Can I claim ex-spouse Social Security at 62 then switch to my own benefits at FRA or 70?

That's disappointing! I was really hoping to use that strategy. So if I understand correctly, whenever I decide to claim (whether at 62, FRA, or 70), I'll just get the higher of either my own benefit or my ex-spouse benefit, not one and then later switch to the other?

Thanks for sharing your experience. That's really frustrating! Did they at least tell you which benefit would be higher in your case? I'm wondering how I can figure out whether my own benefit at 70 would be substantially higher than my ex's.

my sister did this switch thing but she's 72 now so maybe different rules back then?? the whole ss system makes my head hurt lol

That's a good suggestion. I did create my SSA account but wasn't sure how to see what I'd get from my ex's record. Do I need to call them to get that information? I guess I should try to find out what his full benefit amount is first.

I had the same awful experience trying to reach SSA about my ex-spouse benefits. After multiple failed attempts, I discovered Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me through to a live agent in less than 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU - basically they navigate the phone system for you and call you back when they reach an agent. Saved me hours of frustration when I needed to discuss my complicated filing strategy. Definitely worth checking out if you need specific answers about your ex-spouse benefit amounts.

never heard of that but gonna check it out!! anything to avoid those endless holds and "please call back later" messages!!

That's really helpful perspective. I'm definitely torn between taking benefits early vs waiting. I just wish there was a way to get the ex-spouse benefits while waiting for my own to grow to age 70. Sounds like that's not an option anymore though.

Thanks for the additional details. This makes the decision clearer. I'll definitely need to contact SSA to get the ex-spouse benefit estimate so I can make a proper comparison. Really appreciate everyone's help with this complicated decision!

This is an excellent point about the earnings test. For 2025, if you're under FRA and collect benefits, SSA will deduct $1 for every $2 you earn above $22,560 (approximately). Once you reach FRA, there's no earnings limit. This is something to carefully consider if you're planning to continue working.

That's a really good point about the timing of his SSDI conversion! I actually don't know his exact birth date - we've been divorced for several years and don't really communicate. Is there a way to find out when his benefits will convert without having to contact him directly? I assume SSA won't give me information about his specific benefits due to privacy rules. This timing detail could definitely impact my planning since it affects when I'd be eligible to claim the ex-spouse benefit. Thanks for thinking of that - it's yet another complexity I hadn't considered!

You're right that SSA won't share his specific benefit information with you due to privacy laws. However, you don't necessarily need his exact birth date or benefit amounts to move forward with your planning. When you call SSA to inquire about your potential ex-spouse benefits, they should be able to look up your marriage record and his Social Security number (if you have it) to give you an estimate of what your ex-spouse benefit would be. They can do this calculation based on his earnings record without revealing his private information to you. If you don't have his SSN, they might be able to work with his full name and approximate birth year since you were married. The key is that you're asking about YOUR potential benefits, not his specific benefit amounts.

Unfortunately, SSA won't share your ex-spouse's specific benefit information with you due to privacy laws - you're absolutely right about that. However, you don't actually need to know the exact conversion date to start planning. Here's what you CAN do: You're eligible to claim divorced spouse benefits as soon as YOU turn 62, regardless of when his SSDI converts to retirement benefits. The key requirement is that he's entitled to benefits (which he is, since he's receiving SSDI), not that he's receiving retirement benefits specifically. When you contact SSA for your benefit estimate, they can run the calculations based on his earnings record without revealing his personal details to you. They'll just tell you what YOUR potential divorced spouse benefit would be. So you can move forward with getting those estimates and doing your planning without needing to contact your ex at all!

Unfortunately, SSA won't share details about your ex-spouse's benefits due to privacy laws - you're absolutely right about that. However, you don't actually need to know the exact conversion date to plan your strategy. Here's why: you can apply for ex-spousal benefits as soon as you turn 62, regardless of when his SSDI converts to retirement benefits. The key requirement is that he's entitled to benefits (which he already is through SSDI), not that he's specifically receiving retirement benefits. When you contact SSA for your benefit estimate, they should be able to calculate your potential ex-spousal benefit based on his current earnings record without you needing his personal details. Just have your marriage certificate and divorce decree ready when you call - that's all the documentation they typically need to verify your eligibility.

Unfortunately, SSA won't share details about your ex-spouse's benefits due to privacy laws - you're absolutely right about that. However, you don't necessarily need his exact conversion date to move forward with your planning. When you contact SSA about your potential ex-spousal benefits, they can run calculations based on his current SSDI amount since that will become his retirement benefit at FRA. The key thing is that you were married for 17 years (well over the 10-year minimum) and haven't remarried, so you definitely qualify. I'd suggest calling SSA with whatever information you do have about your ex (full name, approximate age, SSN if you remember it) and let them guide you through what they need to calculate your potential benefit. They deal with these situations regularly and should be able to work with the information available.

Unfortunately, SSA won't share your ex-spouse's specific benefit information with you due to privacy laws - you're absolutely right about that. However, you don't actually need to know the exact conversion date to start planning. You can request an estimate of your potential ex-spousal benefits from SSA without them disclosing his personal details. They calculate this based on his earnings record, and the estimate will be the same whether his SSDI converts this year or next year (since SSDI amounts equal the full retirement benefit amount). What matters more for your timeline is your own age and when YOU want to claim benefits. I'd suggest calling SSA (or using that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier) to get your ex-spousal benefit estimate, then you can plan your strategy from there regardless of his exact conversion timing.