Can I receive Social Security ex-spouse benefits now and switch to my own SS retirement later when I earn enough credits?

Yes, you can potentially do this, but there are some important details to understand. You can apply for spousal benefits based on your ex-spouse's record as long as: 1. You were married for at least 10 years (which you were) 2. You are currently unmarried 3. Your ex is entitled to Social Security retirement (which he is) You can collect these benefits as early as age 62, but they'll be permanently reduced if you take them before your Full Retirement Age (FRA). At 63, you'd receive approximately 75% of what you'd get at your FRA. As for switching to your own benefits later - yes, you can do this. If you continue working and earn those 11 more credits, you'll eventually qualify for your own retirement benefit. However, be aware that if you're collecting ex-spouse benefits while working, your earnings might cause some of your benefits to be withheld if you exceed the earnings limit ($21,240 for 2025).

Wait, I'm confused about something. If you're 63 now and collecting ex-spouse benefits, are you sure you can switch to your own later? I thought once you file for ANY benefits before your FRA, you're automatically deemed to have filed for ALL benefits you're eligible for. Isn't that the "deemed filing" rule? Has anyone actually successfully done what you're describing?

i did something similar!!! was married 22 yrs, got divorced in 2019, started getting my ex's benefits at 62 1/2. now im 64 and working part time at walmart. SS told me when i get to 40 credits (im at 35 now) i can switch to my own if its higher. but watch out for the earnings limit thing - they took back some money when i made too much last year!! such a headache

Just wondering - why not just wait until you're 67 to collect your own SS? Wouldn't that give you more money in the long run? My sister worked just enough to get her 40 credits but her payment is tiny because she didn't earn much over the years.

I want to clarify something important here - when calculating ex-spouse benefits, it's exactly 50% of your ex's Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) at your Full Retirement Age. But if you take it early at 63, you'll get approximately 75% of that 50% amount. Also, regarding earning those additional credits - in 2025, you need to earn $1,750 in covered earnings to get one credit, and you can earn a maximum of 4 credits per year. So you're looking at about 3 years of work to get those 11 remaining credits assuming you earn at least $7,000 each year. One strategy to consider: if you're planning to work anyway, and your ex-spouse's benefit isn't very high, you might actually come out ahead by just waiting to file for anything until you've earned your 40 credits and reached your FRA. The benefit calculation is based on your 35 highest earning years, so adding some good earning years now could boost your own benefit amount significantly.

Trying to get actual answers from SSA about these kinds of questions is IMPOSSIBLE these days. I spent TWO MONTHS trying to get through on the phone about a similar ex-spouse question. Kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours only to have them close before getting to me. I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an agent within 20 minutes after weeks of trying on my own. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU showing how it works. It was honestly the only way I could finally get my questions answered directly by SSA. They got me a callback from SSA that actually happened when they said it would.

btw forgot to say - no u DONT need to talk to ur ex for the benefits!! thats the best part! SSA has all his info in their system already. they just asked me for our marriage certificate and divorce decree. never had to contact the jerk lol

My aunt tried getting my uncles SS after they divorced and she said it wasn't worth the hassle. She said they barely gave her anything and she had to answer a bunch of questions about her marriage. Just saying it might not be worth all the trouble your going through.

One more thing to consider - if you do start receiving ex-spouse benefits and then later switch to your own retirement benefits, the switch isn't automatic. You'll need to file a specific application for retirement benefits when you become eligible. Also, make sure you keep detailed records of your work and earnings while collecting benefits, especially if you're close to the annual earnings limit. This will help if you need to explain any benefit adjustments or overpayment notices that might come up.

After you get those extra credits, ask SSA for a benefit verification letter that shows both amounts - what you'd get on your own record and what you get as an ex-spouse. That way you can make an informed decision about which is better. Sometimes the difference is smaller than people expect.

Just wanted to add another perspective here - I'm a retired SSA claims specialist and your strategy is absolutely valid. What you're describing is sometimes called "restricted application" or "file and switch" strategy, though those terms are more commonly used for other scenarios. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that you should also consider survivor benefits down the line. If your ex-spouse passes away before you do, you could potentially switch to survivor benefits (which can be up to 100% of his benefit amount) rather than your own retirement benefit, if that would be higher. Also, when you do go back to work, make sure your employer is reporting your earnings correctly to SSA. You can check this annually by creating a my Social Security account online and reviewing your earnings record. Any errors should be corrected as soon as possible since they become harder to fix after 3 years. Good luck with your application - you're making a smart financial move given your circumstances!