US Social Security

[bobonzo]

I applied for US Social Security benefits back in September.  I followed progress on the SS website and everything seemed normal.  I got to the last step and nothing was happening.  I enquired as to further progress on the Help area and a few days later I got an email from them saying they wanted to do a phone interview.  It’s been scheduled for next month.  
 

my question is has anyone else gone through this phone interview. I assume it’s to ensure I’m actually a human and not scamming the system ? 

[lopburi3]

Can not answer question but are you in Thailand or USA?  If in Thailand did you use Manila SS office for your contacts with SS?  

[bobonzo]

I’m in Thailand and yes I used the office in PI.  The email I received was from the PI office.  

[Skipalongcassidy]

11 minutes ago, bobonzo said:

I applied for US Social Security benefits back in September.  I followed progress on the SS website and everything seemed normal.  I got to the last step and nothing was happening.  I enquired as to further progress on the Help area and a few days later I got an email from them saying they wanted to do a phone interview.  It’s been scheduled for next month.  
 

my question is has anyone else gone through this phone interview. I assume it’s to ensure I’m actually a human and not scamming the system ? 

Thanks to the number of people trying to scam the SSI system they have been scheduling these phone calls randomly especially for recently eligible retirees and also to overseas retirees.  No worries just answer your call when scheduled. 

[lopburi3]

In that case would not worry - suspect it is just part of the current processing. 

[bobonzo]

Thanks for the responses.  It’s what I suspected.  

[EVENKEEL]

For something as important as SS benefits I made appt in US for a face to face meeting.

[retarius]

It is 8 years since I went through the process, but it was very straightforward, easy and quick. Having said that they have stopped my payments twice.....last year it was three months before I noticed, and it was very difficult to have it restarted and they were extremely slow and uncommunicative. It took about a further 3 months to have the payments restarted, so I was 6 months without the payments.

I think they must have had changes, staff cuts or whatever, but what was great easy service is now very poor from the PI office, for example you used to be able to call them easily, now you can only call on a short window two mornings a week. I still don't know why they stopped the payments, despite asking repeatedly. 

[lopburi3]

1 minute ago, retarius said:

I still don't know why they stopped the payments, despite asking repeatedly. 

• Gender:Not Telling

[gamb00ler]

4 minutes ago, retarius said:

I think they must have had changes, staff cuts or whatever, but what was great easy service is now very poor from the PI office, for example you used to be able to call them easily, now you can only call on a short window two mornings a week. I still don't know why they stopped the payments, despite asking repeatedly. 

Service from FBU Manila is dreadful.  When I send an email asking more than one question I receive an answer that is somewhat relevant to the first question but not exactly what I asked.  Any other question in the email is ignored completely.

 

I turned 70 in August '23 so I applied online on May 7 for my benefits to start in September.  I got the phone call on June 2.  Then complete radio silence until the middle of December when they said they referred my application to a supervisor.  The application was approved on Dec. 27.  The benefit was determined to be about $350 less than the detailed SSA calculator showed.  I immediately emailed Manila and on Jan. 3 my benefit was corrected to match SSA's calculator.

 

My wife's entitled to SSA on her own US work record and her application is proceeding even more slowly than mine did.  Her application submitted online early July '23... and finally she has been scheduled for the phone call Jan. 16 '24.  Her application is simpler than mine.

 

I am pretty sure that Manila does nothing more complicated than checking over the applications and then forwarding them to the Baltimore office for the real work.  If I ask them anything more complicated than the status of my application, their answer is lacking in detail and accuracy.

[retarius]

2 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

For something as important as SS benefits I made appt in US for a face to face meeting.

Wise move I think. You flew to the US specially for the meeting? Do you have your benefit paid over there? I assumed, perhaps incorrectly, that if you wanted your payment made at BKK Bank here in Thailand you have to apply through PI. I'm sorry I used PI now. It avoided dealing with the time difference in the US or travelling there. 

[EVENKEEL]

3 hours ago, retarius said:

Wise move I think. You flew to the US specially for the meeting? Do you have your benefit paid over there? I assumed, perhaps incorrectly, that if you wanted your payment made at BKK Bank here in Thailand you have to apply through PI. I'm sorry I used PI now. It avoided dealing with the time difference in the US or travelling there. 

I started with deposits paid in US bank and switched to Bangkok Bank. But yeah I flew to US just to set things up for SS.

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

The phone call from Manila SBU only takes about 10 minutes or so and they just ask questions to verify that it is really you. I was also instructed to fill out and submit an application for a new SS card although I still had the card I was issued some time back in the 1960s.

 

My benefits started within a month or two and for some reason I also received about three months' backdated payments even though I did not request it.

 

This was six years go.

[bobonzo]

17 minutes ago, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

The phone call from Manila SBU only takes about 10 minutes or so and they just ask questions to verify that it is really you. I was also instructed to fill out and submit an application for a new SS card although I still had the card I was issued some time back in the 1960s.

 

My benefits started within a month or two and for some reason I also received about three months' backdated payments even though I did not request it.

 

This was six years go.

That sounds outstanding ! Thanks 

[Pib]

@bobonzo

 

If I understand your post right you applied "online" in Sep 2023 and then processing of the application seemed to standstill....move at a snail's pace.  And on your application you identified your physical/residential address as Thailand.  Then you got notice that the "Manila SSA office" wants to do a telephone interview.   

 

If above is correct this is not uncommon at all as the Baltimore SSA office which is the headquarters office "for all SSA applicants/beneficiaries residing outside the U.S." and is the office that "first" reviews each online application will routinely handoff part of the application review/processing to the SSA office which oversees the foreign country you reside in.  That office will do a review/telephone interview and the send the application back to Baltimore for final review/approval.

