diff --git a/src/vt/vrt/collection/balance/lb_invoke/lb_manager.cc b/src/vt/vrt/collection/balance/lb_invoke/lb_manager.cc
index 4b30c27d90..acd21bfc58 100644
--- a/src/vt/vrt/collection/balance/lb_invoke/lb_manager.cc
+++ b/src/vt/vrt/collection/balance/lb_invoke/lb_manager.cc
@@ -178,6 +178,14 @@ LBManager::makeLB(MsgSharedPtr<StartLBMsg> msg) {
       lb, node,
       "LBManager: finished migrations\n"
     );
+
+  // Statistics output when LB is enabled and appropriate flag is enabled
+#if vt_check_enabled(lblite)
+  if (theConfig()->vt_lb_stats) {
+    theNodeStats()->outputStatsForPhase(phase);
+  }
+#endif
+
     theNodeStats()->startIterCleanup(phase, model_->getNumPastPhasesNeeded());
     this->finishedRunningLB(phase);
   });
diff --git a/src/vt/vrt/collection/balance/node_stats.cc b/src/vt/vrt/collection/balance/node_stats.cc
index 924c33b08e..6a054ae38c 100644
--- a/src/vt/vrt/collection/balance/node_stats.cc
+++ b/src/vt/vrt/collection/balance/node_stats.cc
@@ -198,6 +198,21 @@ void NodeStats::createStatsFile() {
   stats_file_ = fopen(file_name.c_str(), "w+");
 }
 
+void NodeStats::openStatsFile() {
+  auto const node = theContext()->getNode();
+  auto const base_file = std::string(theConfig()->vt_lb_stats_file);
+  auto const dir = std::string(theConfig()->vt_lb_stats_dir);
+  auto const file = fmt::format("{}.{}.out", base_file, node);
+  auto const file_name = fmt::format("{}/{}", dir, file);
+
+  vt_debug_print(
+    lb, node,
+    "NodeStats: openStatsFile file={}\n", file_name
+  );
+
+  stats_file_ = fopen(file_name.c_str(), "a+");
+}
+
 void NodeStats::closeStatsFile() {
   if (stats_file_) {
     fclose(stats_file_);
@@ -205,71 +220,77 @@ void NodeStats::closeStatsFile() {
   }
 }
 
-void NodeStats::outputStatsFile() {
+void NodeStats::outputStatsForPhase(PhaseType phase) {
+  // TODO (STRZ) - directory cannot be created here. So where?
+  // if (stats_file_ == nullptr) {
+  //   phase == 0
+  //     ? createStatsFile()
+  //     : openStatsFile();
+  // }
+
   if (stats_file_ == nullptr) {
-    createStatsFile();
+    openStatsFile();
   }
 
   vtAssertExpr(stats_file_ != nullptr);
 
-  auto const num_iters = node_data_.size();
+  vt_print(lb, "NodeStats::outputStatsFile: file={}, phase={}\n", print_ptr(stats_file_), phase);
+
+  auto i = phase;
+  for (auto&& elm : node_data_.at(i)) {
+    ElementIDType id = elm.first;
+    TimeType time = elm.second;
+    const auto& subphase_times = node_subphase_data_.at(i)[id];
+    size_t subphases = subphase_times.size();
+
+    auto obj_str = fmt::format("{},{},{},{},[", i, id, time, subphases);
+    for (size_t s = 0; s < subphases; s++) {
+      obj_str += std::to_string(subphase_times[s]);
+      if (s != subphases - 1)
+        obj_str += ",";
+    }
 
-  vt_print(lb, "NodeStats::outputStatsFile: file={}, iter={}\n", print_ptr(stats_file_), num_iters);
+    obj_str += "]\n";
 
-  for (size_t i = 0; i < num_iters; i++) {
-    for (auto&& elm : node_data_.at(i)) {
-      ElementIDType id = elm.first;
-      TimeType time = elm.second;
-      const auto& subphase_times = node_subphase_data_.at(i)[id];
-      size_t subphases = subphase_times.size();
+    fprintf(stats_file_, "%s", obj_str.c_str());
+  }
 
-      auto obj_str = fmt::format("{},{},{},{},[", i, id, time, subphases);
-      for (size_t s = 0; s < subphases; s++) {
-        obj_str += std::to_string(subphase_times[s]);
-        if (s != subphases - 1)
-          obj_str += ",";
-      }
+  for (auto&& elm : node_comm_.at(i)) {
+    using E = typename std::underlying_type<CommCategory>::type;
 
-      obj_str += "]\n";
+    auto const& key = elm.first;
+    auto const& val = elm.second;
+    auto const cat = static_cast<E>(key.cat_);
 
