Can I get Social Security spousal benefits after remarrying at 65 with only 1 year of marriage?

Yes, you can claim spousal benefits on your new husband's record after 12 months of marriage. The SSA requires a one-year marriage duration before you can claim spousal benefits on a current spouse. Since you're already at your Full Retirement Age (FRA), you'd be eligible for the full 50% of his Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) if that's higher than your own benefit. But one thing to consider: marrying will terminate your ability to collect on your ex-spouse's record. So if your boyfriend's benefit might not be as high as expected or if something happens to the relationship before the 12-month mark, you could be in a financially worse position. Have you checked what your ex's benefit amount would provide you currently?

not sure if this helps but my aunt had similar situation got remarried at 67 and she had to wait the full year before gettin anything from new husbands record. SSA is super strict about that 12 month thing.

CAREFUL HERE!!! The SSA will stop any ex-spouse benefits the MOMENT you remarry!!! Not after 12 months, but ON YOUR WEDDING DAY!!! So you could end up with NOTHING for a full year if you don't plan this right!! I found this out the hard way and it cost me THOUSANDS!!! Also, make sure your new man is ACTUALLY going to file for his benefits or you can't get spousal benefits even after the 12 months!! I learned all this the HARD WAY!!!!

To answer your question about checking your ex's record - you can contact SSA directly without involving your ex. You'll need his Social Security number ideally, but even without it, they can often locate his record with his full name, date of birth, and places he worked. They can tell you what your divorced spouse benefit would be. And yes, the previous commenter is correct - you would lose access to your ex-spouse's benefits immediately upon remarriage, creating a potential 12-month gap before you could claim on your new husband's record. Make sure you factor this into your financial planning.

i got married to my second husband when i was 62 and we had to wait the full year before i could get anything. we got married in june and they wouldnt let me apply until the next june. but my husband had to be receiving his benefits first or i couldnt get anything anyways. is your boyfriend already collecting social security? if not you have to wait for him to file first

Something no one's mentioned yet - have you considered delaying the wedding but having a commitment ceremony instead? That way you could continue receiving divorced spouse benefits until your boyfriend retires and files for his benefits. Then you could officially marry after he's already receiving his Social Security. This would prevent any gap in your benefit payments while still allowing you to celebrate your relationship.

Good luck getting actual answers from SSA right now! I tried calling them for WEEKS about my spousal benefits and could never get through. Always busy signals or disconnected after hours on hold. Finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an agent in 20 minutes instead of waiting for days. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Worth it for me because I needed to understand my options before making decisions that affected thousands of dollars in benefits. The agent I spoke with was actually really helpful and explained all the rules about marriage timing and benefit calculations.

Just wanted to add my experience... I remarried at 63 after being divorced for 12 years (20 year first marriage). My new husband is 4 years older. We actually planned our wedding date specifically around the Social Security rules! We made sure he was already collecting his benefits, then got married, waited exactly 12 months, and THEN I applied for spousal benefits on his record. It worked out well, but the planning was CRUCIAL. Don't leave this to chance! Also, if your own work record would give you ANY benefit at all, remember that spousal benefits are only 50% of your new husband's amount. Sometimes people think they'll get the same amount as their spouse, but that's not how it works.

my sister tried to get benefits on her new husbands record after bein married 11 months and they denied her. had to wait till exactly 1 year. they are super strict about it

After reading through all the comments, here's a summary of key points to consider before making your decision: 1. You'll lose access to ex-spouse benefits immediately upon remarriage 2. You must be married for 12 months before claiming on your new husband's record 3. Your new husband must be receiving his own benefits before you can claim spousal benefits 4. Spousal benefits are 50% of your husband's PIA at your FRA 5. Consider comparing potential benefits: your own work record vs. ex-spouse benefits vs. future new spouse benefits You might want to discuss a commitment ceremony now with legal marriage timed strategically after your boyfriend files for his benefits. This could be the best financial approach while still celebrating your relationship.

Congratulations on your engagement! What an exciting time. I've been through a similar situation myself and wanted to share a few additional thoughts based on what others have mentioned. One thing that really helped me was creating a timeline spreadsheet comparing all scenarios - your current situation, what you'd get from ex-spouse benefits, and what you'd potentially get from new spouse benefits. Don't forget to factor in cost of living increases and the fact that your boyfriend is still working (his benefit amount might increase if he continues working past age 67). Also, since you mentioned he's 67 and still working part-time, he might be subject to the earnings test if he files for benefits now. This could affect the timing of when it makes sense for him to start collecting, which then affects when you could claim spousal benefits. The commitment ceremony idea is really smart - my neighbor did exactly that and it worked out perfectly for her financial situation. Love doesn't have to wait, but sometimes the paperwork should! Best of luck with whatever you decide.