I am 62 and divorced and meet all the necessary qualifications for applying Social Security benefits from my ex-husband. However, I am confused about one point. His benefit to me would be less per month than my own benefit. I would like to wait before collecting my own benefit to allow for a greater amount a few years down the road. I prefer to take the lesser benefit of my ex-husband and wait on my own. Can I do this? Or am I required to take the higher of the two options? Thank you for your help.

Hi,

Unfortunately, that option is no longer available to you thanks to the Social Security amendments passed by Congress in 2015 (https://www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/claiming.html?intcmp=AE-RET-PLRT-REL...). Even if you had been born before 1954 and were thus grandfathered under those amendments, though, you wouldn't be able to file just for divorced spousal benefits prior to full retirement age without also being deemed to have filed on your own record.

Therefore, it sounds like you wouldn't qualify for divorced spousal benefits at least for as long as your ex-husband is living. You may want to consider using our maximization software to compare your filing options to help you determine your best strategy.

Best, Jerry