Can I switch to ex-husband's higher Social Security benefit at 68 if we were married 10+ years?

Yes, you can potentially claim ex-spousal benefits since you were married over 10 years. You would be eligible for up to 50% of his full retirement age benefit. However, because you already filed for your own benefits early, you're subject to the 'deemed filing' rules. This means SSA will only pay you the higher of either your own reduced benefit or the ex-spousal benefit. If 50% of his FRA amount is higher than what you currently receive, you'll get the difference added to your current benefit. And no, this won't reduce his benefit or require notifying him - SSA handles everything confidentially.

I went thru the same thing! Got benefits at 62 then found out my ex was getting WAY more. Called SS and got an extra $320/month! They backdated it 6 mths too. Def worth checking into

If you're already receiving your own retirement benefit, you must contact SSA to apply for the ex-spouse benefit - it's not automatic. You'll need your divorce decree, marriage certificate, and your ex's Social Security number (if you have it). If not, they can usually find him in their system with his full name and date of birth. Remember that the maximum you can receive is 50% of his PIA (Primary Insurance Amount), and that's only if you had waited until your FRA. Since you claimed early, your spousal benefit will be permanently reduced as well. The good news is that if you qualify for additional benefits, SSA can sometimes provide up to 6 months of retroactive payments.

My sister tried this last year and got denied becuz her husband remarried. Does your ex have a new wife? That might affect things

I spent THREE DAYS trying to reach someone at Social Security about this exact situation!!! Their phone system is a NIGHTMARE and I kept getting disconnected after waiting for hours. Finally I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to a real SSA agent in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU - it was seriously worth it to not waste any more days trying to get through. The agent confirmed I was eligible for additional benefits on my ex's record and helped process it right away.

Sorry to jump in with my situation, but this thread is super helpful! I'm 64 and divorced after 22 years marriage. My ex started his SS last year. I haven't filed for my own benefit yet - would I get more by waiting until 67 for my own or taking his 50% now? My PIA would be about $2100 if I wait until my full retirement age.

Update: I finally got through to SSA this morning! The representative confirmed I'm eligible for additional benefits based on my ex-husband's record. They're going to add about $270 to my monthly payment going forward. They also said they'd backdate it for 6 months. Thank you all for your help - I never would have known to ask about this without this community!

I don't understand why Social Security makes these rules so complicated!!! Nobody ever tells you about these benefits until it's almost too late. Why don't they automatically check if you qualify for ex-spouse benefits when you apply? The whole system is designed to keep us from getting our full benefits IMO.