Hi Larry,
My ex husband and I have received conflicting information from SS. We were married for 40 years before becoming divorced.
I began taking SS on my and his SS benefits before he began taking his benefits. He was 66 at the time, I was 64. He began taking his SS this year at 69. He was told by someone at the SS office where he signed up that my SS would increase when his SS began.to bring me to half of what he would now be receiving.
I called the main SS office to verify this was the case and was told that no, I would not get an increase to bring me up to half of his SS check. The person I spoke with at that office told me I would not receive any increase.
Could you please tell me which person is correct.
Thank you.
Phyllis

Hi Phyllis,

It sounds like the person who told you that you would not receive an increase is correct. The only way that your divorced spousal benefit rate would increase is if your ex-husband's full retirement age benefit amount (PIA) increases due to a recomputation to include a higher year of earnings. Spousal and divorced spousal benefits are derived from the worker's PIA (i.e. their benefit rate had they started drawing benefits at full retirement age), and do not include any part of delayed retirement credits that the worker may have earned by waiting past full retirement age to apply.

Best, Jerry