Ex husband dob=5-27-1950. My dob= 9-8-52. Social security representative informs me I may start taking my 50% benefit from my ex spouse's earnings now at age 64 AND I may continue to let my own SS benefit grow till age 70. The SS web site states in order to do this I must wait till FRA of 66. I am concerned I have been given bad info...should I proceed? Thanks for your help.

Hi,

No, and you were wise to question what you were told. Assuming that your ex-spouse is still living, if you file for reduced divorced spousal benefits prior to full retirement age, you'll be deemed to have also filed for reduced benefits on your own record. What you would then receive is essentially the higher of the 2 benefits, and the benefit amount(s) would be permanently reduced.

What you can, and most likely should, do is file a restricted application for unreduced spousal benefits only when you reach age 66, then file for benefits on your own account at age 70. You are still permitted to do this because you were born prior to January 2 1954, and are thus grandfathered under the new law passed by Congress in 2015 ( https://www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/deemedfaq.html).

Best, Jerry