Hi,
I will be 62 and recently divorced. I have not been successful at getting a job and feel I will need to take my social security at 62. My ex is 67 and is collecting social security. What is my best options. I have checked and they said at 62 I could only take half of my ex's. Is that a lower rate for me at 62 as well? If I take mine at 62 and when he passes would I be able to switch to his if I don't remarry?

Hi,

I'd run our software to see exactly what you'll get, but, in general terms, it will be the sum of your own reduced (by 25 percent) retirement benefits plus your reduced (by 30 percent) excess divorced spousal benefit. Your excess divorced spousal benefit is half of your ex's full retirement benefit less 100 percent of your own full retirement benefit. If this difference is negative, you'll not receive anything from your ex while he is alive. I presume that you were married for 10 years. If not, there are no divorcee benefits available of any kind. Once your ex dies, you'll collect your excess divorced widows benefit in addition to your own retirement benefit. This will likely equal the monthly check he is now receiving unless a) he dies before you reach full retirement age and b) he took his own retirement benefit before full retirement age. If he does die before you reach full retirement age, you need to decide when to take your excess divorced widows benefit. The best time is when it reaches its maximum value, which can be before your full retirement age if he took his retirement benefit early.

In general, you don't want to make these decisions and you would do well to fun our software now and when your ex dies to decide exactly what to do.

My best, Larry