Q & A
If my wife is collecting a spousal benefit based on a former husband’s earnings (not her own), may I as a spouse, file for a spousal benefit on her account or would I have to wait until she is collecting based on her own earnings? We are both at full retirement age.
Answer: Well, gee, this is a good question since, if I have the facts right, it seems like your wife is illegally collecting a benefit on her former husband. Once you get remarried, you can no longer collect a divorced spousal benefit.But perhaps her former ex died? If so, she’d be collecting a divorced widow’s benefit. And if you two got married after she turned 60, she’d be collecting this benefit legally. Read more…
Source: LAURENCE KOTLIKOFF, www.pbs.org
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