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I just wanted to chime in as someone who recently helped my sister navigate this exact situation! Everyone here is absolutely correct - SSA uses the final divorce decree date, not the filing date. My sister's divorce also took over 3 years to finalize, and she was worried about the same thing. When she finally got through to SSA (took her multiple attempts too!), they confirmed that as long as the marriage lasted 10+ years from wedding to final decree, she qualified. One thing I'd add is to make sure you have your ex-spouse's Social Security number ready when you call SSA - they'll need it to look up their earnings record and calculate your potential benefit amount. Also, don't be discouraged if the first agent you speak with seems uncertain about the rules - my sister had to speak with a supervisor to get a definitive answer. The good news is your timeline from June 2012 to April 2025 clearly meets the requirement! Hang in there with the phone calls - it's worth the effort to get this sorted out properly.
Thanks for sharing your sister's experience, William! That's a great point about having the ex-spouse's Social Security number ready - I hadn't thought about that detail but it makes total sense that they'd need it to calculate potential benefits. I do have that information saved somewhere, so I'll make sure to dig it out before I call. It's also good to know that I might need to ask for a supervisor if the first agent seems unsure. I'm feeling much more prepared now thanks to everyone's advice here. The community knowledge is so much more helpful than trying to navigate the SSA website alone!
I've been following this thread as someone who went through the SSA ex-spouse benefits process about 6 months ago. Everyone here is spot-on about the final decree date being what matters - that was confirmed multiple times during my application process. One additional tip I'd offer: when you do get through to SSA, ask them to explain the "deemed filing" rules if you're planning to claim before your full retirement age. This can affect whether you're automatically filing for both your own benefits AND spousal benefits simultaneously, which might not be the optimal strategy depending on your situation. Also, if you end up needing to visit a local SSA office instead of handling everything by phone, try to schedule an appointment rather than walking in - the wait times are much more predictable that way. Your case sounds very straightforward though, so I think you'll have a smooth process once you actually connect with them!
This is really valuable information about the "deemed filing" rules - I had no idea that claiming early could automatically trigger filing for both types of benefits! That definitely sounds like something I need to understand better before making any decisions. I'm still a few years away from retirement age, so I have time to plan the optimal strategy. Thanks for the tip about scheduling an appointment rather than walking in too - I hadn't considered visiting an office in person, but that might actually be less frustrating than the endless phone hold times. It's so helpful to learn from people who've recently been through this process!
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As someone who's been through a similar situation, I can share some practical experience that might help. I'm a green card holder who worked in the US for 12 years before moving back to Germany last year, and I'm now successfully receiving my Social Security benefits there. A few key things I learned that haven't been mentioned yet: 1. **Banking setup timing**: Set up your US banking arrangements BEFORE you leave. I opened a Charles Schwab account specifically because they reimburse international ATM fees and have good international transfer options. Much easier to do this while you still have a US address. 2. **Address forwarding**: The postal forwarding service is crucial but limited to 1 year. I used a mail forwarding service (like Traveling Mailbox) for longer-term mail management since SSA occasionally sends important notices even after you've set up direct deposit. 3. **Annual reporting**: Germany requires me to report my US Social Security income on my German tax return, but thanks to the tax treaty, there's no double taxation. However, I still had to register with German tax authorities as a recipient of foreign pension income. 4. **Processing delays**: Everything takes longer when you're abroad. Allow 6+ months for any changes or updates to your account. I learned this the hard way when I needed to update my banking information. The good news is that once everything is set up properly, the payments are very reliable. The totalization agreement between the US and Germany made the whole process smoother than I expected. Happy to answer any specific questions about the Germany experience!
Thank you so much for sharing your real-world experience with Germany! This is exactly the kind of practical information that's so hard to find anywhere else. The banking setup advice is really smart - I can see how trying to open accounts or set up services like Schwab's international features would be much more complicated once you're already abroad. The mail forwarding service tip is brilliant too. I hadn't thought about the fact that the regular postal forwarding is time-limited, and you're right that SSA might send important notices even years later. A service like Traveling Mailbox sounds like it would provide good peace of mind. I'm curious about the German tax reporting process you mentioned - was it complicated to navigate initially, or did you find the tax authorities there helpful in understanding how to properly report US Social Security income? Also, did you need to provide any special documentation to prove the income was eligible under the tax treaty, or was it fairly straightforward once you filed the proper forms? Your 6+ month timeline warning is really valuable for planning. It sounds like patience is definitely required, but knowing it works reliably once established is encouraging!
