Can I collect from both my own Social Security and my ex-spouse's benefits, or just the higher amount?

You don't get both - you get the higher of the two. If your ex-spouse's benefit would give you more than your own work record, then you'd get that amount instead of your own benefit. But there's a strategy here: you could take your ex-spouse's benefit at your full retirement age and let your own benefit grow until 70 if your own would be higher by then with the delayed retirement credits. I struggled with this exact same issue last year. Spent WEEKS trying to get through to Social Security to get a straight answer. Kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours. Finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to a real person at SSA in under 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The agent explained everything clearly and helped me figure out which option was best in my situation. Worth every penny to save the frustration!

yes i went through this 2 yrs ago u just get the higher one not both sorry

Social Security rules for ex-spouse benefits can be confusing, but here's how it works: 1. You don't receive both benefits simultaneously. SSA will pay your own retirement benefit first, then supplement it if your ex-spouse's benefit would be higher. 2. To qualify for ex-spouse benefits: - Marriage lasted at least 10 years (you qualify with 23 years) - You must be unmarried currently - You must be at least 62 - Your ex must be entitled to benefits (doesn't need to be claiming them) 3. The maximum you can receive on your ex's record is 50% of his full retirement age benefit amount. 4. If you claim before your Full Retirement Age (FRA), both your own benefit and the ex-spouse benefit will be permanently reduced. 5. Importantly, if your ex hasn't filed yet but is eligible, you can still claim on his record if you've been divorced for at least 2 years. I would recommend scheduling an appointment with SSA to get a personalized analysis. They can calculate exact amounts based on both earnings records.

Whichever is higher. But be careful! My sister thought she'd get her ex's and did all the paperwork only to find out she made $237 too much in some random year in the 90s to qualify or something ridiculous like that. The whole system is designed to confuse people and deny benefits if you ask me.

just went thrugh this exact thing but m still working part time. Social security only give you the higher of the two benefits not both added together. I was so disappointed because I was counting on both!!! They should make this more clear on their website!!

I have a similar question aobut my situation. My husband passed away last year and I'm getting survivor benefits now (I'm 60). When I reach 62 next year, can I switch to my own SS if it's higher? Or once I start survivor benefits am I stuck with that forever? The whole system is SO CONFUSING!!!

Here's the technical explanation of what happens: SSA doesn't actually give you "whichever is higher" in the way most people think. What actually happens is you receive your own retirement benefit first, and then if your spousal benefit would be higher, you receive an additional amount to bring the total up to the higher benefit level. From SSA's perspective, you're receiving both benefits, but you're only getting the differential amount from the second benefit. That's why people say "you get the higher of the two" as a simplification, though it's not technically how the system calculates it. This is important because it affects how certain reductions and increases are applied. For example, if you're subject to the Government Pension Offset or Windfall Elimination Provision, understanding how the benefits are actually calculated becomes crucial. At your age (64), taking benefits now means accepting a permanent reduction of approximately 13.3% from your full retirement age amount. If maximizing monthly income is important, you might consider waiting until your full retirement age.

my friend told me if u call the SS office directly they'll tell u the exact amount you'll get on your record vs your ex. save u all the trouble of guessing

Just wanted to update that I ended up using Claimyr this afternoon after seeing so many people mention long hold times. It really did work! Got connected to a Social Security rep in about 15 minutes. The rep confirmed that in my case, my own benefit would be slightly higher than the ex-spouse benefit, so I'll be going with that when I reach my full retirement age next year. Such a relief to have a clear answer finally!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm in a similar boat - divorced after 18 years, turning 62 next month, and completely overwhelmed by all the Social Security options. Reading everyone's experiences has been eye-opening. What I'm taking away from all your responses is that I really need to get the actual numbers before making any decisions. It sounds like the key steps are: 1. Get my own benefit estimate from my SSA account online 2. Call or visit SSA to get the ex-spouse benefit calculation 3. Compare the numbers at different claiming ages 4. Decide on the best strategy based on my financial needs The Claimyr service several people mentioned sounds like it might be worth trying to avoid the phone hold nightmare. Has anyone else used them recently? I'm curious if their service is still working well. Also, for those who visited local SSA offices - did you need to bring any specific documentation about your divorce, or do they already have access to that information in their system? Thanks to everyone for sharing your experiences. It's so much more helpful than trying to decipher the SSA website!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I'm 62 and considering early retirement, but I've been putting off dealing with the Social Security decision because it seemed so overwhelming. Reading everyone's experiences here has given me the confidence to actually start the process. A few questions based on what I've read: 1. For those who visited SSA offices in person - how far in advance did you need to schedule an appointment? I'm wondering if I should plan for this to take a few weeks or if I can get in sooner. 2. I keep seeing mentions of "full retirement age" - is this the same for everyone or does it depend on when you were born? I was born in 1961, so I'm trying to figure out what mine would be. 3. The strategy of taking one benefit first and potentially switching later sounds interesting, but I'm confused about the 2015 rule changes someone mentioned. Can anyone explain what changed and how it affects people in our situation? I really appreciate how helpful everyone has been in sharing their real experiences. It's made this whole topic feel much less intimidating. I think I'm going to try the Claimyr service that several people recommended - it sounds like it could save me a lot of frustration with phone hold times! Thanks to everyone for making this such an informative discussion. I'll definitely update once I get my own situation figured out.

