Good advice for people concerned about Social Security and their online account

[senseandsensibility]

Peter Morley is a Patient Advocate with 159 K followers on Bluesky who says:
"I have been hearing from people that they have been having issues with their Social Security accounts. INSTEAD of going to a branch which may be hundreds or 1K + of miles away from you, call your members of Congress. They have constituent services that will help you regain access. Please share!"

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Good idea! nt

[LiberalArkie]

2. I am sure that Tom Cotton or the others will be more than happy to help here in Arkanstan.

[senseandsensibility]

3. He said in one of his other posts that reps

are required by law to help constituents with this.

[SCantiGOP]

11. All Congressional staffs will assist

My Rep has a large button on his homepage to take you directly to someone in his office to help with SS or Medicare/medicaid.
And that is from Joe “you lie!” Wilson.

[druidity33]

18. Yeah but...

something happened to him. He seems to be speaking rare but occasional sense.

[SCantiGOP]

21. I would agree

Perhaps he hasn’t moved, but with the narrative becoming so insanely MAGA, he appears more reasonable?
Even Lindsey hit back at Trump on Ukraine. We need a critical mass (of R’s) to develop to step forward and declare that Trump is dangerously misguided.

[newdeal2]

22. I would never count on Lindsey in any fight that matters

His spine is made of jello.

[SCantiGOP]

24. How do you know?

They buried his spine (and his conscience) with John McCain.

[ShazzieB]

31. And John McCain thrashes convulsively in his grave almost every time Lindsey opens his mouth.

Graham's recent comment on Ukraine being a rare exception!

[BoRaGard]

4. k and r

[COL Mustard]

5. Excellent advice!

Keep those cards and letters going to your members. Most of us have three to call--do it and do it regularly. Make them know who you are. After all, they work for us.

[Clouds Passing]

6. Thank you for posting this valuable information, senseandsensibility

[Bernardo de La Paz]

7. Excellent. Another form of mass action. Call if you have the slightest question or blockage. . . nt

[murielm99]

8. This worked for me,

even though I have a repubbie congressman. One of his aides worked hard to straighten things out for me.

[marybourg]

9. Me too.

[senseandsensibility]

10. Wow

That is really good to hear.

[wordstroken]

12. Yes! Dr. Ed Weir says that, too. He's former head of one of the largest Social Security offices in the country.

He’s another advocate. Has a YouTube channel with daily updates, separating misinformation from actual day-to-day facts — and lots of talking folks off the ledge. Including me.

I’ll check out Peter Morley on Bluesky as well. Thanks, senseandsensibility.

[senseandsensibility]

13. Good to know!

It makes me feel much better knowing that there are resources out there for people who are struggling with this issue.

[wordstroken]

14. Just checked out Peter Morley on Bluesky. Knowledgeable and on top of things. Very Impressive!! Now following him.

Thanks again!

[New Breed Leader]

27. His blue sky link please? I cannot find him.

nm

[wordstroken]

28. Just go to your BlueSky app and search for Peter Morley.

When I did it, two options came up. It looks to me like they’re both him with different handles. I tapped the first one and the photo looked like him. I tapped “Follow,” and sure enough, it was him.

He has lots of great info. Good luck.

[MontanaMama]

29. His handle is

@petermorley.bsky.social

[BidenRocks]

15. I'm from the government and I'm here to help!

Screw Reagan!

[calimary]

16. Thanks for sharing some good advice.

The more our reps hear about these problems, the more they’ll be motivated to do something about it.

[LittleGirl]

17. I created an account several years ago

and reactivated it last summer when I signed up for SS and Medicare. Turned 65 in October. I just logged in today to get my tax form to process our taxes this year. It worked fine.

[More_Cowbell]

33. You're lucky!

I'm 7 months younger than you (I'll turn 65 in May) and my retirement age is 67. People born in 1959 were the last ones to have 65 as their full retirement age.

[LittleGirl]

34. Not according to what comes monthly for me.

for some reason, I thought that was true too but it's not. I am taking the hit for taking the money at 65 rather than waiting until 66 and 10 months. F* that. It's my money. I'll take it right now. I was promised age 65 and Reagan and Newt (asshole) took it away from me. But I need the money now. I'm not going to wait and they can't make me.

Sorry, I'm trying not to think about them stealing my social security. I've been paying into that since 1976. I want my money. I'm pissed that I still have to pay over 200 a month for healthcare (Medicare) even though I've been paying that just as long. When will I finally be able to get FREE healthcare?

[More_Cowbell]

37. Oh no! Sorry

I'm wondering if I should sign up for it early, too.

[LittleGirl]

38. It's your money

Take it while you’re alive!

[Tickle]

19. I've had zero issues with SS

I'm not worried and neither should anyone who's retired and collecting. My life is too short and valuable for me to worry about something that hasn't happened.
I've lived through Banks eating each other. Merging millions of people together into one database along with new technology and never a loss to the end user.
I'm an old system engineer and I have no fear of musk and gang.

[DownriverDem]

20. Our story

A few years ago, when My husband signed up for SS he couldn't get an account, because they couldn't verify him. He even did a telephone conference and the guy couldn't do it either. He gets his money every month though right on time. I have not tried to go on my account since trump took office. I don't want them to track me. I have two Dem Senators and will call them when we need to. Maybe we won't have to with musk leaving and trump changing his mind all the time. Those already getting it should not have to do this.

[Attilatheblond]

23. My congress rat is a GOP suck up with no spine

Can I call rep from a DEM district?

[Happy Hoosier]

25. My Congress Critter is Victoria Spartz.... Yeah...

She makes one of my previous Reps, Mike Pence, look positively quaint.

[Jilly_in_VA]

26. My congresscritter is a jellyfish

I send him periodic reminders that he is employed by WE THE PEOPLE. Not that he cares, but it's good to remind him anyway. I'm waiting to see if my check arrives when it's supposed to, If it doesn't, I will be at his office in Harrisonburg demanding reasons.

[reACTIONary]

30. Good advice, and it works for...

... Medicare also.

I've had a few issues with Medicare and with SS. In one case I called my congress critter, and the issue was cleared up quickly. Quick relative to the speed of bureaucracy. In the other case I told the representative that maybe I would have to do that, and the threat seemed to help move the resolution along faster.

As a bonus it also let's congress know that the system need protection from being DOGEd.

[OldBaldy1701E]

32. I might add one thing.

They will do something IF you are already on Social Security. if you are trying to get on Social Security, good luck getting much out of them.

My rep was unable to do anything. At least they emailed me the response they got from S.S., which basically said you are not poor enough. Being disabled meant nothing to them.

So, yeah. Good freaking luck.

[slightlv]

35. I just finished logging in on SSA.gov

Somewhere between new computers and moving various other, older ones around the house, I lost my original login.gov login info. I just re-created a new login.gov application. Was too afraid that the ID.me would ask for my pictured driver's license... I don't want to give them that.

Once I had created a new account, I was asked to choose a verification. They make you select two types of authentication. I selected text message and "backup of 10 codes". Then I saved that "backup of 10 codes" down to my desktop.

I then had to re-authenticate through text message.

Went on into my account and downloaded a PDF of my benefit letter. Figured it sure wouldn't hurt to have on hand where I could get to it easily, in cases they corrupt the databases.

When they ask how you want to authenticate, I believe one of them is uploading your drivers license pic... front and back. That may be the confusion circling around that.

Hope this helps someone who's getting ready to login to dial down the anxiety level.

Now, I have to go through the whole routine with my hubby.

[Meowmee]

36. Great idea!