Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Help me out. The US SSA office in Oslo told me that my danish wife is eligible for spousal benefits in the US when she reaches retirement age = to half my benefits, even if I am alive. She has never worked a day, or lived in, the US. We do file our US income taxes jointly and she has a TIN, but not an SSN.
This doesn't sound right to me, but our situation is not covered on what I could read on the SSA web site (Non-resident US citizen husband collecting SS benefits and a non-resident, non-US citizen who has never worked in the US).
Maybe, I misunderstood the staffer from the Oslo office?
Help me out. The US SSA office in Oslo told me that my danish wife is eligible for spousal benefits in the US when she reaches retirement age = to half my benefits, even if I am alive. She has never worked a day, or lived in, the US. We do file our US income taxes jointly and she has a TIN, but not an SSN.
This doesn't sound right to me, but our situation is not covered on what I could read on the SSA web site (Non-resident US citizen husband collecting SS benefits and a non-resident, non-US citizen who has never worked in the US).
Maybe, I misunderstood the staffer from the Oslo office?
No our system allows it I am sure. Here is how she would be eligible for it. If she were married to you for 10 years. That is all it takes.
My ex husband filed at 62 and he is currently 66. His current benefit is $1750. The social security people told me I would be entitled to whatever amount he is getting when he dies. If I am under 66 when he dies it would be reduced for each year. His benefit is already permanently reduced for taking it early.
Again,
My plan is to take my benefit at 62 and then claim his higher benefit when he dies. It doesn't pay for me to wait for my own FRA SS because his death benefit would be about the same as mine at FRA.
Another option is to wait until you are 66 and elect to receive the divorced spousal benefit. (You don't have this option if you apply for benefits pre-FRA). Because of this option, you could allow the benefit on your own earnings record to grow an additional 8% year until age 70. At any time after FRA through age 70, you could drop the ex's (1/2 of the PIA) and switch to your own. Survivor's benefit is not impacted by this scenario.
"Another option is to wait until you are 66 and elect to receive the divorced spousal benefit."
I was told that my FRA has to be less than 1/2 my ex husband's FRA for me to qualify for 50% of his benefit at age 66.
"Another option is to wait until you are 66 and elect to receive the divorced spousal benefit."
I was told that my FRA has to be less than 1/2 my ex husband's FRA for me to qualify for 50% of his benefit at age 66.
You were told wrong. Or you misunderstood. At age 66 (BTW, "FRA" is Full Retirement Age) you have the choice. If you file before FRA, you do not have this choice.
But if,
...
you have reached full retirement age and you are eligible for a spouse's benefit and your own retirement benefit, you have a choice.
You can choose to receive only the divorced spouse's benefits now and delay receiving retirement benefits until a later date. If retirement benefits are delayed, a higher benefit may be received at a later date based on the effect of Delayed Retirement Credits.
I've read all of that, but I went to a Social Security seminar and this is what I was told. The speaker had worked for Social Security for 30 years. He said my full retirement benefit has to be less than 1/2 of my ex's full retirement benefit or I can't claim on his record. This is the same information that the Social Security office in Chicago told me. If my full benefit at 66 is $2,000 and 1/2 of his full benefit is $1,400 I cannot clain a spousal benefit and delay taking mine. What you quoted in the post above does not give the full explanation.
Note: "Your benefit as a divorced spouse is equal to one-half of your ex-spouse's full retirement amount (or disability benefit) if you start receiving benefits at your full retirement age". If it is over the 1/2 mark you can't collect his benefit.
I will call the Social Security office again tomorrow and try and clarify this. I have been told by several Social Security experts that I cannot claim 1/2 of my ex's benefit at 66 because my benefit is too high.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
