Question about SS and SS from Divorced spouse

[Time2]

My sister, 64 years old, works part time, was married over 10 year, and never worked very much, but probably has her 40 quarters. I suspect she is under the $18k number before benefits are reduced.

Can she start collecting on her own SS account and then at 67, switch over to her ex husbands account to get the FRA higher amount?

 

[pb4uski]

I don't think so. See Benefits for Your Divorced Spouse towards the bottom of the link.

https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/applying7.html

 

[qwerty3656]

I don't think so. See Benefits for Your Divorced Spouse towards the bottom of the link.

https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/applying7.html

Doesn't say they can?

"If your ex-spouse is eligible for retirement benefits on their own record, we will pay that amount first. If the benefit on your record is higher, they will get an additional amount on your record so that the combination of benefits equals that higher amount."

 

[MissMolly]

No, not as long as the ex is still living (which is not clear from your question). If she files now and ex is still living, she will be deemed to be filing for the highest amount she is eligible for, whether that is her own or her spousal benefit of 1/2 of ex's PIA amount (actually less than 1/2 since she is not yet FRA). Once her ex passes, she could then file for her survivor benefit. If she is FRA when filing for survivor, she will get whatever her ex was getting. If she has not yet reached her FRA, it will be somewhat less.

If the ex has already passed, then yes, what you spelled out is possible.

All the above is assuming she did not remarry before age 60.

 

[Time2]

No, not as long as the ex is still living (which is not clear from your question). If she files now and ex is still living, she will be deemed to be filing for the highest amount she is eligible for, whether that is her own or her spousal benefit of 1/2 of ex's PIA amount (actually less than 1/2 since she is not yet FRA). Once her ex passes, she could then file for her survivor benefit. If she is FRA when filing for survivor, she will get whatever her ex was getting. If she has not yet reached her FRA, it will be somewhat less.

If the ex has already passed, then yes, what you spelled out is possible.

All the above is assuming she did not remarry before age 60.

Her ex is still living and she never remarried.
Did I understand correctly, if he is FRA and she is FRA, that if her ex dies, she will get 100% of the amount the ex was getting. But if he is living she will only get 50%? And does her check double when her ex dies?
https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/survivors/survivorchartred.html

 

[RetiredHappy]

Her ex is still living and she never remarried.
Did I understand correctly, if he is FRA and she is FRA, that if her ex dies, she will get 100% of the amount the ex was getting. But if he is living she will only get 50%? And does her check double when her ex dies?
https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/survivors/survivorchartred.html

If she reaches FRA then she could get her late ex- 's SS, even if the -ex died before his FRA. There is no double-dipping. If he is living, she can get 50% of his PIA (his amount at his FRA) at her FRA. If he dies, and his amount is higher and she has reached FRA, she can get SS to switch her SS amount to late ex- amount. She only gets 1 amount.

 

[MissMolly]

Her ex is still living and she never remarried.
Did I understand correctly, if he is FRA and she is FRA, that if her ex dies, she will get 100% of the amount the ex was getting. Yes, although the age of the ex is irrelevant.

But if he is living she will only get 50%? Yes

And does her check double when her ex dies? Assuming she is full retirement age and assuming she is collecting 50% spousal at the time, then yes. In other words, the max she will/can receive when her ex dies is the amount he was receiving at the time of his death.

 

[Time2]

Her ex is still living and she never remarried.
Did I understand correctly, if he is FRA and she is FRA, that if her ex dies, she will get 100% of the amount the ex was getting. Yes, although the age of the ex is irrelevant.

But if he is living she will only get 50%? Yes

And does her check double when her ex dies? Assuming she is full retirement age and assuming she is collecting 50% spousal at the time, then yes. In other words, the max she will/can receive when her ex dies is the amount he was receiving at the time of his death.

Ah yes, seems like the plot to a murder mystery.

 

[MC Rider]

Ah yes, seems like the plot to a murder mystery.

LOL. Would be a shame if the ex had a little "accident".

 

[RetiredHappy]

The question is how do divorcees find out whether their ex have passed away? If there is no obituary, then how?

 

[aja8888]

The question is how do divorcees find out whether their ex have passed away? If there is no obituary, then how?

You could always call the children or him? When my ex died 5 years ago, our daughter called me.

 

[MissMolly]

You could try the Social Security Death Index https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/1202535

The Social Security Death Index (SSDI) is a database of people whose deaths were reported to the Social Security Administration (SSA) beginning about 1962. ... Due to restrictions enacted in March 2014, recent entries to publicly available versions of the Social Security Death Index have not been made available.

 

[RetiredHappy]

You could try the Social Security Death Index https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/1202535

The Social Security Death Index (SSDI) is a database of people whose deaths were reported to the Social Security Administration (SSA) beginning about 1962. ... Due to restrictions enacted in March 2014, recent entries to publicly available versions of the Social Security Death Index have not been made available.

If data is not available after 2014, it is no good to anyone.

 

[RetiredHappy]

You could try the Social Security Death Index https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/1202535

The Social Security Death Index (SSDI) is a database of people whose deaths were reported to the Social Security Administration (SSA) beginning about 1962. ... Due to restrictions enacted in March 2014, recent entries to publicly available versions of the Social Security Death Index have not been made available.

If there are children, then it is easy peasy. If no kids and out of state, how does one find out? Can SS office help? BTW, this does not apply to me. I am curious how it works if there is no contact between the 2 divorcees. Someone I know keeps paying alimony but unsure if the ex is still alive. Family claimed that she has dementia and not accessible, and they live in different states.

 

[Aerides]

If there are children, then it is easy peasy. If no kids and out of state, how does one find out? Can SS office help? BTW, this does not apply to me. I am curious how it works if there is no contact between the 2 divorcees.

