hi Larry, what can you do if you think you missed filing for benefits because info wasn't explained fully in a way you could understand by a SS phone representative? thank you.

Hi,

One possibility that comes to mind is that you would need to establish that you failed to file a timely application due to receiving misinformation from a Social Security employee. If established, misinformation can permit Social Security to establish an earlier deemed filing date for those affected by the misinformation. You may want to peruse this section of Social Security's operations manual for information on what constitutes 'misinformation': https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0200204008.

There are other possibilities depending on the details of your circumstances, such as protective filing dates and open applications, so you may want to speak with a technical expert or supervisor at Social Security to see if anything can be done in your case.

Best, Jerry