My wife will turn 67 on May 21st this year and plans to take her social security. I plan to take my spousal benefits at the same time. I will be 67 on June 3rd. and will let my full benefits accrue until age 70.. We are unsure of the timing . Do we need to file 3 months before her birthday and also can I file at the same time she does ( 3 months before my birthday) or does she need to be getting her checks before I can do so. Are there any deadlines we have to watch out for?

Hi,

You and your wife can file at the same time, and you can file your applications up to 4 months in advance of the month that you wish to claim benefits or as late as 6 months after the month that you wish to claim benefits. About the only thing you couldn't do is file your spousal claim before your wife files for her benefits.

Before filing, though, you and your wife should strongly consider using the maximization software available on this website to make sure that you choose the best possible filing strategy.

Best, Jerry