Hello, Larry. My wife and I used your book when we first applied for SS benefits. I was born in 1952, and submitted for my own benefit at full retirement age of 66 in 2018. My wife was born in 1953, and she reached full retirement age in 2019 we decided she should submit for a spousal benefit. Now, in 2023, she will be 70 in June. Since she did not file for her own benefit back in 2019, we anticipated that she can now apply for her own benefit, which in theory should have continued accruing value. Is she allowed under current SS rules to do that?Thank you very much for any guidance you care to offer, and thanks again for the great book.

Hi. Yes. However, filing for her own benefits would only increase your wife's total benefit rate if her own benefit amount is higher than her spousal amount. It it is, she'd start receiving her own higher amount and her spousal benefits would stop. If not, then her spousal benefit would be reduced dollar for dollar by the amount of her own benefit, leaving her with the same total benefit rate.

Best, Jerry