Can I claim Social Security benefits from multiple ex-spouses? 14-year and 6-year marriages
I've been divorced twice and thinking about my future SS retirement options. My first marriage lasted 14 years and my second marriage was 6 years long. Both marriages ended before I turned 60, and honestly, I'm not planning on getting married again 😅 My question is: would I qualify to collect Social Security benefits based on either of my ex-spouses' earnings records when I reach retirement age? Do I have to choose one, or could I potentially collect from both depending on which gives me more? I know the 10-year rule exists, but I'm confused about having multiple ex-spouses with different marriage durations. Really appreciate any insights!
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Yuki Kobayashi
You can definitely claim on your first ex-spouse's record since that marriage lasted over 10 years, which is the minimum requirement for divorced spouse benefits. The second marriage doesn't qualify because it was less than 10 years. When you file, you should qualify for either your own benefit or 50% of your first ex's full retirement benefit (whichever is higher). Just make sure you're unmarried when you file for the ex-spouse benefit. I went through something similar and found the SSA website page on divorced spouse benefits really helpful.
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Ethan Moore
•Thanks for clarifying! So it really is a strict 10-year minimum then. Do you know if I need to contact my ex to get their permission or anything? We're not exactly on speaking terms...
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Carmen Vega
my mom tried to get benefits from both her exes and they told her no way, she could only pick the highest one. the 2nd marriage proly doesnt count anyway since it was less then 10 yrs
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Ethan Moore
•Thanks for sharing your mom's experience. That's what I was worried about - that I'd only be able to pick one even if both marriages qualified. But sounds like only my first marriage would count anyway.
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QuantumQuester
To clarify some misinformation here: For divorced spouse benefits, you need: 1. Marriage lasting at least 10 years 2. You must be unmarried currently 3. You must be at least 62 years old 4. Your ex must be entitled to benefits (though they don't need to be claiming yet) You can ONLY claim from your first marriage since it meets the 10-year duration requirement. The second marriage is irrelevant for benefit purposes. You don't need your ex's permission or cooperation - SSA handles everything, and your ex won't even be notified. When you apply, you'll be eligible for the higher of your own benefit or up to 50% of your ex's full retirement benefit (if you wait until your own FRA to claim).
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Ethan Moore
•Thank you so much for this detailed explanation! That's a huge relief about not needing my ex's permission. Do you know if claiming on his record would affect his benefits at all?
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QuantumQuester
•No, claiming on your ex-spouse's record has absolutely no impact on their benefit amount. They'll continue to receive their full benefit regardless of whether you claim on their record or not. It's completely separate, and as I mentioned, they won't even be notified that you're claiming on their record.
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Andre Moreau
I GOT ROYALLY CONFUSED BY THIS TOO!! Spent 4 days trying to get a straight answer from Social Security about my ex-husband's benefits. Called 47 times and kept getting disconnected. FINALLY got through and they told me because we were married 12 years I could claim on his record but NOT until I turned 62. So frustrating!!
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Zoe Stavros
•Next time try Claimyr when you need to reach SSA. I was in the same boat trying to reach someone about my divorced spouse benefits. Used their service at claimyr.com and they got me connected to an actual person at Social Security in under 20 minutes instead of calling for days. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU - saved me so much frustration!
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Jamal Harris
Social Security specialist here. Just to add some nuance: if your first ex passes away before you claim benefits, you could potentially claim survivor benefits based on their record (since you were married 10+ years). This would allow you to receive up to 100% of their benefit amount rather than the 50% for divorced spouse benefits. Also, it's worth noting that if you're still working and earning a good income, your own benefit might actually be higher than what you'd get from the ex-spouse benefit. I always recommend getting a benefit estimate from SSA for all your options before making any decisions.
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Ethan Moore
•This is really helpful additional information. I hadn't even considered the survivor benefit scenario. Is there a way to estimate what my benefit would be based on my ex's record without contacting him directly? I've been working consistently but with some lower-earning years mixed in.
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Jamal Harris
•Unfortunately, SSA won't give you specific information about your ex's benefit amount until you actually apply. However, you can create a my Social Security account online and get your own benefit estimate. When you're closer to retirement age (around 60-61), schedule an appointment with SSA to discuss your options - they can provide personalized comparisons of your own benefit versus potential divorced spouse benefits without involving your ex at all.
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Mei Chen
Thought I'd share my experience - I was married for 12 years, divorced, then remarried for 3 years and divorced again. I'm collecting on my first ex's record now (he made way more money than me) and getting about $1,450/month. I didn't even know I could do this until my neighbor told me! SSA never volunteered this info when I initially applied just based on my own work record. Had to specifically ask about ex-spouse benefits.
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Ethan Moore
•Thank you for sharing your real experience! That's exactly my situation. Did you have to provide marriage and divorce certificates when you applied? I'm worried because my divorce paperwork is somewhere in storage from my last move.
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Mei Chen
•Yes, I needed both marriage and divorce certificates for the qualifying marriage. Start tracking those down now - it took me forever to get a certified copy of my divorce decree! The county courthouse where your divorce was finalized can provide copies if you've lost yours. Worth the hassle though - the difference between my own benefit and what I get from my ex's record is almost $400 monthly.
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Carmen Vega
My friend at work said something about a "restricted application" if you were born before 1954? does that matter for divorced benefits?
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QuantumQuester
•Good question! The "restricted application" strategy (which allowed claiming ex-spouse benefits while letting your own benefit grow) is only available to people born before January 2, 1954. For those born after that date, when you file for any benefit, you're deemed to be filing for all benefits you're eligible for, and you'll receive whichever is higher. So if the original poster was born after that date, this strategy won't be available to them.
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Zoe Stavros
I've been through this exact process! Just FYI - when you do apply, make sure to specifically tell them you want to file for divorced spouse benefits. I originally just applied for retirement and the claims specialist never mentioned I could get more by claiming on my ex's record (we were married 11 years). Had to go back and refile 6 months later when I found out, and they only gave me 6 months of retroactive payments even though I was eligible all along. So frustrating!
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Ethan Moore
•Thank you for this important tip! I would have assumed they automatically check all options for you. I'll definitely make sure to specifically mention the divorced spouse benefits when my time comes to apply.
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