With Social Security, the longer you wait to claim, the larger the amount of monthly payments you'll generally receive on your own work record. However, your benefit as an ex-spouse will not get any larger than half your ex's PIA.
You can start collecting benefits if your ex-spouse is 62 or older and you have been divorced for two or more years.
Social Security rules allow a qualifying former spouse to claim benefits based on the work history of a higher-earning ex. These benefits are worth up to 50% of that former spouse's Social Security benefit at full retirement age. However, if that former spouse dies, the benefit's value is worth up to 100%.
The Bottom Line
If you were married to them for at least 10 years, you may be able to collect Social Security benefits based on your ex's work record. If you meet the requirements, you can receive benefits equal to as much as 50% of your ex's retirement benefit.
This is good news when former spouses are not on good terms. Your ex cannot “block” you from drawing your spousal benefit. In fact, he probably won't even know if you are drawing off him unless he calls SSA to ask.
A married spouse without an earnings record (or whose record would result in a lower Social Security payment) can collect on his or her spouse's earnings record when his or her spouse turns 62. Collecting Social Security at 62 has some advantages.
you're eligible for some of your ex's Social Security
wives and widows. That means most divorced women collect their own Social Security while the ex is alive, but can apply for higher widow's rates when he dies.
Depending on their circumstances, divorced Social Security beneficiaries can receive either retired-worker benefits, which are based on the individual's own covered earnings history; auxiliary benefits, which are determined by a living or deceased former spouse's covered earnings history; or a combination of both.
Yes, you can. Notify the Social Security Administration that you were married more than once and may qualify for benefits on more than one spouse's earnings record.
Have you heard about the Social Security $16,728 yearly bonus? There's really no “bonus” that retirees can collect. The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses a specific formula based on your lifetime earnings to determine your benefit amount.
The first exception, which can be deemed as the Social Security spousal benefits loophole, works where an individual who remarries at 60 or later may still be entitled to Social Security survivors' benefits if the second marriage ends before the death of the first spouse.
If you have a disability and are a surviving divorced spouse, you must meet the conditions below to qualify for benefits: Be at least age 50 but under 60. Were married to your ex-spouse at least 10 years. Have evidence of a finalized divorce.
If you are married and you and your spouse have worked and earned enough credits individually, you will each get your own Social Security benefit.
Even if your ex-spouse remarries, you are still eligible for a spousal or survivor benefit. Social Security will pay benefits to your ex- spouse, their current spouse and you, and no one's benefit will be reduced.
How much Social Security does a divorced spouse get? A divorced spouse can receive up to 50% of their ex-spouse's full retirement benefit. You must wait until you reach full retirement age if you want to claim your full benefit. For most people, full retirement age for Social Security is between 66 and 67.
Surviving spouse, at full retirement age or older, generally gets 100% of the worker's basic benefit amount. Surviving spouse, age 60 or older, but under full retirement age, gets between 71% and 99% of the worker's basic benefit amount.
Spouses can claim up to 50% of their partner's Social Security benefit if they wait until their full retirement age. If the spouse claiming spousal benefits earned their own Social Security benefits, they may receive the higher of the two amounts, not both.
Divorced people can receive survivor benefits of 71.5 percent to 100 percent of the late former spouse's benefit amount, depending on your age when you claim. In most cases, you still must have been married for 10 years.
Although you need at least 10 years of work (40 credits) to qualify for Social Security retirement benefits, we base the amount of your benefit on your highest 35 years of earnings.
If the ex-spouse passed away without leaving a valid will, the distribution of their assets is governed by the state's intestacy laws. In most states, a divorced spouse is not considered an heir under intestacy laws and is not entitled to any of their ex's property.
If the spouses divorced, the marriage must have lasted 10 years. Each survivor benefit can be up to 100% of your benefit. The amount may be reduced if the women start benefits before their own full retirement age, but they don't have to share — the amount isn't reduced because you've had more than one spouse.
To qualify to get $144 added back to your Social Security check, you can enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan that offers a Part B premium reduction or giveback benefit.
The spousal benefit can be as much as half of the worker's "primary insurance amount," depending on the spouse's age at retirement. If the spouse begins receiving benefits before "normal (or full) retirement age," the spouse will receive a reduced benefit.