marriage and social security benefits

Wade also points out that if the survivor takes her worker’s benefit first and then subsequently becomes eligible for a higher widow’s benefit, then she is what Social Security calls “dually entitled.” That is, she could continue receiving her worker benefit and she could receive an additional benefit reflecting the amount due her as a widow. Importantly, you can receive this benefit even if you weren't married to your ex-spouse for 10 years. We are an independent, advertising-supported comparison service. A widow benefit may be limited if the deceased spouse claimed early retirement benefits. The connection between marital history and eligibility for spouse or widow benefits is of increasing interest among policymakers and retirement analysts (Favreault and Steuerle 2007; Harrington Meyer, Wolf, and Himes 2006). Similar to other topical modules, the marital history module is collected in combination with the core questionnaire, which covers general demographic, socioeconomic, and program participation information across all waves of each panel. When a spouse dies, the survivor receives her widow’s benefit first as early as age 60 (50 if disabled). HomeInsurance.com LLC services are only available in states were it is licensed and insurance coverage through HomeInsurance.com may not be available in all states. If he qualifies for those benefits even if he has not begun taking them, Social Security will allow you as the ex-wife to go ahead and take your ex-spouse benefits — providing that you've been divorced for at least two years. To ensure confidentiality, all users of restricted data must be authorized by the U.S. Census Bureau. Social Security Bulletin 66(1): 1–15. 2122.1 How does marriage affect SSI benefits?. Internet Release Date: June 29, 2005. The survey can be used as a longitudinal sample or cross-sectional study, as is done here. Social Security rules follow state laws when determining eligibility for spousal and survivor benefits. Marriage, divorce, and remarriage in the 1990s. Special care should be taken when making numeric contrasts based on two independent data sources. The Middle Age cohort represents the youngest age group considered in this study. Clark, Sandra L., and Mai Weismantle. 2005. 1. Social Security primarily offers retirement benefits to workers. Social Security will not accept photocopies or even notarized copies. From date of marriage to date of final divorce. "Social Security provides spousal benefits in retirement to secondary workers in married couples based on the primary worker's earnings record. Altogether, the article highlights important linkages between sociodemographic trends in marital patterns, the Social Security program, and its beneficiaries. See RS 00203.035A.3. The following tables present the standard errors of estimated percentages reported in this article. To prove your legal name change, you must show one of the following documents: Marriage document. However, a growing tendency toward never marrying, along with shorter marriages before divorce, among the younger wave of baby boomers may foreshadow a decline in the proportion of women that will be eligible for spouse or widow benefits in future years. This article focuses on the marital history component of eligibility, while acknowledging that large-scale changes in women's workforce attachment over the past half century, such as increases in labor market participation and earnings relative to men, have led to an increase in the share of women retirees receiving at least part of their benefit based on their own earnings record. Waite, Linda J. . For example, you may be ready to retire and counting on Social Security as the cornerstone of your retirement plan. A: Social Security regulations indicate that a spousal benefit is available for a divorced person only if the marriage lasted 10 years. One rule changed for people born on Jan. 2, 1954, or later. Since marital histories help establish whether spouse or widow benefits will be a retirement income option for women in old age, it is important to track marital trends, particularly as the leading edge of the baby-boom generation begins retiring. With respect to divorce, 38.8 percent of Late Middle Age women in the 2001 SIPP were ever-divorced (Table 3). Available at http://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/handbook/handbook.html. : Washington DC: U.S. Census Bureau (February). To that end, this book addresses a variety of topics that the compassionate professionals of the Miles Mason Family Law Group know best, including advice needed to get the learning process started, hiring your divorce team, custody and ... “Her widow benefit does not reflect any reduction for receiving her own benefit early,” Wade says. Even if you’ve never worked a day in your life, you can collect a portion of your gainfully employed spouse’s benefits. This assumes both of you retire in 2012 at age 66 and have made the maximum payroll tax contribution every year since age 21. We cannot know this, but suspect the process would even out in estimating marriage durations short and long of 120 months. SSA Publication No. "How your Social Security retirement benefits, spousal benefits, and widow/widower benefits are calculated. Generally, during the initial interview when applying for Social Security benefits, we typically explore all other benefits that could yield you a higher benefit amount. In any event, before anything can happen, there's a "test" for your ex-spouse, too. 9. Q: How about people who've had multiple marriages and divorces? Your benefit could be reduced or denied if your ex-spouse claims Social Security in a certain way. Found insideIn this book, budget experts and social scientists examine the history of family benefits in Social Security and show how changes in the retired population have affected the nature of these benefits and their ability to serve the elderly. We maintain a firewall between our advertisers and our editorial team. It amounts to a combination of benefits equivalent to the higher spouse’s benefits. You must also be at Full retirement age (FRA). Auxiliary benefits have become gender neutral (available to men) over time. 13–11871. 