Social Security replaces a percentage of your pre-retirement income, based on your lifetime earnings. The portion of your pre-retirement wages that Social Security replaces is based on your highest 35 years of earnings<\/strong><\/a> and varies depending on how much you earn and when you choose to start benefits.<\/p>\n <\/br><\/p>\n If you qualify for benefits on your own earnings record, you\u2019ll be entitled to receive them as soon as you\u2019re eligible. Eligibility is based on your age. The earliest you can claim your benefit is 62, but it will be a reduced benefit. Your so-called \u201cfull retirement age<\/strong><\/a>\u201d is when you\u2019re eligible for an unreduced Social Security benefit. Your full retirement age depends on when you were born. If you\u2019re willing and able to delay the start of your benefits<\/strong><\/a>, you can receive a higher monthly payment.<\/p>\n <\/br><\/p>\n It\u2019s not always straight-forward to determine when you should apply for your Social Security benefit. That\u2019s because the strategy that produces the largest lifetime benefit for you may not fit with your overall financial and retirement plan. For example, delaying Social Security beyond full retirement age means you\u2019ll need other financial resources to provide income for the period between the date you stop working and that when your higher benefits begin. And delaying your benefits well beyond full retirement age generally only makes sense if you plan to live well into your 80s or 90s.<\/p>\n <\/br><\/p>\n What if you took time out of the workforce, perhaps because you were raising kids and maintaining your home? Well, even if you never worked under Social Security, you may be entitled to a so-called spousal benefit.<\/p>\n And what if you were married and later divorced? You may still be able to receive a spousal benefit on your ex-spouse\u2019s record, depending on a number of factors.<\/p>\n To be eligible to claim an ex-spousal benefit:<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve been married (for at least 10 years) and divorced more than once, you can claim a divorced spousal benefit on the ex-spouse with the largest benefit.<\/p>\n As with a married spouse, the maximum divorced spousal benefit is 50% of the worker\u2019s benefit at full retirement age. If your ex-spouse delays filing for benefits beyond full retirement age, their benefit will increase, but your ex-spousal benefit will not.<\/p>\n To receive your maximum ex-spousal benefit, you should wait to claim until you reach your full retirement age.<\/p>\n The following flowchart can help you understand whether you\u2019re eligible for an ex-spousal benefit (clicking on image opens chart in new tab):<\/p>\n Here are some common questions and answers regarding ex-spousal Social Security benefits:<\/p>\n Q: Can I choose whether to claim my own benefit or my ex-spouse\u2019s? Q: What happens if I remarry? Q: How do I start the process of claiming a benefit on my ex-spouse\u2019s record? Q: Will my ex-spouse getting remarried affect my divorced spousal benefit? Q: If my ex-spouse claims Social Security first, will change the amount I\u2019m entitled to? <\/p>\n If your ex-spouse has died, you may be entitled to receive Social Security survivor benefits, which have different eligibility rules than those for a living ex-spouse. For example, you can apply for benefits as early as age 60, rather than at 62. And if you remarry after age 60, your remarriage won\u2019t affect your eligibility to receive a survivor benefit.<\/p>\n The percentage of your deceased ex-spouse\u2019s benefit that you\u2019re entitled to receive depends on a number of factors:<\/p>\n As a surviving divorced spouse you can\u2019t apply online for your Social Security benefit \u2013 you need to contact Social Security directly, either by phone or in-person.<\/p>\n The following flowchart can help you understand whether you\u2019re eligible for a deceased ex-spousal benefit (clicking on image opens chart in new tab):<\/p>\n <\/br><\/p>\n If you need help with Social Security planning, consider working with a Certified Financial Planner\u2122 (CFP\u00ae<\/sup>) or a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA\u00ae<\/sup>). Advisors who hold these designations had to meet rigorous educational, experience and ethics requirements.<\/p>\n <\/br><\/p>\n America\u2019s Social Security program provides economic security to millions. The Social Security program provides you with a source of income when you retire, or if you can\u2019t work due to a disability. It can also provide benefits that support your legal dependents (your spouse, children, or parents) in the event of your death. So, it\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":8534,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_mi_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[150,3,152,11],"tags":[49,66,107,117,118,126,140],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/springwaterwealth.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8512"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/springwaterwealth.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/springwaterwealth.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/springwaterwealth.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/springwaterwealth.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8512"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/springwaterwealth.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8512\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8541,"href":"https:\/\/springwaterwealth.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8512\/revisions\/8541"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/springwaterwealth.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8534"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/springwaterwealth.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8512"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/springwaterwealth.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8512"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/springwaterwealth.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8512"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Claiming My Own Benefit<\/strong><\/h2>\n
When Should I Claim My Social Security Benefit?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Claiming an Ex-Spousal Benefit<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/springwaterwealth.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/2022-Flowchart-Social-Security-Divorced-scaled.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n
\nA: Yes, but you will always be entitled to receive the larger of the two benefits \u2013 your own, and your divorced spousal benefit.<\/p>\n
\nA: If you remarry, you will no longer be entitled to receive a divorced spousal benefit. However, if your ex-spouse has died and you\u2019re age 60 or older, getting remarried won\u2019t affect your eligibility for survivor benefits.<\/p>\n
\nA: Contact the Social Security Administration, and be prepared to provide them with some information and documents.<\/p>\n
\nA: No, your spouse remarrying will not affect your ability to receive a divorced spousal benefit.<\/p>\n
\nA: No, your divorced spousal benefit is based on your ex-spouse\u2019s benefit at his full retirement age, whether he has begun claiming benefits or not.<\/p>\nClaiming a Deceased Ex-Spousal Benefit<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/springwaterwealth.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/2022-Flowchart-Social-Security-Surviving-Spouse-scaled.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nGetting Help From an Advisor<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Contact us today to learn how a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst\u00ae<\/sup> can help guide you and answer your financial questions before, during, and post-divorce.<\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/h2>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"