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As the baby boomer generation ages and starts to retire, many in this group will be looking to supplement their retirement with income from Social Security. Sometimes people in Michigan didn’t work as much as their former spouse, because they were raising children or had some other agreement as part of their relationship, and their Social Security benefit will be less.
If a couple is now divorced and one of them has a lower benefit, they may be entitled to receive a larger benefit based on their former spouses benefit. Many Michigan couples who divorced years ago didn’t consider Social Security as part of their spousal support agreement, but that doesn’t mean they still can’t collect it. There are certain criteria, but many times it can increase a benefit without a former spouse even knowing, because it won’t affect their benefit.
In order to receive an increase in Social Security payments once you reach retirement you must have been married to your former spouse for at least 10 years. You cannot have remarried and must be over 62 years old, with your former spouse already collecting the benefit. There are also other situations that might make these requirements change slightly, such as if your spouse hasn’t started collecting, or if they are dead.
Because people who were divorced many years ago never really considered Social Security as part of a divorce, many of them are not aware as they near retirement age that they might be able to receive an increase in their benefit. Today, many people are advised when they seek a divorce about how their Social Security payments might be effected.
Source: Yahoo Finance, “Boosting Mom’s Social Security Payments,” Ellen E. Schultz, Jan. 17, 2012