Social Security benefit rules are complex and confusing, and even more so when you get a divorce. The majority of my mediation clients are going through a grey divorce and have been married 20, 25 even 35 years.
Spousal and survivor benefits are available to those who have been married for 10 years, even if they divorce. There are restrictions if you remarry but if you are not remarried, or remarry after age 60, and you were married to someone for 10 years, you can claim survivor benefits should your ex-spouse die before you.
These benefits can make a huge difference to many women who do not have not had a significant earnings history. Claiming Social Security benefits on an ex-spouse could make a significant income difference in someone’s life.
The Social Security Administration will not proactively seek out the best available benefit so it’s up to the applicant to know what is available to them. The following link is to an article published in Mediate.com.
https://www.mediate.com/articles/salisbury-social-security.cfm