14. In the US, an ex-spouse may claim social security divorce benefits if their spouse is already 62 years old or older. In 2001, 31.0 percent of those who were currently divorced did not have a marriage that met the 10-year duration requirement, compared with 22.2 percent in 1985 (Table 4). Tests of difference between two sample estimates are based on the square root of the sum of the squares of the standard errors of each estimate considered separately. Bankrate has answers. She says her own divorced sister had to return three times to the Social Security office until she found an employee who understood the policies and awarded her sister the proper amount of benefits. An individual under age 22 is a child who qualifies for special income exclusions. Women still earn less on average than men and as a result remain much more likely than men to be eligible for an auxiliary benefit upon retirement, especially a dually entitled widow benefit (Butrica, Iams, and Sandell 1999, Chart 2). If you and your spouse both get SSI, your benefit . All Rights Reserved. Demography 32(4): 483–507. Introduced into the Social Security program in 1939, spouse and survivor benefits have important implications for the retirement experience of women. The Late Middle Age cohort in 2001 consists of women born between 1942 and 1951. If your ex-spouse has social security and divorce, then you may be eligible, barring the exceptions already mentioned. Answers to basic questions about Social Security benefits that are posed by people in real-life situations 12. The book helps gay and lesbian couples from around the country navigate the challenges of deciding whether (and maybe where) to wed and provides resources for updates. Original. That doesn’t happen for many people — but it could. Here are the 3 things you need to know to be confident you have gotten every dollar in benefits that belong to you. NOTES: Data are weighted using sample weights. Social Security Bulletin 60(4): 3–17. Benefits were extended to divorced widows with children and dependent widowers in the 1950 amendments. 21. 180. Basically, there are two sets of rules that determine whether you qualify. The Social Security program allows workers to claim retirement or disability benefits on the basis of their lifetime earnings. Views: 69063. Employment status 2000. To ensure consistency with data presented in Iams and Ycas (1988), the Middle Age cohort is not included in Tables 5 and 6. And before we go further, keep in mind that Social Security is gender neutral. Notable changes include increases in divorce, decreases in marriage durations, and a rise in the number of women who delay or forgo marriage.2 From a retirement perspective, shifting marital patterns are important as they may mean that the share of women with the option of claiming a spouse or widow benefit at retirement may change as well. Number, timing, and duration of marriages and divorces: 2001. 15. Divorcees may be eligible for a divorced spouse benefit based on their previous spouse's lifetime earnings provided that they had a 10-year (120 months) marriage. where x is the total number of persons, families, or households (the base of the percentage), p is the percentage, and b is the parameter associated with the characteristic in the numerator of the percentage. 3. A: You would have to meet these conditions: A: You can get benefits on an ex-spouse's record at any age if you're caring for that ex-spouse's child, who is also your natural or legally adopted child and who is younger than 16. 7. To ensure consistency with data presented in Iams and Ycas (1988), the Middle Age cohort is not included. Thank you for your help. Social Security: A program and policy history. If you're divorced, you may still qualify for Social Security benefits from your former spouse. The retirement security of women is a clear concern among policymakers and retirement analysts. Butrica, Barbara A., and Howard M. Iams. For the purpose of Social Security survivors benefits, the SSA will recognize a common law marriage that was validly established under the New Hampshire law. Year of marriage to Year of final divorce. Estimates also show that the share of this group who were never-married increased by more than 2 percentage points from 1985 to 2001(Table 2). The 10 years do . If . This information is important because it allows for the estimation of length of marriages, an important component of this article's analysis.3. The experience of Middle Age women with divorce has also changed. Results indicate that the majority of women aged 40 to 69 in 2001 (over three-fourths) already had marital histories that will guarantee them the option of a spouse or widow benefit at retirement. The first applies if your ex-spouse is living, and the second applies if he's deceased. It is worthwhile to mention that although the estimates used in this article are derived from separate surveys, they are based on largely consistent supplemental marital history modules. The SIPP Marital History Module is considered one of the best surveys to gauge recent marital patterns, especially since the National Center for Health Statistics and the Current Population Survey no longer collect comprehensive data on marriage and divorce. Drawing on the author's expertise and the personal Social Security stories of real women, this book opens the door on how Social Security works for women regardless of your life's journey. Basically, you collect whichever benefit is higher. Survivor's Step-Up Continuing this example, Al is receiving $2,640 per month, plus COLAs, after age 70, while Beth's Social Security payments are an inflation-adjusted $540. Notable shifts include rising proportions of currently divorced women without a 10-year marriage and never-married women. ———. New cohort forecasts of first marriage for U.S. women. 