Just received my Christmas present from Uncle Sam!

[Chuckanut]

I just received my Christmas present from my Uncle Sam.

I have been approved to get depended benefits based upon my ex-wife's SS account. I am at that age where I can claim on my ex-wife's account while my own increases for the next four years. Finally, I manage to benefit from a Grandfather clause in the law/rules/customs/procedures.

Years of struggle as a wretched bachelor have paid off. Now, watch me fall madly in love with a fantastic woman who loves me equally, marry her, and lose the benefit. That would be worth it.

 

[Calico]

Woo-hoo!!

The gift that keeps on giving!

 

[braumeister]

Now, watch me fall madly in love

With your newfound riches, you'll be beating 'em off with a stick!

 

[street]

Good for you but I hope you find your love of your life! lol

 

[easysurfer]

Good for you! My present from the IRS is I got my annual PIN letter in the mail since my tax info got hacked about a year ago.

 

[Bamaman]

Congratulations on hitting a seam in the regulations. Social Security is just unbelievably complicated.

 

[Chuckanut]

Congratulations on hitting a seam in the regulations. Social Security is just unbelievably complicated.

Yes, it is.

This and the National Parks pass are the only two breaks I really have been waiting for.

 

[Pilot2013]

I heard from my oldest daughter after her visit with my ex wife over Christmas that the topic of why she and her boyfriend of 9 years have not married came up. My ex told our daughter that she planned on filing for spousal benefits since her boyfriend has had little income and will have low benefits, as well as her. One problem with her plan. We were married in May of 1989, and divorced in Feb of 1999....

Should I let her know?

 

[Brat]

No, I would let SS tell her.

 

[NW-Bound]

Yes, it is.

This and the National Parks pass are the only two breaks I really have been waiting for.

And both are snatched away from me, just as I am about to get them.

 

[gauss]

Years of struggle as a wretched bachelor have paid off. Now, watch me fall madly in love with a fantastic woman who loves me equally, marry her, and lose the benefit. That would be worth it.

If you find a woman who "dreams of DRCs" then you may be on the right path....

 

[braumeister]

And both are snatched away from me, just as I am about to get them.

 

[gauss]

I heard from my oldest daughter after her visit with my ex wife over Christmas that the topic of why she and her boyfriend of 9 years have not married came up. My ex told our daughter that she planned on filing for spousal benefits since her boyfriend has had little income and will have low benefits, as well as her. One problem with her plan. We were married in May of 1989, and divorced in Feb of 1999....

Should I let her know?

Because the marriage didn't last ten years, do the spousal benefits drop off like a cliff?

I would let her know or at least let the daughter know that this plan may be fatally flawed. Advise her to contact SS ASAP for confirmation/clarification.

-gauss

 

[braumeister]

Because the marriage didn't last ten years, do the spousal benefits drop off like a cliff?

Not only that, but the ten years have to be consecutive.

 

[rodi]

Weren't you looking forward to medicare also? DH just qualified (starting this Sunday) and we're excited about the lower insurance costs plus the silver sneakers program! He's had the Nat'l Park card for a while. And no ex-wive's for him.. so no SS benefits from that avenue.

 

[Chuckanut]

Because the marriage didn't last ten years, do the spousal benefits drop off like a cliff?

I would let her know or at least let the daughter know that this plan may be fatally flawed. Advise her to contact SS ASAP for confirmation/clarification.

Yes, I believe the 10 years is a strict requirement. No pro-rating of the SS benefit.

 

[Pilot2013]

Because the marriage didn't last ten years, do the spousal benefits drop off like a cliff?

I would let her know or at least let the daughter know that this plan may be fatally flawed. Advise her to contact SS ASAP for confirmation/clarification.

-gauss

Yes... less than 10 years, no benefit.

I see a problem with this whole thing, and yet another reason this system is collapsing. If someone were to marry 3 different people, each for 10 years and 1 day, they would all 3 be eligible for the spousal benefit.

 

[Chuckanut]

Yes... less than 10 years, no benefit.

I see a problem with this whole thing, and yet another reason this system is collapsing. If someone were to marry 3 different people, each for 10 years and 1 day, they would all 3 be eligible for the spousal benefit.

True, but realistically, is that really a significant problem? I have run into a few people with 3+ marriages in their life and most of their marriages were relatively short - less than 5 years. Or, sometimes they have one long one in which they have children, do the family thing, then divorce when the kids are young adults. On the rebound they have a short 2-3 year marriage that everybody but them knows is doomed to quick failure. After that, they give up on marriage.

Like my old grand-pappy used to say "One divorce can happen to anybody, two divorces are unfortunate, but at three you have to start looking in the mirror".

Actually, it is far more likely that if a person (especially women) has two divorces under their belt they don't want to get married anymore. The number of women in their 50's and 60's, divorced twice, who want another man legally tied to them seems quite small. They think it is .

Like my old grand-pappy used to say "One divorce can happen to anybody, two divorces are unfortunate, but at three you have to start looking in the mirror".

 

[Payin-the-Toll]

I heard from my oldest daughter after her visit with my ex wife over Christmas that the topic of why she and her boyfriend of 9 years have not married came up. My ex told our daughter that she planned on filing for spousal benefits since her boyfriend has had little income and will have low benefits, as well as her. One problem with her plan. We were married in May of 1989, and divorced in Feb of 1999....

Should I let her know?

As stupid as the SS office is, they'll probably say 1999-1989= 10 years, where do we send the check? Then about 20 years from now when all are dead, they'll be going: "Wait a minute, that wasn't a full 10 years and we want our money back"--total idiots.

 

[braumeister]

As stupid as the SS office is, they'll probably say 1999-1989= 10 years, where do we send the check? Then about 20 years from now when all are dead, they'll be going: "Wait a minute, that wasn't a full 10 years and we want our money back"--total idiots.

I don't think that's likely. AFAIK, SS does its calculations in months, not years, so the requirement is for 120 consecutive months. Pretty easy to see how this case doesn't cut it.

 

[Chuckanut]

As stupid as the SS office is, they'll probably say 1999-1989= 10 years, where do we send the check? Then about 20 years from now when all are dead, they'll be going: "Wait a minute, that wasn't a full 10 years and we want our money back"--total idiots.

Hmmmm.... The SS person I spoke to over the phone seemed very knowledgeable and very competent. Not stupid at all. From what I can tell they got it all correct.

 

[samclem]

I heard from my oldest daughter after her visit with my ex wife over Christmas that the topic of why she and her boyfriend of 9 years have not married came up. My ex told our daughter that she planned on filing for spousal benefits since her boyfriend has had little income and will have low benefits, as well as her. One problem with her plan. We were married in May of 1989, and divorced in Feb of 1999....

I'm surprised neither your ex nor her lawyer caught that 10 year thing, it would seem like an item that should be on every divorce lawyer's checklist. Seems they would/should have done something to stall the finalization of the divorce a few months, or offered you a deal to delay things. I know the lawyers that work divorces involving military members track that 10 year threshold with great vigilance, as it automatically results in DFAS payment of a portion of the retirement check to the other party.