 

The Manila SSA office is responsible for approx 40 countries in this part of world to include Thailand.    When I say "not uncommon" I mean it happens to a lot of applicants especially if they are a Naturalized U.S. Citizen...or a non-U.S. citizen who still happens to be eligible for U.S. SSA benefits.   Heck, it can even happen to a U.S. born citizen to where they want to do a telephone interview.  

 

Now once Baltimore handoffs/relays your application to Manila (all done online) the Manila office will schedule a phone interview and notify you of the date/time they will call you.  And that interview could be almost two months down the road from when they notify you of the interview.  And that telephone interview will only last 10 to 15 minutes basically asking you to confirm the info you put on your online application.   Name, address, place of birth, date of birth, email address, phone number, spouse info (if you have)....etc....etc....etc....just all that info you already put on your online application. 

 

Near the end of the interview they will tell you the estimated amount of your pension (as they did advance work/calculation on your application before they called you) and tell you what additional docs/forms they may want you to provide.  If a Naturalized Citizen they will probably want you to send your them your "original" US passport and/or Naturalization Certificate OR a "certified" copy.  Also maybe a SS card application form even thought you already have a SS card....and maybe another form or two.

 

After the interview Manila will also immediately send you an email telling you once again what they still need from you and how to send them. If you do need to send some important doc(s) to Manila via mail like your passport I highly recommend you DO NOT send your original but instead get a certified copy from the US Embassy - Bangkok/or Chiang Mai who will provide certified copies "for free" at time of your appt with them...free certified copies  like a US Passport, Naturalization Certificate, just whatever doc the SSA Manila asked for in their email.  The US Embassy will note code the certified copies "for federal benefits application purposes"....that's also why the certifications are free.    You can also get certified free copies by using the embassy's Certified True Copy by mail method...see their weblink below.

https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/notaries-public/certified-true-copies-of-u-s-passport/

 

Once Manila receives whatever docs they asked your for they will then forward your application back to HQ Baltimore SSA (all done online) for final review/approval.  Final approval should occur within two weeks.

 

I hand-walked three dual US-Thai citizens (neighbors) thru this SSA pension application process over the last few years....latest hand-walk occurred in the last half of 2023....he got his first payment 3 Dec 2023 which was actually for two months as it included one month's worth of back-payment...got his 2nd normal amount payment on 3 Jan 2024....he's a happy camper.

 

Don't sweat your upcoming interview...it's just to verify the information you put on your application, probably ask for another form or two, etc.  Each person's SSA application is different as each person's application is different, each person has a different work history, and various other factors can come into play.  That's why on the internet you can find horror stories of regarding one some people's applications and nothing but easy-peasy stories for another applicants.  

 

Good luck...hopefully your SSA pension will approved shortly after your telephone interview and you will then officially become an "Ol' Geezer" in the eyes of the U.S. govt.   

 

[Pib]

4 hours ago, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

The phone call from Manila SBU only takes about 10 minutes or so and they just ask questions to verify that it is really you. I was also instructed to fill out and submit an application for a new SS card although I still had the card I was issued some time back in the 1960s.

 

My benefits started within a month or two and for some reason I also received about three months' backdated payments even though I did not request it.

 

This was six years go.

 

Whatever date you put on your application that you wanted your benefits to begin is the date you are paid from.  Of course it can't be benefits begin date for many, many moths ago....has to be within a window of plus or minus 3 months I think of your application submittal date.

 

Say you submit your application 1 March and on the application you said your want your benefits to begin 1 May.  But it takes say till Sep before your application is approved for whatever reason.  Once approved the SSA will issue backpay pay for May, June, July, and Aug....4 months of backpay.  And then you get paid for Sep in early Oct which gets you all paid up.    

 

 

Edited January 13 by Pib

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

8 minutes ago, Pib said:

 

Whatever date you put on your application that you wanted your benefits to begin is the date you are paid from.  Of course it can't be benefits begin date for many, many moths ago....has to be within a window of plus or minus 3 months I think of your application submittal date.

 

Say you submit your application 1 March and on the application you said your want your benefits to begin 1 May.  But it takes say till Sep before your application is approved for whatever reason.  Once approved the SSA will issue backpay pay for May, June, July, and Aug....4 months of backpay.  And then you get paid for Sep in early Oct which gets you all paid up.    

 

 

 

You're correct. I checked my SSA correspondence and 1099 form and I did not receive backdated payments. My mistake.

 

[bobonzo]

Great information.  Thanks for the effort and responses.   

[Dcheech]

I did a phone interview with the Manila office. Not a big deal ... HOWEVER

 

They deliberately dropped a scheduled phone interview.

 

Let me state that again

 

They deliberatrly missed a phone interview.  -------- They had called me ten days prior to set it up, verify the number and then on the day, never called. I waited too long and when I called back the Manila office was closed. I was the last interview that day or something.  If they do not call you give them 15 or 20 minutes and then you start calling them! Get on their Backsides! 

 

When I did get back in in touch to reschedule I was told they had a wrong phone number, so sorry  (they had the right one ten days before when they called me to schedule uhmm) If I am pissy about it. That is because when you rescheduled,  you have another three week wait until the next phone interview and what fun. That after the months of waiting after filing etc.

 

The Manila office.   Right. Don't take any guff from the swine. 

 

.. 

[lopburi3]

1 hour ago, Dcheech said:

 

 

The Manila office.   Right. Don't take any guff from the swine. 

 

.. 

Would point out that the Manila office, as all of the PI, have been a mess for the last 3 years due to Covid restrictions and expect that has had a major negative effect on the local staff providing SSA service.  One could not ever cross the street in some areas - every block had their own rules with virtually no oversight and changing every few days.  Most such rules are now gone so with a bit of luck improvement might happen (but then there is the mess back home in the US of A).