Divorce and Blended Families
9. Divorced spouses can claim on your record if the marriage lasted 10 years
Divorce does not necessarily sever your Social Security ties. If your marriage lasted at least 10 consecutive years and you are currently unmarried, you can claim spousal benefits based on your ex-spouse’s earnings history.
You must be at least 62 years old, and your ex-spouse must be eligible for retirement benefits. Unlike current couples, if you have been divorced for at least two continuous years, you can claim the divorced spousal benefit even if your ex-spouse has not yet filed for their own benefits.
10. An ex-spouse’s claim does not reduce your current family’s benefits
A common fear in blended families is that an ex-spouse claiming benefits will drain the pool of money available to the current spouse. The Social Security Administration processes divorced spousal claims entirely separately.
If your ex-spouse files for a benefit based on your earnings record, it has zero impact on your own monthly check, and it does not reduce the maximum spousal or survivor benefits available to your current spouse. The SSA does not even notify you when an ex-spouse files a claim.
