Confused about Social Security ex-spouse benefits amount at 62 - three different answers from SSA

The in-person agent gave you incorrect information. Here's how ex-spouse benefits actually work: 1. To claim on an ex-spouse's record, you need to have been married 10+ years, be unmarried now, and be at least 62 (which you meet all these requirements). 2. If you claim at your FRA (probably 67 for you), you get 50% of his PIA (Primary Insurance Amount - what he gets at his FRA, not his age-70 amount). 3. If you claim before your FRA, your spousal benefit is reduced based on YOUR age - approximately 30% reduction at age 62 instead of 50%. 4. You don't get your benefit PLUS spousal. SSA gives you the higher of either your own benefit or the spousal benefit. It's not additive. 5. Since your ex is turning 70, you don't need to wait for him to file - that's only required if he's under FRA. You should definitely apply for both your retirement and divorced spouse's benefits simultaneously. SSA will calculate and pay whichever is higher. And yes, establishing this connection now means if he passes away, you can transition to survivor benefits (which would be higher).

This is soooo confusing! I went through something similar and kept getting different answers too. I think what happens is you get your own benefit PLUS the difference to get you up to the spousal amount, but the spousal amount is reduced if you're under FRA. It's like they do all these calculations behind the scenes and just give you one check. They made me fill out two separate applications when I did it - one for retirement and another for divorced spouse benefits. Be prepared with your marriage certificate and divorce decree!!!!

Let me clarify how this works, as I'm a retired financial planner who specialized in Social Security strategies: 1. At 62, you'll receive approximately 70% of your own PIA (reduced for early filing) 2. For divorced spouse benefits at 62, you'd receive approximately 35% of your ex's PIA (not his age 70 amount). This is because the 50% spousal benefit is reduced for early filing on YOUR part. 3. SSA will pay your own benefit first, then supplement it if the spousal portion is higher. It's not additive - you don't get both. Example with simplified numbers: - Your PIA (at your FRA): $2,000 - Your benefit at 62: ~$1,400 - His PIA (at his FRA, not age 70): $4,000 - Spousal benefit at your FRA: $2,000 (50%) - Spousal benefit at 62: ~$1,400 (35%) In this example, you'd just get your own benefit since they're equal. But if your own benefit at 62 was only $1,000, you'd get your $1,000 plus $400 to reach the $1,400 spousal amount. And yes, establishing the connection now makes transition to survivor benefits simpler if he predeceases you.

My sister just went through this exact thing last year! The SSA reps are ALWAYS giving different info, it's maddening! One thing nobody mentioned yet - if you have health issues but they're not disability-level, have you considered taking your own benefit at 62 but delaying the spousal claim until your FRA? I think you can do that... or maybe not anymore with the new rules? Ugh this stuff is sooo complicated

quick question - does the ex have to be collecting SS for you to get ex spouse benefits? my ex is 68 but still working and hasnt filed yet so im wondering if that affects me

I went through this nightmare last year when trying to figure out my divorced spouse benefits. Called SSA multiple times and waited HOURS only to get different answers every time. I finally got so frustrated I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an SSA agent in about 20 minutes instead of the 2+ hour wait I was getting before. The agent I finally spoke with was really knowledgeable and explained everything clearly. She even put notes in my file so when I went to apply, the claims specialist had all the correct information. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Definitely worth it to get an agent who can actually help sort through all this confusion with definitive answers about YOUR specific situation rather than general information.

THE SSA DOESNT EVEN KNOW THEIR OWN RULES!!!!! i spent 6 MONTHS going back and forth with them on my ex-spouse benefits and got a different answer EVERY SINGLE TIME!!! its criminal how they treat us after we paid into the system our whole lives!!!! one agent told me i could get 75% of my exs benefit which wasnt even possible! when i finally got approved it was WAY less than what 3 different people told me id get. DONT TRUST WHAT THEY SAY OVER THE PHONE!!!

Just to add some important information that hasn't been mentioned yet: when you apply, make sure you specifically ask for the "Restricted Application for Divorced Spouse Benefits" form if that's what you want. Sometimes the representatives don't automatically offer this option. Also, when calculating the benefit amounts, remember that your ex's PIA is what he would receive at his FRA (probably 66+some months for his age cohort), NOT what he will receive at 70 with delayed retirement credits. The 50% spousal benefit (or reduced amount if you claim early) is based on his PIA amount, not his age-70 increased amount. Even with those clarifications, I would strongly recommend getting a benefits calculation directly from SSA for your specific situation, as everyone's earnings history creates unique scenarios.

To clear up some confusion about restricted applications: 1. For most people born after January 1, 1954, restricted applications are no longer available due to the deemed filing rules established in the 2015 Bipartisan Budget Act. 2. There is no special "Restricted Application for Divorced Spouse Benefits" form anymore - when you apply for any retirement benefits before FRA now, you're automatically deemed to have applied for all benefits you're eligible for. 3. The confusion stems from transitional rules that applied to people born before January 2, 1954, who could still use restricted application strategies. But those individuals are all past FRA now (70+ in 2024). For the original poster turning 62 in 2025, deemed filing rules apply. When she files, SSA will calculate both her own retirement benefit and her divorced spouse's benefit (both reduced for early filing), and pay whichever is higher - not both.

