I have read horror stories about how difficult it is to call various local Social Security offices throughout the country. Long waits, busy signals, no one answering. The usual excuse is not enough staff, too much work to do, no rewards for answering phone calls.
Fortunately, some of the local offices in Central Illinois are responsive and provide good customer service. I have had some troubles getting through to Springfield, Champaign and Peru but with some persistence you can actually talk with a real person. The staff is responsive and helpful also.
The best local office is Bloomington, Illinois. A real person is always available and knows what to do and gives helpful responses. From stories circulating throughout the country we are very lucky to have such a responsive office.
The best tip I can give is to stay on the line and not listen to the recorded instructions. If you punch a number you usually get routed into a recording instead of having the chance to talk with a real person.