Can I claim SS retirement at 62 on my work record then switch to ex-spouse benefits at 67?

Yes, you CAN claim your own benefit first and then switch to ex-spouse later, but it might not be the best strategy depending on the numbers. Since you were married more than 10 years, you qualify for ex-spouse benefits. The key question: how much will your own benefit be at 62 compared to 50% of his FRA benefit (what you'd get at YOUR FRA as ex-spouse)? You can actually run these calculations using the tools on ssa.gov or by scheduling an appointment with SSA. I've helped many people in similar situations figure this out!

hi there im in a similar situation but i was married 22 years. my ex already gets his ss and i tried to call ssa about it but they kept me on hold for 2 HOURS then disconnected me!!! typical government nonsense. anyway my sister told me you have to be unmarried to claim on your ex's record so if u remarried u might be out of luck

There's a key misunderstanding here I want to clear up. Under current Social Security rules, you can no longer use the "file and switch" strategy you're describing. This was eliminated by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015. What you CAN do: - File for ALL benefits you're eligible for at once (either at 62 or later) - SSA will pay you the highest benefit you qualify for If your ex-spouse's 50% benefit would be higher than your own, you'd get that amount (reduced if claiming before FRA). If your own benefit is higher, you'd get that instead. But there's no longer a way to take the smaller benefit first and then switch to the larger one later - you get the higher of the two, period.

My cousin just went through this exact thing!!! She said the trick is you HAVE TO CALL and talk to an actual person because the online stuff doesn't explain divorced spouse benefits right. She waited forever but finally got someone who helped her.

I THOUGHT I COULD SWITCH TOO BUT THEY TOLD ME NO!!!! The Social Security people said that rule changed and now you just get whichever is bigger. So annoying because my friend's sister did the switching thing years ago and now we can't!! The government always changes rules to give us LESS money!!!

wait i just remembered something important - you have to be UNMARRIED when you apply for ex-spouse benefits! if you remarried you can only get benefits on your current spouse

Based on what others are saying about the rule changes (which is correct), your best strategy might be to calculate: 1. What your own benefit would be at 62 (reduced) vs. at your FRA of 67 (full) 2. What your ex-spouse benefit would be at 62 (reduced) vs. at your FRA (full 50% of his FRA amount) Then compare these numbers to decide when to file. If you only worked for 4 years, your own benefit might be quite small, so the ex-spouse benefit could be much better. If you can afford to wait until 67, you'd get the full 50% of his FRA benefit (not what he's actually receiving, since he took it early).

To answer your follow-up question about estimating without calling: Unfortunately, the SSA website calculators don't handle ex-spouse benefits well. You need information about your ex's earnings record, which you don't have access to online. Your best options are: 1. Schedule an in-person appointment at your local SSA office (often 1-2 month wait) 2. Call SSA directly (long wait times but they can access all records) 3. Create a my Social Security account to at least see YOUR estimated benefits And yes, your ex-spouse benefit would be based on 50% of his FULL retirement age amount, regardless of when he actually claimed. So him taking it early at 62 doesn't reduce what you can get.

I went through almost the exact same situation last year! After trying for weeks to get good information, I finally got through to SSA using Claimyr (claimyr.com). They got me a callback from SSA in about 15 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours. You can see how it works in their demo video: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU When I talked to the SSA rep, I found out my ex-spouse benefit was almost DOUBLE what my own benefit would be (I also had limited work history). They confirmed I couldn't do the switch strategy but helped me calculate exactly when would be optimal to file based on my specific numbers. Turned out waiting until 65 was my sweet spot - not quite FRA but better than taking it at 62.

Yes, Claimyr was super straightforward! I was skeptical at first, but it literally just took a couple minutes to set up. The part I found most valuable was being able to get concrete numbers for different filing ages - 62 vs 65 vs 67. In my case, the difference between filing at 62 vs 67 was about $450 per month, which adds up to over $5,000 a year. When the SSA agent looked at both my record and my ex's, they were able to tell me exactly what I'd get at each age.

I want to add an important point about Medicare timing that affects this decision. Even if you delay taking Social Security until your FRA of 67, you should still sign up for Medicare at 65 to avoid late enrollment penalties. This is separate from your Social Security decision but commonly overlooked in retirement planning. Regarding your primary question: with only 4 years of full-time work, your own benefit is likely to be quite limited. The ex-spouse benefit (50% of his FRA amount) will almost certainly be higher. The key decision is timing - each year you delay between 62 and 67 increases your benefit amount by about 7-8%.

