When to apply for Social Security spousal benefits? Can we file together or must my wife wait until I'm approved?

You're asking a great question about coordination! You can both apply at the same time, but you need to make sure your application is processed first. When your wife applies, she should make it clear she's applying for both her retirement benefit AND the spousal benefit. Important: Since you're both applying before Full Retirement Age (FRA), you'll both have permanent reductions to your benefits. Your wife will be deemed to be filing for both her own benefit and spousal at the same time, which is mandatory when filing early.

my wife and i did this last year, we just went to the ss office together and told them i was filing first and she wanted spousal. they took both applications same day but put in system that mine was first. worked fine but took almost 3 months to get her spousal portion added after my benefit started

Glad you asked this because I was wondering the same thing! My husband makes way more than me too so I'm hoping to get that spousal boost. Following this thread for advice.

Just to add some technical clarity: What you're describing involves two concepts - deemed filing and spousal benefits. When applying before FRA, deemed filing means your wife automatically applies for both her own retirement and any spousal benefits she's eligible for. You can indeed apply simultaneously, but the system must process yours first since spousal benefits cannot be calculated until the primary worker's benefit is established in the system. The timing doesn't have to be months apart - it's more about the processing order in SSA's system. One important consideration: Since you're both applying early, your wife's spousal boost will be reduced twice - once for her taking her own benefit early, and again for taking the spousal portion early. Have you calculated how much she'll actually receive after these reductions?

I TRIED TO DO THIS EXACT THING AND IT WAS A NIGHTMARE!!! The first SSA rep told us we could apply together, then when we went to the office they said my husband had to apply first and be approved. Then they lost my application TWICE!!!!! Had to reapply and wait 5 more months!!! The system is BROKEN!

I went through this exact situation last year with my husband. We applied at the same time, but for some reason SSA kept delaying processing my spousal portion. I called the regular number every day for weeks and couldn't get through or kept getting disconnected after waiting on hold for hours. Finally, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an SSA agent in about 20 minutes. The agent was able to see that my application was just sitting there and needed someone to push it through. Saved me months of waiting! They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU It was so much better than continuing to call on my own and never getting through. The agent I spoke with actually explained that my application was coded incorrectly which is why it wasn't being processed with my husband's.

my cousin jerry tried to get his wife on his ss and they told him she needed her own work credits no matter what. i think the whole spousal benefit thing might be going away soon with all the budget cuts

Thanks everyone for the helpful responses! Based on your advice, we're going to apply at the same time but make it very clear that mine needs to be processed first. I'll also be prepared for potential delays with her spousal portion and will use Claimyr if we run into trouble reaching someone at SSA. I'm also going to look at that Open Social Security calculator to get a better idea of the actual benefit amounts after the early filing reductions. Might be worth waiting a bit longer if the reduction is too severe. Really appreciate all the insights from your experiences!

As someone who just went through this process 6 months ago, I can confirm you can apply simultaneously! Here's what worked for us: we scheduled an in-person appointment at our local SSA office and brought both applications. The key is being very explicit that your application needs to be processed first. A few practical tips: 1) Bring copies of everything - birth certificates, marriage certificate, W-2s, etc. for both of you, 2) Ask the representative to put a note in your wife's file that her spousal benefit is dependent on your application being processed first, and 3) Get direct phone numbers from the staff you work with. One thing to watch out for - they might try to process your wife's retirement benefit immediately while holding the spousal portion. This happened to us and created confusion later. Make sure they understand the full picture from day one. Good luck!

I just went through this exact situation 8 months ago with my husband! We were able to apply on the same day, but here's what I learned that might help you avoid some pitfalls: 1) Don't just rely on phone applications - go in person if possible. The representatives can coordinate better when you're both there. 2) Make sure to explicitly ask for your wife's application to be flagged as "dependent on spouse's approval" in their system. This prevents her retirement benefit from being processed independently. 3) Here's something I wish I'd known: even though you can apply simultaneously, there's often a 4-6 week gap between when your benefit starts and when her spousal portion kicks in. Plan your budget accordingly. 4) Keep calling every 2-3 weeks to check status. I found that applications sometimes get "stuck" in the system and need a gentle push. The good news is that once everything is processed correctly, the spousal benefit is automatic going forward. Just be prepared for some patience during the initial setup phase!

