Question about getting ex-spouse's SS (physically, marriage, federal, married)

[lenora]

Originally Posted by TTTenor

This isn't true. While years before age 22 are not counted in determining "elapsed years," for benefit computation purposes, earnings in all years are considered in determining what years are used in the computation of the benefit amount.

https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0300605017

Wages aren't indexed for years after age sixty because the indexing factors are defined based on the year in which an individual attains age 62. Because wage information used to compute the indexing factors is not immediately available, the factors are based on the situation two years earlier.

The link is to a chart showing indexing factors for a 2011 eligibility.

https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0300605936

Thank you for the correction. I knew there was a poster who was an expert in this area, but I couldn't remember who it was! It just took me an hour to review your POMS cite, as well as this cite: https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0300605010 to understand "elapsed years" vs. "base years." If I understand this correctly, the elapsed years are used to determine whether there are a sufficient number of credits earned within a specific time frame to meet eligibility requirements, but once that requirement is met, the highest 420 months of earnings is used to calculate the PIA (regardless of when they were earned.) Please correct me again if this is wrong, I really want to make sure I have a firm grasp of this.

In terms of the wage indexing, I think it still sucks for those who need to work throughout their 60s, if not later.

BTW, did you notice that the last wage index was actually lower than the prior year's? Apparently, this was the first such occurrence since the wage index was adopted.

[SOON2BNSURPRISE]

And if both spouses worked their entire life what then? If the former wife gets half of her former husbands benefit does the former husband also get half of his former wifes benefit?

I have a co-worker who's ex husbad passed away. She has been getting a benefit check for her two kids since he died, even though she is an RN and makes very good money on her own.

[Gandalara]

Originally Posted by SOON2BNSURPRISE

And if both spouses worked their entire life what then? If the former wife gets half of her former husbands benefit does the former husband also get half of his former wifes benefit?

I have a co-worker who's ex husbad passed away. She has been getting a benefit check for her two kids since he died, even though she is an RN and makes very good money on her own.

From the SS website:

Who can get child's benefits?

Your child can get benefits if he or she is your biological child, adopted child or dependent stepchild. (In some cases, your child also could be eligible for benefits on his or her grandparents’ earnings.)
To get benefits, a child must have:

• A parent(s) who is disabled or retired and entitled to Social Security benefits; or
• A parent who died after having worked long enough in a job where he or she paid Social Security taxes.

The child also must be:

• Unmarried;
• Younger than age 18;
• 18-19 years old and a full-time student (no higher than grade 12); or 18 or older and disabled. (The disability must have started before age 22.)

[Ariadne22]

My cousin married a widow with 4 children. Even though he adopted the kids, SS benefits continued through high school. Deceased husband's insurance paid off the house. Woman never worked ever. The kids all went to college, one is a highly paid accountant, two others schoolteachers, the fourth a biologist. There is a maximum on a family benefit I believe, but she was able to manage without working until she remarried. And never worked after that, either. In this case, Social Security benefits contributed to all of them becoming productive members of society. I thought it was overly generous at the time, as I was a single parent and had to do it all on my own. But knowing that mother, the kids were much better off this way as she was incapable of earning any type of family supporting wage.

[matisse12]

When I retired 17 months ago, I had the choice of getting about $200 per month from my ex-husband's social security or getting $1280 from my own social security? (we were married 16 years)

Now which would a person choose? Not the $200 per month payment of course! I had to choose one or the other. So the lesson I learned is that the amount from an ex-husband's social security is not even worth considering or pursuing. And no, one cannot claim both payments - one chooses one or the other.

[brava4]

Originally Posted by susanra

When I retired 17 months ago, I had the choice of getting about $200 per month from my ex-husband's social security or getting $1280 from my own social security? (we were married 16 years)

Now which would a person choose? Not the $200 per month payment of course! I had to choose one or the other. So the lesson I learned is that the amount from an ex-husband's social security is not even worth considering or pursuing. And no, one cannot claim both payments - one chooses one or the other.

For the woman I was talking about it is worth her doing and getting her ex's SS for the years 62-66 and then she gets her own SS. For the time she gets her ex's SS she will get at least 1,000. I'd say for that 4 yr period it is WELL worth her taking it before switching to her own.

[HarryLou]

My ex-spouse is deceased anyhow. We were married well over 10 years. Until I reached full retirement age, wouldn't have received anything from his SS, as I still work. But passing that milestone made it worthwhile. Meantime, the amount I would/will get from my own account increases each year. If/when I retire, I plan to stop his and use mine. Does this make sense?

[Gandalara]

Originally Posted by susanra

When I retired 17 months ago, I had the choice of getting about $200 per month from my ex-husband's social security or getting $1280 from my own social security? (we were married 16 years)

Now which would a person choose? Not the $200 per month payment of course! I had to choose one or the other. So the lesson I learned is that the amount from an ex-husband's social security is not even worth considering or pursuing. And no, one cannot claim both payments - one chooses one or the other.

But he could get half of yours.
$640 instead of $200.

[bouncethelight]

Originally Posted by lenora

This kind of irked me too until I read that most ex-spouses now earn more on their own work record than they would draw from their ex-spouse's account.

It seems like it must be fairly rare.

My great-grandma who died at 100-years-old is the only person in my family to collect half her husband's award - all the other women earned enough in their lifetimes, to be better off collecting on their own.

[TFW46]

Originally Posted by Gandalara

But he could get half of yours.
$640 instead of $200.

Very true, Gandalara! (And quick thinking too.) I wonder if someone is made aware, or has any way of finding out, that an ex-spouse is drawing 1/2 of his/her SS.