What to expect during Social Security ex-spouse benefits phone interview? Documents & timeline questions

I went through this process last fall, so here's what to expect: The interview takes about 45-60 minutes. They'll verify all your personal information first - full name, DOB, SSN, current address, contact info. Then they'll ask for details about your marriage (dates, ex's name and SSN if you have it), your work history, and any other benefits you might be receiving. They won't give you exact benefit amounts during the call - they need to process everything first. You'll receive a decision letter with benefit amounts about 2-4 weeks after your interview. Have ready: your banking info for direct deposit, dates of any previous marriages, and approximate earnings for the current year if you're still working. Also, make note of any name changes throughout your life. Good luck!

they askedme for my birth certificate too even tho i already sent in my drivers license. make sure u have that handy just in case. my call only took like 30 min but they didnt tell me nothin about how much id get, had to wait for letter

Just went through this in January. Here's what they'll ask beyond the basics: - If you're working, they'll want to know your estimated earnings for the year to check if you exceed the earnings limit (if you're under FRA) - They'll confirm whether your ex-spouse is alive or deceased - They'll ask if you've ever received benefits on anyone else's record - They'll verify the start and end dates of ALL marriages you've had - They'll ask about any government pensions you receive (WEP/GPO issues) The interview took 40 minutes for me. They told me the approximate benefit range but not the exact amount. The official award letter came 18 days later with my precise benefit amount and payment schedule. One tip: have a pen and paper ready to write down the name and direct extension of the person you speak with in case you need to follow up!

I HATED my phone interview!!! Was on hold for 2 HOURS before anyone picked up, then they rushed through everything and kept asking me the same questions over and over!!! So frustrating! And then they said they needed MORE documents even tho I sent everything in!!! The whole system is rigged to make it hard for us to get what we deserve!!!

I tried calling SSA for over a week for my ex-spouse benefits interview and kept getting disconnected or put on hold forever. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to a real person in under 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU My interview went pretty smoothly after that. They asked about marriage length (needed to be married at least 10 years), current marital status (can't be remarried), and income details. Took about 35-40 minutes total. Got my approval letter about 3 weeks later.

One thing nobody mentioned - they'll ask if you want federal taxes withheld from your benefits. I wasn't prepared for this question and didn't know what percentage to choose. You might want to think about this ahead of time or talk to your tax person. Also, if your ex-spouse hasn't filed for benefits yet, you can still file for divorced spouse benefits if you've been divorced for at least 2 years and both of you are at least 62. This is called the "independently entitled divorced spouse" provision. And remember, taking ex-spouse benefits doesn't affect your ex's benefits at all - many people worry about this, but it has zero impact on what they receive.

my frend got denied cuz she remarried b4 60. u didnt remarry rite? thats the #1 thing they care about for exspouse benifits

Quick tip: If you've worked enough quarters to qualify for your own retirement benefits, they'll automatically give you whichever is higher - your own benefit or the divorced spouse benefit (which is up to 50% of your ex's full retirement amount). Make sure to ask about this if you have your own work history. Also, if your benefit amount seems unexpectedly low, ask if they're applying the Government Pension Offset (GPO) due to your teaching pension. This can significantly reduce spousal/divorced spouse benefits.

When I had my interview, I found it helpful to have prepared a timeline of my marriage, divorce, and work history with all the dates written down. The claims specialist really appreciated this and it made the process go much smoother. As for the payment timeline - I had my interview on March 12th, received my award letter on April 6th, and got my first payment (including some backpay to my application date) on April 21st. So about 5-6 weeks from interview to money in my account.