I work at a local SSA field office and can offer some insider perspective on this process. You absolutely can apply simultaneously - we handle these coordinated spousal applications regularly. Here's what happens behind the scenes: when both applications come in on the same day, we have specific procedures to link them in our system. The key is making sure the intake specialist codes your wife's application correctly to show the spousal dependency from the start. A few professional tips: 1) Bring your marriage certificate AND both of your Social Security cards - not just driver's licenses, 2) If applying in person, ask to speak with a Claims Specialist rather than just a general service representative, 3) Request that both applications receive the same "batch date" which helps with processing coordination. One thing to note: the 4-6 week gap others mentioned for spousal benefits is often due to manual review requirements, not system limitations. If everything is coded properly upfront, that gap can be reduced to 2-3 weeks. The most important thing is being clear about your intentions from the very first interaction. Don't assume the staff will automatically understand the spousal benefit coordination - spell it out explicitly.

This is such a helpful thread! My husband and I are in a very similar situation - he's 64 and I'm 61, and we've been going back and forth on timing. Reading through everyone's experiences, it sounds like the key is really being prepared and explicit about what you need from the very first interaction. Based on all the advice here, I'm planning to: 1. Schedule an in-person appointment and ask specifically for a Claims Specialist 2. Bring all original documents (marriage certificate, both Social Security cards, birth certificates, recent W-2s) 3. Be very clear that we want to apply simultaneously but need his processed first 4. Ask for both applications to get the same batch date 5. Request that my file be flagged as "dependent on spouse's approval" 6. Get names and direct contact info from everyone we work with The insider tips from Jamal are incredibly valuable - I had no idea about the difference between Claims Specialists and general reps, or about requesting the same batch date. This thread has honestly been more helpful than the SSA website itself! One thing I'm still wondering about - has anyone here actually used that Open Social Security calculator that StarGazer mentioned? I'd love to get a better sense of the actual numbers after early filing reductions before we commit to this timing.

As someone who just went through this process 3 months ago, I can confirm that applying simultaneously is definitely possible! My husband and I were in almost the exact same situation - he was 63 and I was 62 when we applied. Here's what worked for us: We scheduled an in-person appointment and brought all our documents (marriage certificate, both Social Security cards, W-2s, etc.). The most important thing was being crystal clear from the start that his application needed to be processed first since my spousal benefit depends on it. One thing I wish someone had told me: even though they can take both applications the same day, there's still typically a 2-4 week delay between when his benefits start and when the spousal portion of mine kicks in. So budget for that gap! Also, make sure to get confirmation numbers for both applications and the direct phone number of your Claims Specialist. The process itself wasn't too bad once we got to the right person, but calling to check on status was frustrating. If you run into phone issues, that Claimyr service Paolo mentioned really does work - I used it twice when I couldn't get through the regular lines. Good luck with your applications! The coordination is definitely doable with the right preparation.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! My wife and I are in a similar situation - I'm 62 and she's 61, and we're trying to figure out the best timing for our applications. Based on everyone's experiences here, it sounds like simultaneous applications are definitely possible with the right preparation. I'm particularly grateful for the insider tips from Jamal about requesting a Claims Specialist and asking for the same batch date. I had no idea there were different types of representatives or that coordination could be improved with proper coding from the start. One question I haven't seen addressed: for those who successfully navigated this process, did you find it better to apply on a particular day of the week or time of month? I'm wondering if there are times when the offices are less busy and staff can give more attention to coordinating complex applications like these. Also, has anyone had experience with applying in smaller SSA field offices versus larger ones? I have a choice between a busy downtown office and a smaller suburban location, and I'm wondering if the smaller office might provide more personalized service for this type of coordinated application. Thanks to everyone who has shared their experiences - this community has been more helpful than hours of searching the SSA website!

