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How Does Divorce Affect Social Security Retirement Benefits?
One of the challenges of planning for retirement is that an unexpected event, like divorce, can dramatically change your retirement income needs. If you were counting on your spouse’s Social Security benefits to provide some of your retirement income, what happens now that you’re divorced?
What are the rules?
Even if you’re divorced, you may still collect benefits on your ex-spouse’s Social Security earnings record if:
- Your marriage lasted 10 years or longer
- You are age 62 or older
- Your ex-spouse is entitled to receive Social Security retirement or disability benefits, and
- The benefit you’re entitled to receive based on your own earnings record is less than the benefit you would receive based on your ex-spouse’s earnings record
If you’ve been divorced for at least two years, and the other requirements have been met, you can receive benefits on your ex-spouse’s record even if he or she has not yet applied for benefits.