As someone who just received my green card last month and is starting to think about long-term financial planning, this entire discussion has been incredibly eye-opening! I had no idea about the complexity involved in receiving Social Security benefits abroad or how different countries have varying restrictions and tax implications. I'm particularly grateful for all the practical tips about setting up banking relationships and documentation before leaving the US. The advice about using the dedicated international inquiry line at SSA (410-965-0160) and the country-specific fact sheets under "International Programs" on their website will definitely be my starting points for research. One question I have that I haven't seen addressed: for those of us early in our green card journey, is there any advantage to front-loading our Social Security contributions (like maximizing earnings in early years) given that the benefit calculation uses your highest 35 years? Since many of us might only work 10-15 years in the US, would earning more in those years significantly impact the final benefit amount despite the "zero years" that get averaged in? Also, I'm wondering if anyone has experience with how Social Security credits earned during different visa statuses (H-1B, green card, etc.) are treated. Are they all counted equally toward the 40 quarters needed for eligibility? Thank you all for sharing such detailed experiences - this community knowledge is invaluable for those of us navigating these complex decisions!
Welcome to the green card journey! Your question about front-loading Social Security contributions is really smart thinking. Yes, maximizing your earnings in your working years can definitely help offset some of the impact of those "zero years." Since the benefit calculation uses your highest 35 years of indexed earnings, earning at or above the Social Security wage base ($160,200 for 2023) in your US working years will maximize your credits for those years. Regarding credits from different visa statuses - yes, they all count equally! As long as you were authorized to work and paid Social Security taxes, those quarters count toward your 40 quarters regardless of whether you earned them on H-1B, green card, or any other work-authorized status. I earned about 16 quarters on my H-1B before getting my green card, and they all counted toward my total. One additional tip for someone just starting: consider creating that my Social Security account online right away so you can track your earnings record from the beginning. I found a small error in my early H-1B earnings that was much easier to correct while I still had all my documentation easily accessible. Also, since you're thinking long-term, the earlier you start researching totalization agreements with your home country, the better you can plan your overall retirement strategy between potentially two countries' systems.
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I'm 59 and went through this exact decision process last year! After reading through all these experiences, I want to add another perspective that might help. Like many others here, I was terrified about losing my ex-spouse benefits and almost delayed my wedding. But when I finally got my actual SSA projections, I discovered something important that hasn't been mentioned much in this thread: the timing of when you claim benefits can be just as crucial as which benefit you're eligible for. Even if your ex-spouse benefit would be higher at full retirement age, you might still come out ahead by claiming it early (at 62) while letting your own benefit grow with delayed retirement credits until 70. Then you could switch to your higher personal benefit. This strategy worked for me because it maximized my total lifetime benefits even though I remarried at 59. The key was getting a comprehensive analysis from SSA that showed projected lifetime benefits under different claiming strategies, not just the monthly amounts at full retirement age. I also factored in my fiancé's excellent health insurance (saved me $350/month) and the fact that we could share housing costs. Bottom line: don't assume waiting until 60 is automatically the right choice without running ALL the numbers first. Sometimes the math surprises you in a good way!
This is such valuable insight, thank you for sharing! I hadn't considered the strategy of claiming ex-spouse benefits early while letting your own benefit grow until 70, then switching. That's exactly the kind of sophisticated planning approach I need to explore with SSA. Your point about getting a comprehensive analysis of lifetime benefits rather than just looking at monthly amounts at full retirement age is crucial. It sounds like the timing and sequencing of when you claim different benefits can be just as important as which benefits you're eligible for in the first place. The health insurance savings you mentioned ($350/month) really drives home how we need to look at the complete financial picture. That's over $4,000 per year, which could easily make up for a modest difference in Social Security benefits. I'm definitely going to ask SSA about these different claiming strategies when I request my benefit projections. It's so reassuring to hear another story where someone found a path that didn't require choosing between love and financial security. Congratulations on finding a solution that worked for your situation!