I'm going through a similar situation right now and wanted to share what I learned after meeting with a local SSA office last month. The key thing that helped me understand it better was getting my actual benefit estimates in writing rather than relying on phone conversations. Here's what I'd recommend: 1. Create a my.ssa.gov account if you don't have one and download your Social Security Statement - this will show your estimated benefit at 62, FRA, and 70 2. Try to get your ex-husband's Social Security number if possible (makes the process smoother) 3. Schedule an in-person appointment at your local SSA office rather than calling - bring all your documentation (marriage certificate, divorce decree, etc.) When I went in person, the representative was able to run actual calculations for my specific situation rather than giving general information. She showed me exactly what I'd get under different scenarios - my own benefit at 62 vs. the divorced spouse benefit at 62. One thing that surprised me was that even though the divorced spouse benefit seemed higher based on his estimated earnings, when they factored in the reduction for early filing, my own benefit at 62 was actually slightly better. Every situation is different though! The good news is that once you apply, they automatically calculate both and give you whichever is higher, so you don't have to worry about choosing wrong. And yes, definitely apply even if there's no immediate advantage - it establishes your connection to his record for potential survivor benefits later. Hope this helps and good luck navigating the system!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I'm in a very similar situation - turning 62 next year and trying to figure out ex-spouse benefits. The conflicting information from SSA representatives is incredibly frustrating, but reading through all these responses has been really helpful. A few things I've learned from my own research that might be useful to add: 1. Make sure you have your ex's full name and date of birth when you apply, even if you don't have their SSN. SSA can usually locate their record with that information. 2. If you're considering filing at 62 due to health issues, remember that even though they may not qualify for SSDI, some health conditions can still impact your decision timing. It might be worth discussing your situation with the SSA representative. 3. One thing that helped me was using the SSA's online benefit calculators on their website to get rough estimates before talking to anyone. While they're not perfect for divorced spouse scenarios, they at least give you a baseline for your own benefit projections. The advice about scheduling an in-person appointment rather than calling is spot-on. I've had much better luck getting consistent, detailed information that way. And definitely bring copies of all your documents - marriage certificate, divorce decree, birth certificate, and recent tax returns if they ask. Has anyone here had experience with the timing of when benefits actually start? I'm wondering if there are any delays in processing divorced spouse benefit applications compared to regular retirement applications.

I've been following this discussion as someone who recently went through the divorced spouse benefits process, and wanted to add a few things that might help: First, regarding the documentation - make sure you have certified copies, not just regular photocopies. I learned this the hard way when my first application was delayed because they needed certified versions of my divorce decree and marriage certificate. You can usually get these from the court clerk's office where your divorce was finalized. Second, there's one scenario that hasn't been mentioned yet: if your ex-husband passes away before you start collecting, you could potentially get survivor benefits instead of divorced spouse benefits. Survivor benefits can be up to 100% of what he was receiving (or entitled to receive), versus the 50% maximum for divorced spouse benefits. This is another reason why establishing the connection to his record early is smart, even if the immediate divorced spouse benefit isn't higher than your own. Finally, I'd strongly recommend keeping detailed notes of every conversation you have with SSA representatives - date, time, representative name if they give it, and exactly what they told you. When I finally got everything sorted out, having those notes helped the final representative understand why I was confused and what contradictory information I'd received. The system is definitely frustrating, but don't give up! Once you get someone knowledgeable who can run your actual numbers, it becomes much clearer.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm in a similar situation turning 62 soon and was getting the same runaround from SSA reps. One thing I wanted to add that might help others - I found out that some local Area Agencies on Aging offer free Social Security counseling services through their SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program) programs. These counselors are trained specifically on Social Security rules and can help you understand your options without the frustration of calling SSA directly. My counselor was able to walk me through the calculations and even helped me prepare all the right questions to ask when I did finally meet with SSA. She explained that the key thing to remember is that divorced spouse benefits are based on your ex's Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) - what he'd get at his full retirement age - not his delayed retirement amount at 70. Also, for anyone dealing with health issues like the original poster, the counselor mentioned that while your conditions might not qualify for disability, they could still factor into your decision about when to claim. Sometimes the "break-even" analysis changes when you consider potential health impacts on longevity. These SHIP counselors are volunteers but they really know their stuff and there's no wait time like with SSA phone calls. Just search for "[your state] SHIP program" to find local resources.

Reading through everyone's experiences here really validates how confusing this whole process is! I'm also approaching 62 and dealing with the same frustrating inconsistencies from SSA reps. One resource I haven't seen mentioned yet is the National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI) - they have some really clear explanations of how divorced spouse benefits work, including examples with actual numbers. Their website has a section specifically on divorced spouse benefits that helped me understand the difference between PIA calculations and delayed retirement credits. Also, for anyone wondering about the application timing, I learned that you can apply up to 4 months before you want benefits to start, not just 3 months. This extra month can be helpful if you're dealing with documentation issues or want to make sure everything is processed smoothly. The advice about SHIP counselors is excellent - I used one in my area and she was incredibly knowledgeable. She also mentioned that if you're still getting conflicting information from SSA after meeting with them in person, you can request to speak with a Technical Expert. These are SSA employees who specialize in complex benefit calculations and can provide more detailed explanations than regular customer service representatives. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's so helpful to know we're not alone in dealing with this complicated system!