Yes, absolutely file for Medicare at 65 regardless of your SS decision! The two systems are connected but have different optimal timing. That 7-8% annual increase for delaying SS is why many financial advisors recommend waiting if you can afford to. But if you need the income sooner, taking it at 62 isn't wrong - it's just a different strategy. Your personal financial situation (savings, other income sources, health, etc.) should guide this decision more than anything else.

I'm in a very similar situation and have been researching this extensively. One thing I learned that might help: even though the "file and switch" strategy was eliminated in 2015, there's still value in understanding the timing. Since you were married 36 years (well over the 10-year requirement), you definitely qualify for ex-spouse benefits. Here's what I found out about the current rules: when you file, SSA automatically calculates ALL benefits you're eligible for and pays you the highest amount. So if your ex-spouse benefit (50% of his full retirement age amount) is higher than your own benefit, that's what you'll get - but it will be reduced if you take it before your FRA of 67. The key insight is that your ex taking his benefit early at 62 doesn't hurt you at all - your potential benefit is still based on what he would have gotten at his full retirement age, not what he's actually receiving. Given your limited work history, the ex-spouse benefit will very likely be much higher than your own. I'd strongly recommend getting the exact numbers before making any decisions. The difference between filing at 62 vs 67 could be substantial over your lifetime.

I'm also divorced and facing similar retirement planning challenges, so this thread has been incredibly helpful! One thing I wanted to add that I learned from my own research: even though you can't do the old "file and switch" strategy anymore, there's still some flexibility in timing if you have other income sources to bridge the gap. For example, if you have any 401k or IRA savings, you might be able to use those for a few years while letting your Social Security benefit grow. The 7-8% annual increase others mentioned for delaying is actually pretty significant - it's like getting a guaranteed return on investment, which is rare these days. Also, since you mentioned being stressed about retirement planning, you might want to look into whether you qualify for any state programs for low-income seniors or consider part-time work that could help supplement whatever Social Security benefit you decide to take. Every little bit helps when you're starting retirement planning later in life. The most important thing is getting those exact numbers from SSA so you can make an informed decision based on your specific situation rather than general rules. Wishing you the best with this process!

I've been following this thread closely as someone who works with retirement planning, and I want to emphasize something crucial that hasn't been fully addressed: you mentioned you're 60 now and completely stressed about this decision, but you actually have some time to plan strategically. Since you can't claim Social Security until 62 anyway, use these next two years to your advantage! Consider maximizing your earnings during this time since Social Security benefits are calculated on your highest 35 years of earnings. Even two more years of good earnings can improve your own benefit calculation. Also, I'd recommend creating a comprehensive budget for different scenarios - what would your expenses look like if you claimed at 62 vs 65 vs 67? Factor in healthcare costs (remember Medicare starts at 65), housing, and daily living expenses. Sometimes the peace of mind of having income at 62, even if reduced, outweighs the financial benefit of waiting, especially if you're stressed about making ends meet. The emotional toll of financial uncertainty shouldn't be underestimated. While the math might favor waiting until 67, if claiming at 62 or 65 gives you security and reduces your stress significantly, that has real value too. There's no universally "right" answer - only what works best for your specific situation.

I just wanted to jump in here as someone who went through a very similar situation! I was divorced after 28 years of marriage and had only worked sporadically before that. The uncertainty about Social Security benefits was keeping me up at night. One thing that really helped me was understanding that you have more options than just the "all or nothing" approach at 62 vs 67. I ended up filing at 64 after running the numbers with an SSA representative. While it wasn't the maximum possible benefit, it gave me the financial security I needed while still being significantly higher than what I would have gotten at 62. Also, don't overlook survivor benefits if something happens to your ex-spouse down the road - as his ex-wife, you may be entitled to his full benefit amount rather than just the 50% spousal benefit. This isn't something you plan for, obviously, but it's worth understanding as part of your overall picture. The key thing that gave me peace of mind was getting those exact dollar amounts for different filing ages. Once I saw the real numbers instead of just percentages and estimates, the decision became much clearer. Hang in there - you're asking all the right questions and there are good options available to you!