I'm 56 and facing this exact same dilemma! This thread has been absolutely invaluable - thank you all for sharing such detailed experiences. What really strikes me is how many people discovered that their fears about losing significant benefits were much worse than reality once they got actual numbers from SSA. I've been paralyzed by this decision for months, assuming my ex-spouse benefit would be dramatically higher since I took several years off for childcare while my ex had a high-paying career. But reading about the delayed retirement credit strategy has opened my eyes - if I can work until 70, that 32% total increase could potentially make my own benefit competitive. The other financial factors people mentioned are so important too. My partner has excellent health insurance that would save me about $400/month, plus we'd significantly reduce our housing costs by combining households. When I add up these savings over several years, it could easily offset a modest difference in Social Security benefits. I'm requesting my personalized benefit statement from SSA this week to get the actual projections for both scenarios. Even if there is a meaningful gap, at least I'll be making an informed decision based on real data rather than assumptions and anxiety. This community has shown me that we don't have to choose between love and financial security without knowing the true trade-offs first!
This thread has been such a revelation for me too! I'm 54 and just got engaged, but I've been absolutely terrified about this Social Security decision. Reading everyone's real experiences has completely changed how I'm approaching this situation. What really resonates with me is your point about assumptions versus reality. I've been assuming the worst-case scenario without any actual data, just like so many others here did initially. The delayed retirement credit strategy that keeps coming up sounds like it could be a real game-changer - I had no idea that working until 70 could result in such a significant increase in benefits. Your calculation about health insurance and housing cost savings is so smart. $400/month in insurance savings alone is nearly $5,000 per year, and that's before even considering the housing cost reduction from combining households. When you look at the total financial impact of marriage rather than just focusing on the Social Security rule, the picture becomes much more complex and often more positive than expected. I'm following your lead and requesting my benefit statement from SSA this week. It's such a relief to learn from this community that we can make informed decisions based on actual numbers rather than just fear of the unknown. Thank you for adding your perspective to this incredibly helpful discussion!
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As someone who just went through this exact situation last year, I can't stress enough how important it is to start documenting everything from day one. I wish I had found this thread when I was starting out! One thing I learned the hard way is that SSA considers "passive" activities like having active listings as part of your business operations, even if you're not actively working that day. So if you have 50 items listed and they're just sitting there generating potential sales inquiries, SSA might still count that as business activity. My advice based on actual experience: 1. Create a simple daily log - even if you just spend 10 minutes checking messages, write it down 2. Save all your platform reports (eBay seller hub, PayPal statements, etc.) at month-end 3. Don't panic about small variations - they're looking for patterns of substantial work, not nitpicking every minute The good news is that after your first year, it gets much simpler since they only look at annual totals. Just survive that first year with good documentation and you'll be fine. The learning curve is steep but manageable if you stay organized from the start. Anyone else find that different SSA reps gave them conflicting information? I got three different answers about the same question until I finally got it in writing.
Yes! I definitely experienced the conflicting information problem when I was trying to get answers about my situation. The first rep told me that having active listings counted as working every day, the second said only actual time spent counted, and the third gave me yet another interpretation about "substantial services." It was so frustrating! Your point about getting things in writing is spot on - I wish I had thought to ask for that earlier in the process. Did you request written clarification through their website or ask for it during a phone call? I'm still dealing with some uncertainty about a few aspects of my situation and want to make sure I get definitive answers documented properly. The daily log idea is something I'm definitely going to implement. Even those quick message checks add up over the month, and it sounds like SSA really does pay attention to those details. Thanks for sharing your real-world experience - it's incredibly helpful to hear from someone who's actually navigated this successfully!
I've been following this thread with great interest as I'm considering early retirement at 62 next year while continuing my small Amazon FBA business. The amount of detailed, real-world advice here is incredible - thank you all for sharing your experiences! A few questions for those who've been through this: 1. For inventory purchases - do you count the time spent researching and buying inventory as "work hours"? I sometimes spend weekend afternoons at garage sales or estate sales looking for items to flip, and I'm not sure if that counts toward the monthly hour limits. 2. Has anyone dealt with seasonal variations? My business is heavily Christmas-focused, so I might work 60+ hours in October-December but only 10-15 hours per month in the summer. I'm wondering how SSA handles that kind of fluctuation in the first year. 3. For those using spreadsheets to track everything - do you also photograph/scan receipts for all business expenses? I'm trying to figure out how detailed my documentation needs to be. The conflicting information issue that several people mentioned is concerning. It sounds like getting consistent guidance from SSA is almost impossible, which makes me want to be extra conservative with my record-keeping and reporting. Really appreciate this community for discussing these real-world challenges that the official SSA publications don't fully address!
