Can my ex-spouse get increased Social Security benefits based on my earnings record?

The simple answer is yes, but only if your benefit amount would be higher than his current benefit. Since he already filed at 62, he's receiving a permanently reduced benefit (about 30% less than his full retirement age amount). When you file, he could potentially get an increase IF 50% of your full retirement age benefit is higher than what he's currently getting. For example, if your full retirement age benefit is $3,000 and his current benefit is $1,400, then he could get a boost because 50% of yours would be $1,500. But remember, this doesn't affect your payment at all - you'd still get your full amount.

my cousin went through something similar!! her ex tried to claim on her record but SSA told him he couldn't get anything extra because his own benefit was already higher than what he'd get as an ex-spouse. they don't just give extra money to exes for no reason lol

I want to clarify something important here. Since your ex-husband has already filed for his own retirement benefits, he would only receive the higher of either his own benefit or the spousal benefit (which is up to 50% of your FRA benefit amount). He does NOT get both. Also, because he filed early at 62, any spousal benefits he might be eligible for would also be reduced based on when he originally filed. This is called the "deemed filing" rule. One more crucial point: He would need to contact SSA himself to check if he qualifies for the increased amount. The SSA does NOT automatically check this or notify him when you file. Many people miss out on higher benefits because they don't realize they need to apply for this adjustment.

does anyone know if theres a way to find out what your exs benefit amount is????? i dont talk to mine and have NO IDEA if i should file on his record or mine????????

The entire system is RIGGED against those of us who paid into it our whole lives!!! I bet you anything they'll find some loophole to deny your ex any increase. My ex tried to get benefits on my record after our divorce and the SSA put him through ENDLESS hoops, asking for marriage certificates from 30 YEARS AGO and making him prove things over and over. They just don't want to pay people what they deserve after taking our money for DECADES!!!!

To address your follow-up question - he absolutely needs to contact SSA when you file. They won't automatically check or adjust anything. This is a common misunderstanding about how the system works. And here's something else to consider: if you're delaying until 66+10 months, you'll get almost 108% of your full retirement benefit. However, if your ex tries to claim on your record, he'll only get up to 50% of your FULL retirement amount (not the increased amount), and that's before any reductions for his early filing.

I see a lot of confusion in this thread about ex-spouse benefits. Let me try to straighten things out: 1) For your ex to get benefits on your record, you must have been married at least 10 years (you were - 22 years) 2) He can only get ex-spousal benefits if they're higher than his own current benefit 3) The maximum he could get is 50% of your FRA benefit amount 4) Since he took benefits at 62, any spousal benefits would be reduced 5) He would need to apply for this himself - it's not automatic Have you tried calling SSA directly? I know their phone lines are nearly impossible to get through, but I recently used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an agent in about 20 minutes instead of spending days trying. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU An SSA agent can look at your specific earnings records and give you a more precise answer about whether your ex might qualify for an increase based on your record.

Just wondering - does it matter if either of you has remarried? I thought that affected ex-spouse benefits somehow...

Thank you all for the helpful information! I've learned a lot. To answer the question about remarriage - I never remarried, but I believe my ex did about 5 years ago. Based on what you're all saying, it sounds like he wouldn't be eligible for any benefits on my record since he's currently married to someone else. I think I'll still contact SSA before I file just to make sure I understand everything correctly. The Claimyr service sounds like a good way to avoid the frustrating wait times. Thanks again everyone!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm going through something similar with my ex-husband and had no idea about the remarriage rule. It's good to know that SSA doesn't automatically check or notify people about potential increases - I would have assumed they'd handle that automatically. One thing I'd add is that even if your ex wasn't remarried, given that he filed at 62 and you mentioned your earnings were probably similar, there's a good chance his reduced benefit might already be close to or higher than 50% of your FRA amount anyway. The early filing reduction is pretty significant (around 25-30% depending on his exact birth year), but if you had similar career earnings, the math might not work out in his favor regardless. Definitely smart to call SSA before you file though - they can run the numbers and give you the definitive answer for your specific situation!

