Community Chat

[hsawaknow]

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@bikerbabe wrote:
In general yes, If you are 62 or older and are not married. You can collect up to 1/2 if it would be more than what you would get filing under your SS. You do get less if you are not at full retirement age but you need to be 62.

From the SS website


https://www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/divspouse.html

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Thank you so much for this information

[patbz]

@sissel: If you were married for at least ten years you can collect from an ex's account regardless of another spouse (or another former spouse) collecting it you meet the criteria I mentioned in my first post.

[shoekitty]

My experience with SS has been very positive.  I have had to deal with my brothers mess at SS, as he is mentally ill, and I was applying to be payee after my mom in declining memory  made a disaster.  They walked me through everything, and had the patients of job.

They are the ones who suggested I get SS payment as I was short 10 credits.  They made phone appts, so it was nice to wait by phone for call.  They called within 10 mins of promised appt.  

[sissel]

This is something, I did read if your spouse dies you get $255 well good luck trying to bury them at this price. My Dad died & Mom on ss they combine the checks divide by  2 so her checks were less. We are collecting ss checks but you have to have savings or pension checks, very hard to just live off the ss checks alone. Please pay your house off before retirement. Also medicare (65yrs) is auto taken out of the ss checks too. My FIL thought oh SS is going to care for him, well my DH & my SIL have to send monthly checks to pay for his bills he never saved a cent he thought SS would pay his way.

[CelticCrafter]

I applied for my SS at 62.  I did it all on line and never heard a word from them other than a letter saying my application had been approved, when I would get paid and how much.

When my husband applied for his, he also did it on line but did receive a phone call from them wanting to clarify something. 

He was asked at that time if I would be applying for spousal benefits, explained that I was collecting under my own account.  He put me on the phone with the SSA rep.  She went over everything with me, told me I would be eligible for more, would I like to apply under his account.  I had to go through the whole application process with her over the phone to re-apply under his account - it didn't automatically roll over to his account.   

As for being divorced, it does not need to be part of the divorce decree, you are automatically eligible if you were married 10 years and have not remarried.  You collecting under his account will not decrease or affect his payment in any way. 

[CalminHeart]

I was in a similar situation.  When you are eligible to collect SS, you can fill out the forms online and submit.  It's much faster and easier than going to the office or filling out paper forms.  There is a section of the app that asks about marriages.  I filled in the info about my ex and they automatically included it in my monthly payment.  

Doing this does not decrease your ex's benefits but it could increase yours when you are eligible for SS.

[CalminHeart]

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@Love my grandkids wrote:

@drizzellla Don't know if you saw it but the OP is asking about collecting from her ex-s SS.

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Correct.  The OP has to be eligible to collect SS before she can collect any portion of her ex's SS.  That's how it was when I started receiving SS 18 months ago.  

The online application at the SS website includes giving info about prior marriages and it's automatically considered when applying.

[proudlyfromNJ]

@hsawaknow.  I didn't bother calling SS. I went to the office and received all the info and applied. Very easy and I had no problems. Easier for me to have someone in person help than by phone.

Oh, ignore the mean remark, that poster does it all the time. 

Good luck with the SS. 

[beckyb1012]

Here is the link of what I researched a few years ago about your question @hsawaknow.  https://www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/divspouse.html

If You Are Divorced

If you are divorced, but your marriage lasted 10 years or longer, you can receive benefits on your ex-spouse's record (even if they have remarried) if:

• You are unmarried;
• You are age 62 or older;
• Your ex-spouse is entitled to Social Security retirement or disability benefits; and
• The benefit you are entitled to receive based on your own work is less than the benefit you would receive based on your ex-spouse's work.