Filing joint Social Security application with spouse - anyone done this successfully?

Yes, you and your spouse can absolutely apply at the same time! My husband and I did this last year. The important thing to know is that while you can submit applications during the same session, they're still processed as separate claims. Your wife's spousal benefit application will remain pending until your retirement benefit is approved, but this happens automatically in their system. I recommend applying online - it's much easier than dealing with the office. Start by creating your my Social Security accounts if you haven't already. Then when you complete your retirement application, there will be a section asking if your spouse wants to apply for benefits. Make sure to complete that section, and your wife will need to complete her portion as well. Just be prepared with all your documents: birth certificates, marriage certificate, tax returns if requested, bank information for direct deposit, etc. Good luck!

we did this 2 yrs ago and it was a MESS!!! online system kept crashing halfway thru my wifes application and we lost all the info THREE TIMES!!! ended up having to call ssa and wait 3.5 hrs on hold just to get someone who didnt even kno how to help us!!! eventually had to drag ourselves to the office and wait 4 hrs to see someone in person!!

My experience was pretty smooth. Applied online for both my retirement and my wife's spousal benefits at the same time last March. I received my approval after about 3 weeks, and her spousal benefit was approved about 10 days after mine. The key is to make sure you have all documents ready to upload - marriage certificate is particularly important for the spousal benefit. Also, if your wife has her own work record, the system will automatically calculate whether she should receive her own benefit or the spousal benefit (whichever is higher). One thing to note: if your wife is under her Full Retirement Age, her spousal benefit will be permanently reduced. At 66, I'm assuming she's at or past her FRA, so that shouldn't be an issue for you.

Why would your wife get spousal benefits instead of her own?? If she worked she probably gets more from her own record!!

After trying for WEEKS to get through to Social Security on the phone (constant busy signals, getting disconnected after waiting for hours), I found this service called Claimyr that got me through to a real person at SSA in under 20 minutes. Seriously saved my sanity when I was trying to coordinate my retirement application with my husband's spousal benefits. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU - website is claimyr.com. It was so much better than the online system which kept giving me errors when I tried to link our applications.

To answer your specific question about applying together - yes, this is possible and even encouraged by SSA. Here's some important information about the process: 1. You can apply up to 4 months before you want benefits to begin 2. For spousal benefits, your spouse doesn't need to wait for your approval before applying 3. The system will automatically link your applications based on SSNs 4. For couples at FRA (which it sounds like you both are), there are no reductions to worry about 5. If your spouse has her own work history, SSA will automatically pay the higher of either her own retirement benefit or the spousal benefit (up to 50% of your PIA) The online application is definitely the most efficient approach. Make sure to have these documents ready: - Birth certificates for both of you - Marriage certificate - Most recent W-2 or tax return - Bank information for direct deposit One important note: if either of you worked in jobs not covered by Social Security (some government positions, etc.), the WEP or GPO provisions might affect your benefits, and that would require additional documentation.

My husband and I tried to do this last fall and ran into issues because our marriage certificate was from another country (he's originally from Canada). Just a heads up that if you have any international documents, you might need to get them translated or certified. Ended up taking us an extra 6 weeks to get everything processed because of that one document!

Applying earlier has several advantages: 1. It gives SSA more time to process your application (important if there are any complications) 2. If any documents are missing, you have time to provide them without delaying your payments 3. It allows for better financial planning as you'll get your approval before your intended start date 4. If there are any issues or questions about maximum family benefits or other calculations, they can be resolved before payments begin There's no downside to applying early within that 4-month window. Just be very clear about which month you want benefits to begin. The default is usually the earliest possible month, but you can specify a later month if that fits your financial planning better.

Yes, you'll both need your own my Social Security accounts. Each person needs their own account authenticated with their own personal information for security reasons. The online system will allow you to link the applications during the process, but your wife will need to complete parts of her application herself through her own account. Make sure you both have accounts set up before you start the application process - it will make things much smoother!