I'm new to this community but have been dealing with Social Security issues for my elderly parents, so I've learned quite a bit about the system. Just wanted to add that even though your specific situation is resolved (since your ex remarried), this thread is really valuable for others in similar situations. One thing I haven't seen mentioned is that there's also a time limit consideration. If someone becomes eligible for higher ex-spousal benefits, they generally can only get up to 6 months of retroactive payments when they apply. So even if your ex wasn't remarried and was eligible, waiting too long after you file could mean missing out on some money. Also, for anyone else reading this - the SSA website has a really helpful "Retirement Estimator" tool where you can get estimates of your benefits at different filing ages. It won't tell you about ex-spousal benefits specifically, but it can help you understand your own benefit amounts when making these decisions. Thanks for sharing your situation - these real-world examples help so many people understand how the system actually works!

As someone who's been navigating the Social Security system for a while, I wanted to chime in with a few additional thoughts that might be helpful for others in similar situations. First, it's worth noting that even though your ex remarried (which disqualifies him from claiming on your record), the rules are different if that subsequent marriage ends. If he were to divorce again or become widowed, he could potentially become eligible again to claim on your record - whichever gives him the higher benefit. Also, I've seen some confusion in the thread about the "deemed filing" rule. This is crucial for anyone who filed early like your ex did. When you file for retirement benefits before your full retirement age, you're automatically deemed to be filing for any spousal benefits you're eligible for too. You can't pick and choose or wait to apply for spousal benefits later - it all happens at once, and everything gets reduced based on your age when you first filed. One more thing that might help others: if you're unsure about your ex's marital status and whether it affects your benefits, SSA can tell you during your consultation without revealing private details about your ex's situation. They'll just confirm whether you have any potential claims available. Great discussion everyone - these real-world scenarios really help clarify how complex the Social Security rules can be!

This has been such an informative discussion! As someone who's approaching retirement myself, I really appreciate how everyone has broken down these complex Social Security rules in plain English. One thing I'd like to add for future readers is about the importance of keeping good records. Even though Ana's situation is resolved due to her ex's remarriage, for others who might be eligible for ex-spousal benefits, having documentation readily available can make the process much smoother. This includes marriage certificates, divorce decrees, and any name change documents. I also wanted to mention that some local SSA offices offer appointments specifically for benefit planning consultations, which can be really helpful for understanding all your options before you actually file. You might have better luck getting an in-person appointment than trying to get through on the phone lines. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and knowledge - this is exactly the kind of practical information that helps people navigate these complicated decisions!

This thread has been incredibly educational! As someone new to this community, I'm amazed at how much there is to know about Social Security beyond the basics. I wanted to add one resource that helped me when I was researching benefits for my own situation - the SSA's publication "What Every Woman Should Know" (and they have similar guides for different situations). These publications break down a lot of the scenarios discussed here, including ex-spousal benefits, in pretty clear language. Also, for anyone dealing with the phone wait times, I've found that calling right when they open (8 AM in your time zone) or later in the month (after the 3rd Wednesday) tends to have shorter waits. The first few days of the month and around benefit payment dates are absolutely brutal for getting through. Ana, even though your specific question is resolved, I hope you'll share an update after you talk to SSA about your own filing strategy. These real-world follow-ups are so valuable for the community. Thanks for starting such an informative discussion!

I'm new to this community but wanted to share something that might help others in similar situations. My sister went through almost the exact same scenario about 3 years ago - divorced after a long marriage, ex-husband had remarried, and she was wondering about the benefit implications. What we learned from her SSA consultation was really eye-opening. Even though her ex's remarriage meant he couldn't claim on her record, the SSA representative walked her through several optimization strategies for her own benefits that she hadn't considered. Things like the impact of continuing to work part-time after filing, how Medicare enrollment timing affects things, and even some lesser-known rules about spousal benefits if she ever decided to remarry herself. The consultation took about 45 minutes and was incredibly thorough. They actually ran several different scenarios showing her projected benefits at different filing ages and explained the break-even points. She ended up adjusting her filing strategy based on that conversation and is really glad she took the time to get professional guidance rather than just going with her original plan. So even though your main question is resolved, I'd definitely encourage you to still have that SSA consultation. You might discover options or considerations you hadn't thought of. And thanks for sharing your situation - it's so helpful when people post real examples like this!