Social Security ex-spouse benefits with 7-year age gap - Can I switch from my own SS to higher ex-spouse benefits later?

You're asking about something called "divorced spousal benefits" and there are specific rules that apply here. Since your marriage lasted more than 10 years, you DO qualify for benefits on your ex's record. Here's what you need to know: 1. You can claim divorced spousal benefits as long as you've been divorced for at least 2 years, regardless of whether your ex has filed for their own benefits or not. 2. The age gap doesn't matter for eligibility purposes. 3. If you claim your own benefits at 62, you'll get a reduced amount (about 70% of your full retirement age benefit). 4. When filing for any benefit before your full retirement age (66+), SSA automatically gives you the higher of either your own benefit or the spousal benefit. This is called "deemed filing." 5. You can't file for just one benefit and then switch to another UNLESS you were born before January 2, 1954 (which it sounds like you were). So yes, your strategy could work if you were born before 1954. If born after that date, deemed filing rules would apply and you'd be locked into whichever benefit is higher when you first file.

i went thru similar situation. dont bother calling ssa directly you'll wait for HOURS and might not even get thru. try claimyr.com if u need to actually talk to someone at SSA. worked for me when i had similar questions about ex spouse benifits. they got me connected to ssa in like 20 mins instead of waiting all day. see how it works here https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU

The previous answer has some INCORRECT information. Since you were born after January 2, 1954 (you said you're 58 which means born in 1967), the deemed filing rules apply to you no matter WHEN you file. This means you CAN'T choose to take just your benefits now and ex-spouse benefits later - you'll always get whichever is higher. BUT - and this is important - your ex-spouse doesn't need to be collecting benefits for you to collect on their record. They just need to be ELIGIBLE for benefits (so at least 62). Given your 7-year age gap, when you're 62, your ex will only be 55 and not yet eligible. So at 62, you could only get your own reduced benefits. When your ex turns 62 (when you'll be 69), then Social Security SHOULD automatically increase your benefit if 50% of your ex's benefit would be higher than what you're receiving. In your situation, waiting until your own FRA might make more financial sense than taking reduced benefits at 62.

Everyone here is forgetting something important! Even though the "file and switch" strategy isn't available to you because of your birth year, there's STILL a calculation you need to consider. When your ex turns 62 (when you'll be 69), you would become eligible for ex-spouse benefits. At that point, SSA will compare: 1. Your own retirement benefit that you're already receiving (reduced for early filing) 2. Your potential ex-spouse benefit (which would be 50% of their FRA amount, but ALSO reduced because you claimed before your FRA) They'll pay you the higher amount. But here's the key - if you file at 62, BOTH your own benefit AND any potential ex-spouse benefit will be permanently reduced! So you need to calculate whether your own benefit at FRA (or even delayed to 70) might be better than a reduced ex-spouse benefit. This will depend on your actual earnings history vs. your ex's.

just call ur local office thats what i did. got answers right away dont listen to ppl online

I want to clarify something important about ex-spouse benefits that hasn't been mentioned yet. If you're divorced, but your marriage lasted at least 10 years, you can get benefits on your ex-spouse's record if: 1. You are unmarried 2. You are age 62 or older 3. Your ex is entitled to Social Security retirement or disability benefits 4. The benefit you're entitled to receive based on your own work is less than the benefit you'd receive based on your ex's work The key is point #3 - your ex needs to be ENTITLED to benefits (meaning they've reached age 62), not that they've actually FILED for benefits. In your case, with a 7-year age gap, this means you can't claim on their record until they reach 62, which is when you'll be 69. By that point, waiting one more year to claim your own benefit at 70 (with delayed retirement credits) might actually give you more than the ex-spouse benefit would.

To answer your follow-up question: No, SSA does NOT automatically switch your benefits. You would need to specifically apply for ex-spouse benefits when your ex turns 62. Based on everything in this thread, here are your options: 1. File for your own reduced benefits at 62. When your ex turns 62 (when you're 69), apply for ex-spouse benefits. You'll get the higher of the two, but both would be reduced because you filed early. 2. Wait until your Full Retirement Age (probably 67) to file for your own unreduced benefits. When your ex turns 62, apply for ex-spouse benefits. You'd get the higher amount, and your own benefit wouldn't be reduced. 3. Wait until your ex turns 62 (when you're 69) and file for both your own benefit (with delayed retirement credits) AND ex-spouse benefits simultaneously. You'd get the higher amount. Option 3 is likely to give you the highest monthly amount, but Option 1 means you'd get some benefits for 7 years earlier. It's a cash-flow vs. maximum-benefit decision.

OK I'M CONFUSED!!! I thought that if you were married for 10+ years you could claim 50% of your ex's benefit REGARDLESS of when they claim??? Isn't that the WHOLE POINT of the divorced spouse benefit?? That you don't have to coordinate with them?? Why is everyone saying you have to wait until your ex is 62? That makes NO SENSE to me and defeats the purpose of the benefit!! Also my cousin's friend got divorced after 11 years and she's getting benefits on her ex-husband's record RIGHT NOW even though he hasn't filed yet so I KNOW it's possible!!!

Been there done that with the ex-spouse stuff. Just remember you need ur marriage certificate AND divorce decree when you apply! They made me go home and come back when I didn't have both. Super annoying since I had to take another day off work.