Connor Gallagher
I'm 60 and this discussion has been incredibly valuable for my planning! What strikes me most is how much individual circumstances matter - from data errors to variable income years to state tax implications that @Mateo Lopez just mentioned. I had no idea that some states tax Social Security benefits and that this could actually make early claiming more attractive by spreading income over more years. That's a completely different angle than I'd been considering. The consistent message I'm hearing is: start early with earnings record verification, use the detailed SSA calculator rather than basic estimates, understand the tax implications with your other retirement income, and seriously consider professional guidance for complex situations. One question for the group - has anyone dealt with Social Security claiming while having a spouse who's significantly younger? I'm wondering how that affects the spousal benefit strategies that several people have mentioned. My wife is 7 years younger than me, so coordinating our claiming strategies seems particularly complex. Thanks to everyone who has shared their real-world experiences. This thread has completely changed how I'm approaching this decision!
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Alejandro Castro
•@Connor Gallagher - That s'a great question about spousal strategies with a significant age gap! I m'not in that exact situation, but from what I ve'learned lurking in various retirement forums, the age difference can actually create some interesting opportunities. With your wife being 7 years younger, you might be able to use a strategy where you delay your benefits to maximize them getting (those 8% annual increases until age 70 ,)while she could potentially claim spousal benefits once you start collecting - even if she hasn t'reached her own full retirement age yet. The spousal benefit could provide some income while both of your individual benefits continue to grow. But honestly, this sounds like exactly the type of situation where professional guidance would be worth it. The interaction between spousal benefits, survivor benefits especially (important with an age gap ,)and the timing of when each person claims can get really complex. A fee-only planner who specializes in Social Security optimization could probably model different scenarios and show you the long-term impact of various strategies. Have you looked into any of the online Social Security optimization tools that account for spousal benefits? I think there are some that let you input both spouses information' to compare different claiming strategies.
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Anastasia Sokolov
I'm 57 and this entire discussion has been absolutely eye-opening! As someone who's been casually checking my Social Security statements without really understanding the nuances, reading everyone's real experiences has made me realize I need to be much more proactive about planning. The variety of experiences here - from @Hugo Kass's nearly perfect estimate to @Nasira Ibanez's significant discrepancy - really drives home how much individual circumstances matter. What's particularly concerning to me is how many different factors can throw off the estimates: data errors, variable income years, WEP/GPO for government employees, and state tax implications that @Mateo Lopez mentioned. I'm definitely taking away several action items: 1. Start reviewing my earnings record annually (not just when I'm close to filing) 2. Use the detailed SSA calculator to account for my somewhat irregular freelance income over the years 3. Research the tax implications - I had no idea about provisional income or how SS benefits interact with 401k withdrawals 4. Consider professional guidance given the complexity, especially after hearing about @Paolo Moretti's experience One thing I'm curious about - for those who found discrepancies or had complex situations, did you find the SSA representatives consistent in their explanations, or did you get different answers from different agents? I'm wondering if it's worth getting any important information in writing. Thanks to everyone for sharing such detailed experiences. This is exactly the kind of real-world insight that makes all the difference in planning!
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Chloe Mitchell
•@Anastasia Sokolov - Your question about consistency of SSA representatives is really important! From my own experience and what I ve'heard from friends, you can definitely get different answers from different agents, especially on complex questions about WEP, spousal benefits, or tax implications. I d'absolutely recommend getting any critical information in writing when possible. When I was researching my options, I learned that you can request written explanations of benefit calculations or ask agents to send follow-up letters confirming what they told you over the phone. For really important decisions, some people even schedule in-person appointments at their local SSA office to have face-to-face discussions and get documentation. Your action items list is spot-on - especially the point about annual earnings record reviews. I wish I d'started doing that years ago instead of just glancing at the statements. The freelance income angle you mentioned is particularly important since irregular earnings can really throw off the standard projections. One additional tip - I ve'found it helpful to keep a simple spreadsheet tracking any SSA interactions, including date, agent name if (they provide it ,)and what was discussed. That way if you get conflicting information later, you have a record to reference. The whole system can be confusing enough without adding inconsistent advice to the mix!
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