Between facebook, google, ancestry, old friends who will reach out, it's not hard to find out if you really want to know. (or don't for that matter).

 

[aja8888]

If there are children, then it is easy peasy. If no kids and out of state, how does one find out? Can SS office help? BTW, this does not apply to me. I am curious how it works if there is no contact between the 2 divorcees. Someone I know keeps paying alimony but unsure if the ex is still alive. Family claimed that she has dementia and not accessible, and they live in different states.

If you have his SS number, maybe you can call SS and ask them directly? Or if you know the town he was living in you can call the county. Or, just search Facebook!

 

[Time2]

The question is how do divorcees find out whether their ex have passed away? If there is no obituary, then how?

My sister has been divorced 30 years ±, but the kids still keep in touch, so she is aware of his situation, filtered through the kids. Second wife left took everything, he drinks a lot, lives with ex wife's family, has a chronic disease.
It's not a pretty story, compared to what I remember of him.

 

[Time2]

If you have his SS number, maybe you can call SS and ask them directly? Or if you know the town he was living in you can call the county. Or, just search Facebook!

She's wondering if she needs his SS # to collect, and how she will get it.
He would probably just give it to her, but if it were me, I'd have lot of questions before I give my SS # to a women I haven't seen for 30 years.

 

[RetiredHappy]

She's wondering if she needs his SS # to collect, and how she will get it.
He would probably just give it to her, but if it were me, I'd have lot of questions before I give my SS # to a women I haven't seen for 30 years.

Huh? I know of someone who is paying alimony forever. Her daughter (not his) said the mother, his ex-wife, has dementia and unable to speak to him. He continues to make payment in the form of a check and mails it to the daughter who deposits it into a bank. He does not know how to verify if she is still alive or not.

 

[youbet]

Huh? I know of someone who is paying alimony forever. Her daughter (not his) said the mother, his ex-wife, has dementia and unable to speak to him. He continues to make payment in the form of a check and mails it to the daughter who deposits it into a bank. He does not know how to verify if she is still alive or not.

Verifying whether she is alive or not is easy. Stop paying the alimony. If he receives notice from a court that he needs to pay, then pay the arrears promptly and continue the monthly payments for a few months and then try it again.

If his ex is pushing up daisies, I doubt the daughter will go to court trying to force the alimony payments to continue as she could wind up doing a little time.

It's not unheard of for kids/grand kids of deceased folks to try to continue to collect various payments the deceased was receiving. I wouldn't trust that situation for a second.

 

[RetiredHappy]

Verifying whether she is alive or not is easy. Stop paying the alimony. If he receives notice from a court that he needs to pay, then pay the arrears promptly and continue the monthly payments for a few months and then try it again.

If his ex is pushing up daisies, I doubt the daughter will go to court trying to force the alimony payments to continue as she could wind up doing a little time.

It's not unheard of for kids/grand kids of deceased folks to try to continue to collect various payments the deceased was receiving. I wouldn't trust that situation for a second.

Yeah... except that a social worker was called on the ex- for dementia several years ago. The ex-husband was contacted by the social worker about the woman's situation. So dementia is / was true, her current state is unknown. Her daughter sold her mother's house and said the mother has been placed in a facility. I got a feeling contacting SS is the only way to find out.

 

[youbet]

Yeah... except that a social worker was called on the ex- for dementia several years ago. The ex-husband was contacted by the social worker about the woman's situation. So dementia is / was true, her current state is unknown. Her daughter sold her mother's house and said the mother has been placed in a facility. I got a feeling contacting SS is the only way to find out.

Well, if there is a sensitivity on the part of the ex-husband to not seem pushy your strategy would be best. But I'd simply tell the daughter I needed substantiation that my ex-wife was still alive or the alimony checks would cease.

If the daughter is offended by the implication that she might be hiding her mother's death and collecting the alimony payments fraudulently, well too bad. I'm guessing a judge would support the alimony payer's right to know.

It could be something as simple and automatic and the NH sending a copy of the minutes of the monthly "client meeting" to the alimony payer.

It really seems strange that there is any issue with the ex-wife's status being visible to the alimony payer. My guess is that a judge would agree. The alimony payer does not need to be shy here. He's paying his ex-wife alimony for her lifetime. Her life status is not made clear by having her daughter's signature endorsing his checks!

 

[RetiredHappy]

Well, if there is a sensitivity on the part of the ex-husband to not seem pushy your strategy would be best. But I'd simply tell the daughter I needed substantiation that my ex-wife was still alive or the alimony checks would cease.

If the daughter is offended by the implication that she might be hiding her mother's death and collecting the alimony payments fraudulently, well too bad. I'm guessing a judge would support the alimony payer's right to know.

It could be something as simple and automatic and the NH sending a copy of the minutes of the monthly "client meeting" to the alimony payer.

It really seems strange that there is any issue with the ex-wife's status being visible to the alimony payer. My guess is that a judge would agree. The alimony payer does not need to be shy here. He's paying his ex-wife alimony for her lifetime. Her life status is not made clear by having her daughter's signature endorsing his checks!

I agree with you.

 

[RetiredAndLovingIt]

Google her name and last know address and see what comes up or even add the word obituary. I've done that before when I suspected a friend might have passed and he had.

 

[HarveyS]

Yeah... except that a social worker was called on the ex- for dementia several years ago. The ex-husband was contacted by the social worker about the woman's situation. So dementia is / was true, her current state is unknown. Her daughter sold her mother's house and said the mother has been placed in a facility. I got a feeling contacting SS is the only way to find out.

The question isn't does she/does she not have dementia. It's is she alive.
The ex-husband could call the facility/nursing home and explain the situation. Then simply ask. If daughter won't provide name of facility/nursing home, I'd go with the plan to stop sending checks.