Will remarriage affect my ex-spouse Social Security benefits before new husband files at 70?

Yes, you're correct that you'll lose your ex-spouse benefits immediately upon remarriage. This is a firm rule with Social Security - when you remarry, any benefits based on an ex-spouse's record terminate. Regarding your new spouse's benefits, there are two key points: 1. You DO need to be married for at least one year (not 9 months) before you can claim spousal benefits on your new husband's record. 2. Your new husband MUST have filed for his own benefits before you can claim spousal benefits on his record. The fact that he's delaying until 70 means you can't claim on his record until he actually files, even after you've been married for a year. So yes, you will have a gap - from your marriage date until either your new husband files for benefits or you've been married one year, whichever comes LATER. Since he's not filing until 70, you'll need to wait until that point before you can get spousal benefits on his record, assuming you've already been married for at least a year by then.

Let me clarify something important - you need to compare what you'd receive as a spouse vs. what you're receiving on your own record. As a spouse, you'd be entitled to up to 50% of your husband's Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which is the benefit amount he would receive at his Full Retirement Age (FRA). However, spousal benefits are reduced by any benefit you're entitled to on your own record. So if your own benefit is already higher than 50% of his PIA, you wouldn't receive any additional spousal benefits anyway. Example: If his PIA (benefit at FRA) is $2,400 (different from his age 70 benefit), then 50% is $1,200. If your own benefit without the ex-spouse portion is $1,400, you wouldn't get any additional spousal benefits from your new marriage because your own benefit exceeds 50% of his PIA. I'd recommend calling SSA directly to get a precise calculation for your situation.

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! 💍 I went through something similar when I remarried. You definitely lose the ex-spouse benefit the moment you say "I do" - there's no grace period there. Such a romantic thought from the SSA, right? 😆

They are STEALING from you!!! I lost my ex benefits too and SSA doesnt care at all. They punish people for getting remarried. Its CRIMINAL. Why should you lose money just because you found love again? The system is designed to keep us POOR and ALONE. They'll find ANY reason to cut benefits!!!!

my sisters friend waited till after her boyfriend took ss at 69 to get married for this exact reason. smart lady!!

Given what you've shared, you might want to consider postponing your marriage until your fiancé is ready to claim his Social Security benefits, or at least closer to that time. This is a common strategy for people in your situation. If you marry in July 2025 and he's not claiming until age 70 (around August 2028), that's about 3 years of reduced benefits for you - approximately $16,200 in total ($450 × 36 months). Alternatively, you could run the numbers on whether it's better financially to go ahead with the marriage and accept the reduced income period. Sometimes other benefits of marriage (tax advantages, healthcare coverage, pension survivorship rights) might outweigh the temporary Social Security reduction.

Here's an important detail that nobody has mentioned yet: Even after your new husband files for his benefits at age 70, you would only receive up to 50% of his Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which is what he would get at his Full Retirement Age (FRA), not his age-70 increased amount. So if his PIA (benefit at FRA) is approximately $2,450/month, and his age-70 benefit will be $3,200/month (reflecting the 32% increase for delaying), your maximum spousal benefit would be based on the $2,450 figure - so about $1,225/month. And that's only if you weren't already receiving your own benefit. Since you're already receiving $1,400/month on your own record (your $1,850 minus the $450 from your ex), the spousal benefit from your new husband would actually be reduced to $0 because your own benefit exceeds half of his PIA.

Have you checked with SSA directly? My friend got different answers from 3 different people she talked to there.

Based on all the information shared so far, here's what I would recommend: 1. Contact SSA to get a precise calculation of your benefit amounts. Ask specifically about what your benefit would be without the ex-spouse portion, and whether you would qualify for any additional spousal benefits once your new husband files. 2. If the numbers confirm you'll permanently lose that $450/month with no way to recover it through spousal benefits on your new husband's record, you have a financial decision to make. 3. Options to consider: - Postpone marriage until your fiancé claims benefits (though based on the calculations, this may not help) - Proceed with marriage but understand the permanent financial impact - Explore whether other financial benefits of marriage might offset the SS reduction This is ultimately a personal decision balancing financial and emotional factors. Some couples in your situation choose alternative arrangements like a commitment ceremony without legal marriage to preserve benefits.