Can I apply for Social Security spousal benefits online with ex's information? 2-hour phone waits!

Yes, you can absolutely apply online! Go to ssa.gov and use the retirement benefits application. There's a section where you can indicate you were married before. You'll need your ex's SSN or at least their date of birth and full name. The system will ask if you want to apply for spousal benefits. You can upload your marriage certificate and divorce decree during the application process. One thing to note - for ex-spouse benefits, you need to have been married at least 10 years, be unmarried now, and your ex needs to be eligible for benefits (even if they haven't filed yet). The SSA will automatically calculate whether your own benefit or the spousal benefit (up to 50% of your ex's) is higher and pay you the higher amount.

I tried applying online last year and it was IMPOSSIBLE!!! The system kept crashing when I tried to upload my documents. Then when I finally completed everything, they still made me come in person anyway because they said they needed to "verify" something. Wasted hours of my life I'll never get back. If you can get to a field office early in the morning, that's your best bet. Online is a JOKE.

The online application actually works well for ex-spouse benefits in most cases. You don't need your ex's permission or to notify them - the SSA handles all that internally. If you don't have their SSN, providing their name and date of birth should be sufficient, though it might take SSA longer to process. One important consideration: at 62, you'll get a permanently reduced benefit (about 30% less than at your Full Retirement Age). If you're eligible on your own record, you might want to calculate whether waiting would be more advantageous long-term. The SSA doesn't always explain all your options clearly in the automated system. For document uploads, make sure they're clear PDF scans under 5MB each. If the system rejects them, you can mail copies to your local office after submitting the online application.

i tryed calling SSA 5 times lastmonth and couldn't get thru toeither. So frustrating!!! My aunt used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) - its like a skip-the-line thing for SSA. She showed me the video demo https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU and it actually worked for her. they called her back in like 20min. might be worth it to just talk to someone amd ask your questions directly

the online thing worked for me but I was appling for reglar retirement not ex-spouse thing. I think the website is different now then it was before to. But it took me like 3 trys to get all my info in right. I kept forgetting parts and had to start over lol. just make sure u have EVERYTHING ready before u start!!

You should really consider if you want to take benefits at 62. My sister did that and now she regrets it because she's getting $340 less EVERY MONTH than if she'd waited till 67. That adds up to a lot over time. Do you need the money right now? If not, waiting is usually better unless you have health issues.

To answer your follow-up question about estimates: Yes, you can get estimates before applying. Create a my Social Security account at ssa.gov if you haven't already. It will show your own benefit estimates at different ages, though not spousal benefits. For ex-spouse benefits, if you know your ex's date of birth and approximate earnings history, you can use one of the online calculators like Open Social Security or AARP's calculator to get rough estimates. The most accurate way is to speak with an SSA representative who can run calculations based on both records. Also, a key point many miss: If you're eligible for both your own retirement and an ex-spousal benefit, filing at 62 means you take a reduction on BOTH potential benefits. The claiming strategy can get quite complex depending on your specific situation.