Divorced? You could be eligible for benefits still
July 2, 2017
By: Mark Harvey
Email: harvemb@dshs.wa.gov
I’ve just discovered that I completely missed a national designation a few months back (of course, a reasonable case could be made to the point that I miss a lot of things, but…)! Did you know that in April we observed “Ex-Spouse Day?”
…oh…well, I didn’t…In fact, I didn’t even know that there was an “Ex-Spouse Day!” But, Hey! Good! Why not?
Which may or may not have anything to do with the fact that I’ve received a number of inquiries regarding what-the-heck the deal is with filing for Social Security benefits on an ex-spouse’s Social Security earnings record – Here’s the deal:
If you are at least 62, unmarried and divorced from someone entitled to Social Security retirement OR disability benefits, you may well be eligible to receive benefits on his or her record (Please note that this is all gender neutral). You have to have been married to the ex-spouse for at least 10 years or more. IF you’ve since remarried, you can’t collect benefits on this former spouse’s record UNLESS your later marriage ended by annulment, divorce or death.
You also want to remember that if you’re entitled to Social Security benefits on your own record (“work history”), that amount would have to be less than what you would receive based on your ex-spouse’s record; in other words, they’ll pay you the higher of the two benefits for which you’re eligible, but not both (nice try, though).
You are potentially eligible for up to 50% of what your “ex” could receive at their full retirement age and, by the way, he or she doesn’t have to be retired for you do this, as long as you’ve been divorced for at least two years before applying – AND, your “ex” has to be at least 62.
Finally, the amount of benefits you might get has NO EFFECT in the benefits of your ex-spouse.
I know: I’d recommend you re-read that three or four times – I always do.
You can get the full low-down by going to www.socialsecurity.gov/retire2/divspouse.htm and look for “Retirement Planner: If You Are Divorced.” By the way, if your “ex” died after the divorce, you could still qualify for widow’s benefits.
Personal note: Don’t make this about who-did-or-didn’t-do-what-to-whom; it’s a simple matter of whether or not you need (and qualify for) the money, in order to conduct your life.
Good luck.
This something completely different, but I hear it a lot, so I’m going to address it.
I’m well aware that most of us are scared to death of Alzheimer’s – And for good reason! Add to that the fact that every time we turn around we’re reading another report/piece of research on the percentage of us who will be afflicted with same, and they inevitably point out that the percentage INCREASES as we get older.
And it’s all true; HOWEVER, let me point out something else:
MOST of us will NOT get Alzheimer’s. It’s true. The odds are in our favor.
Let me also point out that with each additional year that we manage to survive, the odds of ANYTHING happening to us increase! It’s just how the math works. Struck by lightning? Blind-sided in a meteor shower? Whacked by a tractor in midtown Manhattan? Died of boredom in a doctor’s waiting room? OK, those may be “unlikely” (except for the last one), but the statistical truth is that the odds do increase as we get older – Which does NOT make it inevitable.
Every time that anyone past puberty forgets something, it is NOT indicative of Alzheimer’s, or any other form of dementia. We ALL forget stuff! And sometimes we get “confused” – Who doesn’t?
When I hear concerns like this, I immediately start asking about changes in medical conditions/diagnoses, changes in medications, mental health history, etc. because there are any number of things that can cause any number of things – But most of the time they are NOT the beginning of the end.
Now: If you honestly believe that someone you care about might be experiencing symptoms of early (or advanced!) dementia, or any of the other things I just rattled-off, for Heaven’s sake, get to the doctor! Doctors can help! Don’t mess around or stall – Just do it! – For peace-of-mind, if nothing else.
I just want us all to relax a little bit, cut ourselves some slack, enjoy life and stay the HECK out of midtown Manhattan!