Social Security Local Offices -- Need suggestions/experiences

[swogden]

I need to visit my local Social Security on an issue where I can't make an appointment.

I've heard that the waiting time can run into hours and would appreciate any feedback from anyone who has had to deal with their local SS office.  (ie best time of day/best day of the week)

[linderlizzie]

I need to visit my local Social Security on an issue where I can't make an appointment.

I've heard that the waiting time can run into hours and would appreciate any feedback from anyone who has had to deal with their local SS office.  (ie best time of day/best day of the week)

I've gone to the Social Security office in Alton, Illinois quite a few times, and I've never had to wait all that long. I suggest you take a book to read or talk to other people there. Don't take your cell phone in there, though. They don't like that. They also don't want food or drinks in there. Not sure what's the best day to go, but Mondays would probably not be good. My experiences there have all been positive.

[oldbuddy]

From my experience it's just a crap shoot and it depends on the individual office and how busy they are at the moment. Just be prepared and dive in. I would try early morning when they first open on any day but Monday.

[inertia4]

I would say that all depends on where you live. If you live in a city like New York you might be there for many hours. If you live in a suburb it should not be that long of a wait. As go the time of day, I would say either real early in the morning or sometimes in the afternoon.

[sdenimandlace1]

I'm not sure Friday is a good day either, if their is a smaller town close I would try going their also.

[alice44]

Have you checked online to see if you can make an appointment there?  Sometimes you can make an appointment there at the office - go early and make your appt. for later in the day.  Just an idea

[vickysue]

All i can say is be the first one in line. While you are they take a look around you and see just how many you think really need help and how many are deadbeats. While i was working in home health care  i took a lady in that had a very bad stroke and was unable to work anymore. She was in a wheelchair and i had the reports from the doctor on her. She was white and was turned down three different times before a lawyer took over. There were so many young and able body people in there applying for ssi. It was sickening. what is our country comming to when they can get ssi and she couldn't. 

[sherryfan]

it is very hard to call them. I been hold a long long time.  I would walk in, usually in early morning

[oldbuddy]

If you haven't come to the same conclusion already, just go do it. 

[swogden]

Have you checked online to see if you can make an appointment there?  Sometimes you can make an appointment there at the office - go early and make your appt. for later in the day.  Just an idea

I checked online and did not see where I could schedule an appointment.  Would really like to do that.  I did call the 800 number and I have usually been very successful in getting my problems solved over the phone.  Not this time, however.  They were the ones who told me the next step is going to the local office, but when I asked how I could get an appointment, they said this was an issue that they do not make appointments for.     ( I was a little dumb founded by that statement.)

Thanks for the input.  I expected early AM.  Sounds Tuesday or Wednesday would be best.

[candyterrius]

Maybe you can try to visit your Social Security Office in the middle of the week like Wednesday. Hopefully they’re less crowded? If you can go early before the door open, you’ll have a better chance to not wait as long on a first come first serve basis.

[ben50]

dont go on a monday, ha everyone from weekend and put it off last week makes it on monday, friday probably bad too, because maybe wanting to get it done before weekend and procrastinated all week

[swogden]

Just to let you all know, I ventured out to my local Social Security office on Tuesday.  Decided to go before they opened (online said they opened at 9am).  But the doors were opened at 8:30am so there were quite a few people inside already.

Don't know if all SS offices are run the same way, but this one has a security system just like the airport just to get into the waiting area.  It also has a computerized check in system to assign call numbers in those with appointments and regular folks.

Got my number.  Came ready with a book to read and sudokus to work. Took about an hour to be called for the initial screening.  Lady behind the window wanted basic identification and description of the problem so she can log it in and have it assigned to someone inside. 

Waited another hour to be called into the office area.  Had a pleasant 20 minute discussion with the lady behind the desk while she checked her computer records, made copies of my information and read through the letter I had written to SS just for this meeting.

She was very pleasant and sympatico, but in the end said that all I could do is wait for the Payment section to complete their review (they only had it a month so far per her records). Although they try to complete their reviews within 30 days, these days they are very backlogged.   She would send my letter on to the Payment section and hoped that would help the review process.

I came away feeling somewhat better. 

So I wait.