+    if (
+      key.cat_ == CommCategory::SendRecv or
+      key.cat_ == CommCategory::Broadcast
+    ) {
+      auto const to   = key.toObj();
+      auto const from = key.fromObj();
+      auto obj_str = fmt::format("{},{},{},{},{}\n", i, to, from, val.bytes, cat);
       fprintf(stats_file_, "%s", obj_str.c_str());
-    }
-    for (auto&& elm : node_comm_.at(i)) {
-      using E = typename std::underlying_type<CommCategory>::type;
-
-      auto const& key = elm.first;
-      auto const& val = elm.second;
-      auto const cat = static_cast<E>(key.cat_);
-
-      if (
-        key.cat_ == CommCategory::SendRecv or
-        key.cat_ == CommCategory::Broadcast
-      ) {
-        auto const to   = key.toObj();
-        auto const from = key.fromObj();
-        auto obj_str = fmt::format("{},{},{},{},{}\n", i, to, from, val.bytes, cat);
-        fprintf(stats_file_, "%s", obj_str.c_str());
-      } else if (
-        key.cat_ == CommCategory::NodeToCollection or
-        key.cat_ == CommCategory::NodeToCollectionBcast
-      ) {
-        auto const to   = key.toObj();
-        auto const from = key.fromNode();
-        auto obj_str = fmt::format("{},{},{},{},{}\n", i, to, from, val.bytes, cat);
-        fprintf(stats_file_, "%s", obj_str.c_str());
-      } else if (
-        key.cat_ == CommCategory::CollectionToNode or
-        key.cat_ == CommCategory::CollectionToNodeBcast
-      ) {
-        auto const to   = key.toNode();
-        auto const from = key.fromObj();
-        auto obj_str = fmt::format("{},{},{},{},{}\n", i, to, from, val.bytes, cat);
-        fprintf(stats_file_, "%s", obj_str.c_str());
-      } else {
-        vtAssert(false, "Invalid balance::CommCategory enum value");
-      }
+    } else if (
+      key.cat_ == CommCategory::NodeToCollection or
+      key.cat_ == CommCategory::NodeToCollectionBcast
+    ) {
+      auto const to   = key.toObj();
+      auto const from = key.fromNode();
+      auto obj_str = fmt::format("{},{},{},{},{}\n", i, to, from, val.bytes, cat);
+      fprintf(stats_file_, "%s", obj_str.c_str());
+    } else if (
+      key.cat_ == CommCategory::CollectionToNode or
+      key.cat_ == CommCategory::CollectionToNodeBcast
+    ) {
+      auto const to   = key.toNode();
+      auto const from = key.fromObj();
+      auto obj_str = fmt::format("{},{},{},{},{}\n", i, to, from, val.bytes, cat);
+      fprintf(stats_file_, "%s", obj_str.c_str());
+    } else {
+      vtAssert(false, "Invalid balance::CommCategory enum value");
     }
   }
+
   fflush(stats_file_);
 
   closeStatsFile();
diff --git a/src/vt/vrt/collection/balance/node_stats.h b/src/vt/vrt/collection/balance/node_stats.h
index a4a697871d..09c49900aa 100644
--- a/src/vt/vrt/collection/balance/node_stats.h
+++ b/src/vt/vrt/collection/balance/node_stats.h
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ struct NodeStats : runtime::component::Component<NodeStats> {
   void releaseLB();
 
   /**
-   * \internal \brief Output stats file based on instrumented data
+   * \internal \brief Output stats file for given phase based on instrumented data
    *
    * The contents of the file consist of a series of records separated
    * by newlines. Each record consists of comma separated fields. The
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ struct NodeStats : runtime::component::Component<NodeStats> {
    * recipient and distinguishing point-to-point messages from
    * broadcasts, as a decimal integer.
    */
-  void outputStatsFile();
+  void outputStatsForPhase(PhaseType phase);
 
   /**
    * \internal \brief Generate the next object element ID for LB
@@ -243,6 +243,11 @@ struct NodeStats : runtime::component::Component<NodeStats> {
    */
   void createStatsFile();
 
+  /**
+   * \internal \brief Open the stats file
+   */
+  void openStatsFile();
+
   /**
    * \internal \brief Close the stats file
    */
diff --git a/src/vt/vrt/collection/manager.cc b/src/vt/vrt/collection/manager.cc
index 9590d35724..2b6e816cd2 100644
--- a/src/vt/vrt/collection/manager.cc
+++ b/src/vt/vrt/collection/manager.cc
@@ -57,10 +57,9 @@ CollectionManager::CollectionManager() { }
 void CollectionManager::finalize() {
   cleanupAll<>();
 
-  // Statistics output when LB is enabled and appropriate flag is enabled
+  // If statistics are enabled, clear them while finilizing
 #if vt_check_enabled(lblite)
   if (theConfig()->vt_lb_stats) {
-    theNodeStats()->outputStatsFile();
     theNodeStats()->clearStats();
   }
 #endif