Spousal Benefits - II

If you are divorced and your former husband worked long enough to earn a Social Security retirement benefit, then you may be eligible for a survivor’s benefit if your marriage lasted at least 10 years and you are at least age 60 (50 if you are disabled). If you have been receiving benefits as a survivor and reach retirement age, you can switch to your own retired worker benefit if it is larger. In many cases, you can begin receiving retirement benefits based on your own work history at age 62 and then switch to the higher spousal benefit when you reach full retirement age. 

Many women face a harsh reality during their retirement years when their spouses die. Until then, a woman receives half of her husband’s retirement benefit as a spousal benefit, and her husband collects his own retirement benefit. When the husband dies, the wife begins receiving her husband’s benefit, but the spousal benefit goes away. It’s important to recognize this and plan ahead by saving more or purchasing an annuity to help lessen the financial impact of this drop in monthly income.