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Everybody here is making it more complicated than it needs to be. Just go on ssa.gov and create a my Social Security account if you don't already have one. Under benefit estimates, there's an option to calculate different scenarios. You can enter your ex's info there and see what you'd get without having to deal with anyone on the phone.
I'm sorry, but this is incorrect information. The online benefit calculators on my Social Security do NOT have the ability to calculate divorced spouse benefits. They only calculate your own retirement, disability, and family benefits based on your own record. For divorced spouse benefits, you must speak with an SSA representative.
Just one more thing - if your ex has remarried but you haven't, you can still claim on his record. But if YOU remarry, you generally can't claim on your ex's record anymore (unless that marriage ends too). Just mentioning since I didn't know this before I started researching.
Good to know! I'm still single and don't plan on remarrying anytime soon, but that's definitely important information to keep in mind.
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i claimed at 62 and now i regret it so much!! wish i had waited. im getting almost $800 less each month than if i waited till my FRA. think carefully about your decision!!
You know you can pay back all the benefits you've received and withdraw your application within 12 months of filing? Then its like you never filed and you can restart later. But you gotta pay back EVERYTHING you received.
As a final note, the SSA provides calculators on their website that can show you your estimated benefit amounts at different claiming ages. These estimates are based on your actual earnings record. You can also schedule an appointment with an SSA representative who can walk you through your specific options. The decision of when to claim is highly personal and depends on factors like your health, family longevity, current financial needs, other income sources, and marital status. There's no one-size-fits-all answer, but understanding the exact percentage increases and reductions helps you make an informed choice.
Thank you all for your helpful responses! This has given me a much clearer understanding of how the different rates work. I'll definitely use the SSA calculators and consider scheduling an appointment to discuss my specific situation. The difference between claiming at 62 versus 70 is much more significant than I realized.
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I'm also a retired teacher (Maine) married to someone getting SS. The GPO is still in effect and probably will be for the foreseeable future despite all the talk. Here's what helped me: go to socialsecurity.gov, create an account if she doesn't have one, and run the benefit calculator. It will tell her EXACTLY what she might get as a spouse. Don't count on getting anything though - with her pension amount, the 2/3 offset will probably eliminate any spousal benefit entirely. But survivor benefits later might still give her something. The whole GPO/WEP situation is incredibly frustrating for those of us who dedicated our careers to public service!!
Thank you for the suggestion about the benefit calculator. I'll help her set up an account this weekend. And yes, it does seem incredibly unfair that teachers are essentially penalized for their career choice. I appreciate everyone's helpful responses!
I believe Colorado is one of the states where teachers DON'T pay into Social Security, which is why the GPO applies to her. In some states, teachers DO pay into both systems. Anyway, definitely have her apply regardless! My aunt was in almost the identical situation (teacher in Illinois) and she assumed she wouldn't get anything because of GPO. But it turned out part of her teaching career was actually covered employment because she worked in a different state early in her career where they DID pay into SS. She ended up qualifying for a small amount of spousal benefits! The SSA systems are complicated and even their own agents sometimes miss things. Always apply and get the official determination.
this is so true!! my brother worked as a janitor at a school for 10 years before becoming a teacher and those years counted differently for the GPO calculation. the rules are so confusing even the SSA people mess it up sometimes.
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One thing I want to clarify about divorced spouse benefits - you mentioned possibly being able to claim them at 60, but that's not accurate. Divorced spouse benefits based on an ex's retirement record (not disability) can only be claimed as early as age 62, and they're reduced if taken before your FRA. The benefit you can potentially claim at 60 is a surviving divorced spouse benefit, which only applies if your ex-spouse has passed away. Based on your post, it sounds like your ex is still living. Just wanted to clarify this point since there seems to be some confusion about the different types of benefits and their eligibility ages.
Thank you for that clarification! You're right - my ex is still alive, so survivor benefits wouldn't apply. I think I was confusing the different benefit types. The Social Security rules really are complicated.
i think ur overthinking this... ur getting a decent benefit already and the stress of trying to figure out all this complicated stuff isn't worth it. just enjoy ur retirement and the money ur already getting! life's 2 short 2 spend it fighting with SS bureaucracy
You make a good point about stress! $2,470 is definitely not terrible, and I'm grateful to have it plus my part-time income. Maybe I should focus on enjoying life rather than maximizing every dollar. Thanks for the perspective.
Brady Clean
I'm still confused about survivor vs retirement benefits. Are they the same amount? How do you know which one to take?
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Molly Hansen
•They're usually different amounts. Your retirement benefit is based on your own work history. The survivor benefit is based on your ex-husband's work history - specifically, it's based on what he would have received at his full retirement age. The best strategy depends on your specific situation. Generally: 1. If your survivor benefit would be higher than your own benefit at age 70, take the survivor benefit at your FRA (to get the full amount). 2. If your own benefit at 70 would be higher than the survivor benefit, take the survivor benefit early (even with the reduction) and switch to your own at 70. This is why getting a detailed benefit calculation from SSA for both benefits is so important before making a decision.
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Sophie Footman
Thank you everyone for all this helpful information! I've made an appointment with my local SSA office for next month to discuss my specific situation. In the meantime, I'll gather my ex-husband's death certificate and our marriage/divorce documents. It's complicated, but it sounds like it might still be worth claiming survivor benefits even with the earnings reduction - especially if I can switch to my own benefit later. I'll definitely be clear about restricting my application to ONLY survivor benefits!
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