if I file a yr. early what percentage of my ex's will I get?

Hi,

That depends on whether or not your ex-spouse is living and whether you also receive benefits on your own record.

Hello Larry!

I will turn 66 in August 2019 and plan to file a restricted application for divorcee spousal benefits in order to exclude retirement benefits on my own record from the scope of the application and maximize my final SS benefit. My ex husband also will have turned 66 years of age a few months before me.

My marriage lasted greater than 25 years, I have been divorced greater than 10 years and have not remarried.

Hi, I now live in Florida but was born and lived in Missouri from 1960 to 2000. Missouri is a state that accepts common law marriage. I lived with my ex from 1978 till 1984, when we married. We then divorced in 1991. 6 years of common law marriage and 7 years of marriage, for a total of 13 years. I am now 57, have never remarried and heard I could draw on my exs SS, when the time comes. I am thinking ahead and wonder what I need to do to prove the common law marriage? I have a 96 year old friend who said she would write me a letter and have it notarized as a witness.

Larry, thank you for this service and all the help you've provided to countless people over the years :)
My question is in regards to divorced spousal benefits:
According to SS's website (https://www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/divspouse.html), at age 62 I will become eligible for this benefit as I meet all the criteria. The wording on the site, however, is confusing.

Dear Larry, et al.,

We have computed that my wife's SSA RI benefits will be less than her divorced spousal benefits would be from her first marriage. I understand that she cannot claim these benefits, if she remarries, which she has. My question is: Would she be able to claim divorced spousal benefits from her first marriage, if she and I were to divorce? We've been married 5 years. She was married to her first husband for 27 years. Thanks.

Hi,

I wrote to you several days ago. I appreciate you answering me. I am having a difficult time with social security. I am already 62 and my ex will be 62 soon. I have a couple more questions.. I have two disable boys, one is 17 and one is 25. The older one is on SSI, the younger isn't because my income, unearned, is too high. However he has been on SSI in the past. If my income were earned, he would qualify now, as the income for earned income is higher. However, the boys needs are too great for me to be employed.

a friend of mine who is 61 years old was married for 25 years and a did not work much during her life but raised 5 children and was a stay at home mom. Now she is divorced from that man. She remarried at age 54 but that marriage ended after 5 or 6 years. Does she qualify for any type of SS benefit at all once she turns 62? She never had a career and does not get alimony and finds herself in dire straights right now. thanks in advance, pc

Hi PC,

I am on SSD and 55 Years old. They (SS) told me that my benefits automatically switch to SS at the age of 62. My ex-husband will only be 59 at that time. We were married for 23 years and divorced in 2015. When will I be able to claim spousal benefits on his record of employment?

Hi,

I am going on 60 years old next month and I get SSI disability when can I start collecting off of my ex-husband I was married to him for 24 years

Hi,

If your ex-husband is living, the earliest that you could qualify for divorced spousal benefits is at age 62. You would also need to meet the other requirements for entitlement: https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/handbook/handbook.03/handbook-0311.html.

I will be 65 in August. I was just laid off ($50K) yr job. I was married Sept 1979 divorced Jul 1989
1. Can I collect my spouse's SSN? At least until I am 66?
2. If I take another lower paying job I assume it will not increase my SSN by waiting until 70?
3. What time period do I have to apply? Someone told me three months before your birthday?
4. Is that for Medicare also?
Thank you!

Hi,