This entire thread has been incredibly informative - thank you all for sharing your experiences! As someone who's been putting off this decision for months, I now feel much more confident about moving forward. Based on all the advice here, I'm planning to: 1. Use the Open Social Security calculator first to understand the actual numbers after early filing reductions 2. Schedule an appointment at our smaller local SSA office for mid-week, mid-morning 3. Request a Claims Specialist when scheduling and mention we need coordinated spousal benefits 4. Bring all original documents plus copies as backup 5. Be explicit about needing my husband's application processed first and ask for the same batch date 6. Get direct contact information and confirmation numbers for both applications The insider perspective from Jamal about proper coding and the real experiences from folks like ShadowHunter and Anastasia have been invaluable. It's clear that preparation and being specific about your needs from the very first interaction makes all the difference. One follow-up question: for those who successfully navigated this, did you find it helpful to write down your key points beforehand, or did the Claims Specialist guide you through everything? I want to make sure I don't forget to mention something important during the appointment. Thanks again everyone - this community support is amazing!

This has been such an incredibly helpful thread! My husband and I are 64 and 63 respectively, and we've been going in circles trying to figure out the timing for our Social Security applications. Reading through everyone's real experiences has given us so much more clarity than anything we found on the SSA website. I'm especially grateful for Jamal's insider perspective about requesting Claims Specialists and asking for the same batch date - those are the kinds of details you just can't find anywhere else. And the practical tips about bringing all original documents and being explicit about coordination from the very first interaction make total sense. One thing that really stood out to me was the advice about using the Open Social Security calculator. We ran our numbers through it last night and discovered that the early filing reductions would be more significant than we realized - about 28% less than full retirement age for my spousal benefit. It's making us reconsider whether to wait another year or proceed now. For those who went through this process, did any of you end up changing your minds about timing after running detailed calculations? I'm torn between wanting to start benefits now versus potentially waiting for better monthly amounts. The financial security of getting something sooner is appealing, but that reduction is pretty substantial. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community has been more helpful than months of research on my own!

I'm in a very similar boat - my wife and I are 62 and 61, and we've been wrestling with this timing decision for months! This thread has been incredibly enlightening. After reading everyone's experiences, I'm leaning toward the simultaneous application approach with proper preparation. The key seems to be having everything documented and being crystal clear about the coordination needs upfront. One thing I'm curious about - for those who used the Open Social Security calculator, did you find it gave you different scenarios to compare? I'm wondering if it might show us the break-even point for waiting longer versus starting early. The 28% reduction Santiago mentioned is pretty eye-opening! Also, has anyone here considered doing a "test run" by calling SSA first to ask questions before actually scheduling the appointment? I'm wondering if that might help identify any potential issues with our specific situation beforehand. Really appreciate everyone sharing their real-world experiences - it's made this whole process feel much less intimidating!

This thread has been absolutely invaluable! As someone who's been dreading the complexity of coordinating Social Security applications with my spouse, reading through all these real experiences has given me so much confidence. I'm particularly impressed by how this community has provided more practical, actionable advice than countless hours of trying to navigate the SSA website. The insider tips from Jamal about requesting Claims Specialists and asking for same batch dates, combined with everyone's real-world experiences about timing and preparation, have created a roadmap I never would have found elsewhere. The recommendation about the Open Social Security calculator has been a game-changer too - I ran our numbers last night and it's so much more comprehensive than the basic SSA estimator. Being able to see different scenarios side by side really helps with making an informed decision about timing. One thing I want to emphasize for anyone else reading this: the consistent theme seems to be that preparation and being explicit about your needs from the very first interaction makes all the difference. Whether it's bringing the right documents, asking for the right specialist, or clearly stating your coordination requirements upfront - it sounds like these details can save months of headaches later. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share their experiences, especially those who went through recent applications. This kind of peer support and knowledge sharing is exactly what makes online communities so valuable!