Will Social Security accept non-stamped marriage certificate for spousal benefit top-up after divorce?

As long as your marriage certificate is the official one issued by the county clerk's office, it should be fine even without a raised seal or stamp. What matters most is that it's the original legal document, not just a ceremony certificate. Be sure it shows both names, the date, county/state where married, and has the JP's signature. If you're concerned, you can always order a certified copy from the county clerk's office where you were married - usually costs about $15-25 and takes just a few days to receive.

just went thru this last year. they didnt even keep my marriage certificate just looked at it and gave it back. the divorce papers were more important tbh. make sure you have your ex's ssn too or they cant even look him up.

I had a similar situation last year, but my experience was different than what others are saying. SSA rejected my non-stamped marriage certificate and I had to order a certified copy from the county clerk, which delayed my application by almost 2 months! The frustrating part was that I spent HOURS trying to get through to someone at Social Security to find out why my application was stuck, only to get disconnected or told to call back later. I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to a live person at SSA. They have this service where they wait on hold for you and call you when they get a representative. Saved me so much time and stress! You can see how it works in their video demo: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Once I actually spoke with someone, they explained exactly what document I needed, and I was able to get it sorted out. But my advice is to just order the certified copy now to avoid potential delays.

Did you also apply for your divorced spouse benefits WHILE you're applying for retirement? I thought you had to be receiving your own retirement benefits FIRST before applying for the ex-spouse top-up? Maybe I misunderstood the process.

THEY MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE ON PURPOSE!!! I've been fighting with them for 6 months over my ex-spouse benefits. Every time I submit what they ask for, they come back demanding something else. First it was the marriage certificate, then divorce papers, then proof we were married for 10+ years (WHICH IS ON THE DIVORCE PAPERS ALREADY!!!). Then they claimed they couldn't verify my ex's earnings even though he's already collecting SS!!! Document everything, record names and badge numbers of everyone you talk to, and be prepared for a battle. The system is DESIGNED to wear you down so you'll give up!!!

A few important points about divorced spouse benefits that might help you: 1. You must have been married for at least 10 years (which you were at 26 years) 2. You must be unmarried currently 3. Your ex must be at least 62 (even if not collecting yet) 4. If your ex hasn't filed yet, you must be divorced for at least 2 years Regarding the marriage certificate, SSA typically accepts the original certificate even without stamps. The important thing is that it's the official record, not a commemorative certificate. If they question it, you can provide supporting documentation like tax returns showing you filed jointly, which helps establish the validity of the marriage. One tip: when you file, specify that you're applying for "all benefits for which you might be eligible" rather than specifically requesting divorced spouse benefits. This ensures you get the proper calculation.

My sister just went through this whole process. The most important thing is to MAKE AN APPOINTMENT at your local SSA office instead of trying to do everything online or by phone. The people at the office were actually super helpful and looked at her documents right there to confirm if they were acceptable. Saved her so much stress!

Just curious - do you know if your ex-husband will be notified when you apply for benefits on his record? My ex and I don't speak at all and I'd rather he not know about my financial situation.

One thing I learned during my application process is that the spousal benefit top-up might be less than you expect due to something called the Government Pension Offset (GPO) if you have a pension from a job where you didn't pay Social Security taxes. My friend was counting on getting 50% of her ex's benefit but ended up with much less because of her teacher's pension. Just something to be aware of if that applies to your situation.