If you are contemplating divorce and are concerned about financial planning, you are 
probably wondering about what the Social Security consequences would be if they were divorced. Many questions need to be answered.
We got the following information from the Social Security Administration website:
- If you are age 62-plus, were married 10 years or more, and are currently unmarried (and you are not entitled to receive a higher benefit based on your own work), you can receive benefits based on your ex’s earnings, even if he or she remarried.
- If you both worked, the lower earner may receive benefits based on the higher earner’s work.
- If you never worked, you can collect benefits on your ex’s work, and your ex is still eligible to collect what he or she has earned over the years.
- If your ex hasn’t yet applied, but qualifies for benefits, you can still receive benefits if you have been divorced for two years.
- You can collect a divorced spouse’s benefits without reducing the amount of your ex’s benefit.
- The longer you wait to collect divorced spousal benefits, up to your full retirement age, the higher your benefit will be.
If you have questions about divorce, child custody or other family law matters, perhaps you should consult with Steven Hair. Steven W. Hair, focuses his practice as a divorce attorney, family law attorney in Clearwater, Palm Harbor, and Safety Harbor. For more information, visit our website at www.FamilyLawClearwater.com
or call (727) 726-0797.