I'm in almost the exact same situation as you! Divorced after 20 years, ex made significantly more, and I'm 63 trying to figure out the best strategy. This thread has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea about some of these rules. One thing I learned from my research is that you might want to consider your health and family longevity when making this decision. If you're in good health and have family members who lived into their 80s or 90s, waiting until full retirement age (or even 70 for your own benefit if it's higher) could pay off significantly over your lifetime. But if you have health concerns or really need the income now, claiming earlier might make more sense. I've been using the SSA's online calculators to run different scenarios, but I think I'm going to follow the advice here and either use Claimyr or visit a local office to get the exact numbers. The peace of mind of knowing exactly what I'd receive under each scenario seems worth the time and effort. Thanks to everyone who's shared their experiences - this is exactly the kind of real-world information that's impossible to find on the official websites!

I'm new to this community but had to jump in because I'm dealing with this exact situation right now! Just turned 63 and have been putting off this decision for months because it felt so overwhelming. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly eye-opening. I had no idea about the rule that you have to specifically ask to be considered for ex-spouse benefits - I thought they automatically checked both. That could have been a costly mistake! A few things I'm taking away from everyone's advice: 1. Get actual dollar amounts for both scenarios before deciding 2. Consider the long-term impact of early claiming reductions (that 13.3% reduction over 20-30 years is significant!) 3. Factor in health, family longevity, and other income sources 4. Don't forget about the earnings test if planning to work part-time I'm definitely going to try either Claimyr or visit a local SSA office to get my exact calculations. The peace of mind of having real numbers seems worth whatever time or cost is involved. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this thread has been more helpful than hours of trying to decipher the SSA website! I'll update once I get my situation sorted out.

I'm 61 and facing this same decision in a few years, so I've been following this thread closely. What strikes me most is how much clearer this becomes when you have the actual dollar amounts rather than trying to guess based on general rules. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is the impact of cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) over time. Since these are percentage increases, getting a higher base benefit amount by waiting could compound significantly over a 20-30 year retirement. A $200 difference per month might seem modest now, but with COLAs over decades, it could become substantial. I'm also curious about something - for those who've gotten their calculations from SSA, did they provide projections at different claiming ages for BOTH your own benefit and the ex-spouse benefit? It seems like understanding how both options change based on when you claim would be crucial for making the best decision. The tax angle someone mentioned is really important too. If you have other retirement income or work part-time, a higher Social Security benefit could push you into a higher tax bracket on the benefits themselves. Definitely something to factor into the overall analysis. Thanks to everyone for making this such an informative discussion. I'm definitely going to start getting my own calculations done now rather than waiting until I'm closer to retirement age. Better to have time to plan properly!

I'm 58 and will be facing this exact decision in a few years, so this thread has been incredibly valuable! Reading everyone's real experiences is so much more helpful than trying to navigate the SSA website alone. What really resonates with me is the emphasis on getting actual calculations rather than making assumptions. I've been putting off thinking about this seriously, but seeing how complex these decisions are - and how much money is potentially at stake over a 20-30 year retirement - I realize I need to start planning now. A couple of questions for those who've been through this process: 1. When you got your calculations from SSA, did they show you monthly amounts or annual totals? I'm wondering what format makes it easiest to compare options. 2. For those who used Claimyr - roughly what did it cost? I'm trying to weigh the convenience against just grinding through the regular SSA phone system. The point about this being a permanent decision affecting decades of income really hits home. I'd rather spend some time and effort now to get it right than regret rushing into the wrong choice later. Thanks to everyone for sharing such detailed experiences. This community support is amazing - I had no idea so many people were dealing with the same complex decisions!

