If you are divorced and thinking about filing for Social Security retirement benefits, it’s worth learning more about the filing options that are available to divorced spouses. The filing decisions you make today can permanently affect the Social Security benefits you receive throughout your retirement.
Timing is a key variable for everyone. Collecting benefits before you’ve reached full retirement age permanently reduces your monthly benefit up to 30 percent if you were born in 1960 or later.
Of course, there may be good reasons for filing before your full retirement age; health, family, and financial concerns are all important considerations.
As this chart shows, your full retirement age is determined by the year you were born. Full retirement age is calculated a bit differently for survivors' benefits. Be sure to contact Social Security directly to learn more about how survivors' benefits work if your former spouse is deceased.1
| Your Full Retirement Age2 | |
| Year of Birth | Full Retirement Age |
| 1943 – 1954 | 66 |
| 1955 | 66 and 2 months |
| 1956 | 66 and 4 months |
| 1957 | 66 and 6 months |
| 1958 | 66 and 8 months |
| 1959 | 66 and 10 months |
| 1960 and later | 67 |
- 1 Social Security Administration, “Social Security Benefit Amounts for the Surviving Spouse by Year of Birth,” www.ssa.gov/planners/survivors/survivorchartred.html.
[back] - 2 Retirement Benefits: Starting Your Retirement Benefits Early,” www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/retirechart.html.
[back]
- * This material does not constitute a recommendation to engage in or refrain from a particular course of action. The information within has not been tailored for any individual.
The information provided is not written or intended as specific tax or legal advice. MassMutual and its subsidiaries, employees, and representatives are not authorized to give tax or legal advice. Individuals are encouraged to seek advice from their own tax or legal counsel.
Divorced spouses may have a choice of filing options.
If you are divorced and your marriage lasted 10 years or longer, you can receive benefits based on your ex-spouse’s earnings history (even if they have remarried), provided that all the following apply:
- You are currently unmarried.
- You are age 62 or older.
- Your ex-spouse is eligible to receive Social Security retirement benefits.
- The benefit you are eligible (62 or older) to receive based on your own earnings history is less than the benefit you would receive based on your former spouse’s work record.
Your benefit as a divorced spouse is equal to 50 percent of your ex-spouse’s full retirement age amount, provided you start receiving benefits at your full retirement age.
If your former spouse has not applied for retirement benefits but is eligible to receive them (age 62 or older), you can claim benefits based on their earnings history provided you have been divorced for at least two years.
If you are eligible for retirement benefits based on your own earnings history, Social Security will pay that amount first. However, if the benefit payable on your former spouse’s record is higher, you will receive a combined benefit that is equivalent to the higher amount.
Two examples
For the sake of simplicity, the following examples include limited variables. Many factors can affect the amount of your Social Security retirement benefit, so it’s wise to check with the Social Security Administration for guidance before you file for benefits.
Meet Nancy
Nancy is 62 and still working part time. She was married to Alan for 18 years and has been divorced for five years. She plans to fully retire at her age 70 and begin collecting her pension and Social Security benefits. At her full retirement age of 67, Nancy is eligible to receive a monthly benefit of $1,000, increased by any annual cost of living adjustments (COLAs).
Alan is 67, and although he hasn’t yet filed for his benefit, he is eligible to receive a monthly benefit of $3,000 at his full retirement age.
Filing strategy 1: File for benefits at age 70
All benefit amounts include an annual 2.5 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA).3
Analysis: If Nancy files for benefits at age 70, Social Security pays her own benefit first. Then it checks to see if she qualifies for a spousal benefit from Alan. In this case, Nancy does qualify for a small spousal benefit of $317 from Alan’s record and $1,511 from her record. The combined benefits result in $1,828 per month for Nancy for life (adjusted for COLA increases over time).
- 3 Illustration as of December 4, 2023.
[back]
Filing strategy 2: File for benefits at age 67
All benefit amounts include an annual 2.5 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA).4
Analysis: Nancy files for benefits at her full retirement age of 67. There is no earning test to worry about at this point. She now receives $1,697 a month, which comprises $1,131 from her record and $566 from Alan.
If she lives to age 95 Nancy will receive $793,073 in cumulative benefit if she files at age 67. If she files at age 70 the cumulative payout is $729,882 Filing for benefits earlier actually pays her over $64,081 more than waiting until her age 70.
- 4 Illustration as of December 4, 2023.
[back]
Take the guesswork out of your Social Security filing decision
One of the most important steps you can take is to set up your “my Social Security” page on www.ssa.gov. This is an easy and secure way to view your estimated benefits and earnings history. The Social Security Administration will use this information when it calculates your benefit, so be sure that it accurately reflects your work history.
We’re here to help
Once you have set up your my Social Security account, your financial professional can help you explore different filing strategies. With this information, you will be better able to make an informed Social Security filing decision.
It pays to plan ahead!
Even if you cannot use certain filing strategies because of your age, Social Security planning is still important.
For example, suppose your full retirement age is 67 and your monthly benefit at that age is $1,000. If you take that benefit at age 62, it would be reduced to $700.
On the other hand, if you wait until age 70, your monthly benefit could increase to $1,240 with delayed retirement credits—that’s a 77 percent increase from your age 62 benefit.
Depending on your particular situation, waiting even one or two years could result in a larger monthly benefit.
For more information, copies of publications, or to set up your my Social Security account, visit the Social Security Administration website at www.ssa.gov or call toll-free at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).
Final decisions about Social Security filing strategies always rest with you and should be based on your specific needs and health considerations. It is important to acquire as much information as possible so that you can make an informed Social Security claiming decision; one year after the Social Security claiming decision is made, the options for change are extremely limited.
Some people, such as certain federal, state, and local government workers, may be subject to the “Government Pension Offset” and the “Windfall Elimination Provision,” which could decrease their Social Security benefits.
If you work for an employer that offers a retirement plan, your plan benefit may be subject to a Social Security “pension offset” provision. (Your 401(k) contributions and the employer match are not subject to a pension offset.) A pension offset may reduce the amount of your retirement plan benefit when you become eligible to collect Social Security retirement benefits. This reduction may apply whether or not you are collecting Social Security retirement benefits. This could be an important consideration as you make your filing decision. Your plan administrator can tell you whether your plan includes a Social Security pension offset provision and how it might affect your retirement plan benefit.
The Social Security program was created by an Act of Congress and is subject to change. In the past, Congress has made changes to the law, which have affected Social Security benefits. Congress can make changes to the law at any time, which might affect benefits in the future.
MassMutual…
Helping you secure what matters most.
Since 1851, our business decisions have been guided by our customers’ needs. Today, we offer a wide range of financial products and services to help people secure their future and protect the ones they love.
- * This material does not constitute a recommendation to engage in or refrain from a particular course of action. The information within has not been tailored for any individual.
© 2024 Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual®), Springfield, MA 01111-0001.
All rights reserved. www.MassMutual.com.