the option of a callback. It may take several hours, but at least you will not have to be on the phone for hours waiting.
- In office appointment – You can’t walk into a Social Security office and just obtain service. The field offices remain closed with no indication when they may open again, but you can try scheduling an appointment with a representative for in-office service if the service you need is deemed “critical.” It does not hurt to ask for an appointment, but Social Security may deny the request. If this is the case you will have to settle for either phone or online service.
