Get what you Deserve: A Comprehensive Look at Spousal and Divorce Social Security Benefits for a Stronger Retirement

If you're looking to maximize your Social Security benefits in retirement, it's important to understand the eligibility requirements and how to calculate your estimated benefits.

Social Security serves as a safety net for millions of older adults, with around 21% of adults aged 50 and older having no retirement income outside of their Social Security benefits, according to a 2023 survey from the Nationwide Retirement Institute.

While retirement benefits are the most common form of Social Security, you may also qualify for spousal Social Security benefits, whether you're married or divorced. Qualifying for these benefits requires meeting specific requirements, and the amount you receive varies based on several factors.

For spousal benefits, you must be married to someone who is currently entitled to either retirement or disability benefits. You're generally eligible to begin claiming these benefits once you've reached age 62. However, if you're caring for a child under age 16 or disabled, you may qualify at any age.

Divorce benefits have additional eligibility requirements. If you're divorced, you can only qualify if your previous marriage lasted for at least ten years, and you're currently unmarried.

If your divorce was less than two years prior, you'll need to wait until your ex-spouse begins receiving Social Security benefits to file for divorce benefits.

As with spousal benefits, you'll also need to be at least 62 years old or caring for a qualifying child to claim these benefits.

The amount of spousal Social Security benefits you can expect to receive is calculated based on several factors, including the amount your spouse or ex-spouse will receive at their full retirement age (FRA). With both spousal and divorce benefits, the most you can collect is 50% of this amount.

However, even if you've never worked, it's still possible to receive hundreds of dollars per month in Social Security benefits. To determine your estimated benefit amount, you can use the Retirement Estimator tool from Social Security. This will assist in calculating your potential benefits.

Claiming spousal Social Security benefits will not impact your spouse's or ex-spouse's ability to receive their full benefits, nor will it affect their current spouse's eligibility for spousal benefits.

By understanding the eligibility requirements and estimating your benefit amount, you can take advantage of all the Social Security benefits available to you in retirement.