Larry, I was married 21 yrs. most of that time I was a stay at home mom. I took my ss at age 62. Now, at age 72 I get $989 a month. After loosing my part time job, it would help if I could get some of my ex's. I'm sure he gets the maximum. Is it too late ?

Hi,

It's not too late to file, but you might not be eligible. In order for you to receive an excess divorced spousal benefit from your ex's account, 1/2 of his full retirement age benefit amount (PIA) would have to exceed your own PIA. Since you took your benefits at age 62, the amount you are receiving is roughly 75% of your PIA. Thus, your ex-husband's PIA would need to be more than around $2600 for you to be eligible to receive anything extra from his record.

You should probably contact Social Security to find out if you are eligible for any additional benefits. Even if you are not currently eligible, you would probably qualify for surviving divorced spousal benefits in the future if your ex dies before you. Those benefits are paid at the deceased's full benefit rate, so don't neglect to file a claim for survivor benefits in the event of his death.

Best, Jerry