I'm 59 and just starting to research this topic since I'll be facing similar decisions in a few years. This entire thread has been incredibly enlightening! Reading everyone's real-world experiences is so much more valuable than trying to decode the SSA website. What really strikes me from all these responses is how individual each situation is, despite the similar circumstances. The difference between someone's own benefit and their ex-spouse benefit can vary so much based on earnings histories, and the timing decisions become really personal based on health, financial needs, and family longevity. I'm particularly grateful for the practical tips people have shared - like needing to specifically request consideration for ex-spouse benefits, the importance of getting actual dollar calculations rather than estimates, and the various tools (like Claimyr) to navigate the system more efficiently. One thing I'm taking away is that this really is a decision worth investing time and effort into researching properly. When you consider we're talking about potentially 25-30 years of monthly payments, even small differences in strategy can add up to significant amounts over time. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share their experiences and knowledge. This community discussion has given me a much clearer roadmap for when I start my own research process. I'll definitely be coming back to reference these insights when my time comes!

I'm 60 and will be dealing with this exact situation in a few years, so this thread has been absolutely invaluable for my planning! My ex and I were married for 14 years, and like many others here, he consistently out-earned me. What I'm finding most helpful is everyone's emphasis on getting the actual calculations rather than trying to estimate. I've been using the online SSA calculator for my own benefits, but I hadn't realized I'd need to specifically request the ex-spouse benefit calculation - that's such an important detail that could easily be missed! The long-term perspective people have shared really puts things in context too. When you think about a decision affecting 25-30 years of income, spending time now to understand all the options seems like such a worthwhile investment. The COLA compounding effect someone mentioned is particularly eye-opening - even small differences in base amounts could become substantial over decades. I'm definitely planning to start my research process early based on everyone's advice here. The Claimyr service sounds promising for avoiding the phone hold issues, and visiting a local SSA office seems like a good backup option. Thanks to everyone for creating such a supportive and informative discussion. This community has given me a clear roadmap for approaching this complex decision when my time comes. I'll definitely update with my own experience once I go through the process!

I'm 55 and just discovered this thread while researching Social Security options for my future. This has been absolutely eye-opening! My ex-husband and I were married for 12 years, and reading everyone's experiences has made me realize I need to start planning much earlier than I thought. What really strikes me from all these detailed responses is how much strategy can go into these decisions when you have the right information. The difference between just "winging it" at 62 versus doing proper research and calculations could literally mean tens of thousands of dollars over a retirement. A few things I'm taking away that I never knew before: - You have to specifically ASK to be considered for ex-spouse benefits - they don't automatically check - The ex-spouse benefit is based on their full retirement age amount, not what they're actually collecting - Getting actual dollar calculations is crucial rather than trying to estimate - The 2015 rule changes affected some strategies but divorced spouse benefits still have options I'm definitely going to start getting my own benefit estimates now and begin planning for how to get the ex-spouse calculations when the time comes. The Claimyr service sounds promising based on everyone's positive experiences. Thanks to everyone for creating such an informative and supportive discussion. This community has given me a clear roadmap for approaching this decision strategically rather than just hoping for the best when I hit retirement age. I'll definitely be back to share my own experience once I go through the process!

I'm 52 and just stumbled upon this thread while doing some early retirement planning research - what an absolute goldmine of information! My ex-husband and I were married for 15 years, and I honestly had no clue about most of these divorced spouse benefit rules until reading through everyone's experiences. The level of detail and practical advice shared here is incredible. I'm especially grateful for learning that you have to specifically request consideration for ex-spouse benefits - I would have assumed they automatically check all options for you. That alone could have been a costly oversight! What really resonates with me is everyone's emphasis on starting research early and getting actual calculations rather than guessing. When I think about how this decision could affect 20-30 years of retirement income, it's clear this deserves serious time and attention rather than just hoping everything works out. I'm planning to create my SSA account soon to start tracking my own benefit projections, and I'll definitely be using the strategies people have shared here when I get closer to eligibility. The Claimyr service sounds like a great way to avoid the phone hold nightmare, and the spreadsheet approach with break-even analysis sounds perfect for visualizing the long-term impact of different decisions. Thanks to everyone for creating such a supportive and informative community discussion. You've given those of us in earlier planning stages such valuable insights that we never would have found elsewhere. I'll definitely come back to share my own experience when I go through this process in about 10 years!