I am trying to confirm or refute what a Social Security Administration person said on the phone when I called this morning. I am trying to learn when the appropriate time is for my wife to submit an application to switch from drawing a spousal benefit on my account to drawing on her own account.

Facts: My wife was born October 10, 1951; I was born November 5, 1951. In July of 2017, just short of my age 66, I applied for my own Social Security benefits, telling the SSA that I wanted to begin receiving my full-retirement-age benefit in the earliest month possible without incurring any permanent age-related reduction. Because my 66th birthday was to occur on November 5, 2017, I stated that I understood that even though payments to me would not first occur until the second Wednesday of December 2017, I would qualify for the full-retirement-age benefit in November of 2017.

Meanwhile, also in July of 2017, just short of her age 66, my wife applied for a spousal benefit on my account, stating to the SSA that she wanted the earliest month possible on my SS account without a permanent age-related reduction for either her or me, as she was to begin to take a spousal benefit on my account starting in Nov 2017 (with payment to be received on the second Tuesday of December of 2017. She stated that she would forego the spousal benefit for the month of October 2017 to avoid going through the more complicated application process to get a spousal benefit for only one month.

We have been receiving SS benefits since December of 2017, both my full amount and her amount of one-half of mine.

Meanwhile, we both are now approaching age 70 (she turns 70 on October 10, 2021 and I on November 5, 2021). I am trying to confirm or refute what the SSA person said on the phone to me this morning about when the appropriate time is for my wife to make the application to switch from drawing a spousal benefit on my account to drawing on her own account. She has continued to work and her estimated benefit amount has continued to increase since 2017. The SSA person I spoke with this morning said that my wife should wait until October 1 before submitting the application. However, that seems strange to us, for the October direct deposit of SS benefits is slated to occur on October 12, the second Tuesday that month (it's always on the second Tuesday of the month). I wonder if the SSA would have time to process things between October 1 and October 12.

So when is the appropriate time for my wife to submit her application to switch from drawing a spousal benefit on my account to drawing on her own account? Is that done online? The SSA office near us is still closed to in-person visits and I don't think I trust doing it over the phone.

Thank you!

Hi. Your wife can submit her application as early as this month. Social Security permits applications to be filed up to 4 months in advance of the month you want to claim benefits, and your wife would want to claim her benefits effective October 2021 in order to receive her full age 70 rate.

Your wife can try filing online, but if that doesn't work then her only option is to file by phone until Social Security offices open again.

Best, Jerry