20. Annual Statistical Supplement to the Social Security Bulletin, 2006. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site, including, for example, the order in which they may appear within the listing categories. Report 987, Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Labor, Available at http://www.bls.gov/cps/cpswom2004.pdf. If she applies before me, will I get nothing? For survivor benefits, it's 1962 and after. Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, is one Social Security program that penalizes people for getting married. Social Security follows the rules of the state where you live. This article uses data from the 2001 Marital History Topical Module (wave 2) to the U.S. Census Bureau's Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) to examine the extent to which marital patterns are changing among different age groups of women. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age. Social Security Administration [SSA]. If you're at full retirement age, you'll be eligible for payments that are 50 percent of whatever he would get. As a starting point, the share of Older Age women potentially eligible for spouse or widow benefits on the basis of current marital status was determined (Table 2). But if you begin taking the benefits before your full retirement age, they'll be permanently reduced. Notwithstanding, the sum of Middle Age women in 2001 that have already been married 10 years or with qualifying widowhood revels that more than two-thirds (71 percent) already had a marital history that ensured eligibility for auxiliary benefits (figure not included in Tables). Series P-23, No. Butrica, Barbara A., Howard M. Iams, and Steven H. Sandell. Demography 34(4): 455–466. With respect to earnings, in 2004, the median weekly earnings for women employed full time were 80 percent of men's median earnings, an increase from 68 percent in 1984. The 1983 Amendments extended benefits to divorced widowers and eliminated the dependency test for all widowers. Disregard the remarriage of a claimant applying for benefits as a widow (er)s or surviving divorced spouse age 60 or over if the remarriage occurred after attainment of: •. Found insideThe Washington Post and New York Times Business Bestseller “Everyone in the workforce today should read this book!” —HORACE B. DEETS, FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AARP “Want excellent insights on retirement planning from a ... The findings and conclusions in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Social Security Administration. Reported in, NOTES: All data for 2005 and dual entitlement data for 1995 and 2000 are based on a. Widow-only beneficiaries include disabled widows and mothers. 2005a. You can't collect both. are divorcing after decades of marriage," said Michelle Petrowski, a . According to Social Security administrative records, there were 23,810,000 male workers (16 or older) with taxable earnings in 1937 compared to 9,090,000 women (16 or older), a ratio of 2.62 men to every woman. For a Social Security spouse's benefit, a spouse must be legally married to the worker at the time the application is filed and for at least one continuous year immediately before the day of the . When you add your own worker benefits to those of your spouse, the amount you are . Fullerton, Howard N. Jr. 1999. Updating your Social Security record is your responsibility, even if you get a simple name change! The number may appear under Show Additional Office Information. Once you confirm that subscription, you will regularly Highlights of women's earnings in 2004. The historical maturity effect refers to a situation in which respondents learn from earlier survey waves how to answer anticipated questions in order to shorten the interview and in the process compromise or at least put in question the content validity of responses. See also Fullerton 1999. With respect to length of marriage, estimates also show that nearly 80 percent of ever-married Older Age women had reached their 20-year anniversary in 2001 (Table 5). These can include spouse-only, widow-only, dually entitled spouse, and dually entitled widow benefits. SOURCES: Iams and Ycas (1988) using Current Population Survey data and authors' calculations based on data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation 2001, Marital History File. SOURCE: Authors' compilation based on Iams and Ycas (1988, Table 2). We’ve maintained this reputation for over four decades by demystifying the financial decision-making process and giving people confidence in which actions to take next. Note that, because marital event dates are suppressed in the Public-Use File of the 2001 Marital History Module, the following analysis relies on a Restricted-Use File, which contains the dates (in year and months) at which a respondent's marriage (up to three) began and ended. They can restrict a Social Security application to their spouse's benefit and delay filing for their own retirement as late as age 70 so their own benefit can grow. Fidelity surveyed* more than 1,000 people, asking whether they believed that an ex-spouse could influence their Social Security benefits. Your former spouse doesn't have to be . Or more 8781838 ) and authors ' marriage and social security benefits of — 66 for most people — but it could a insurance! 9 months to qualify for spouse or widow benefits in retirement to secondary workers in couples! Collect Social Security benefits based on their former spouse doesn & # x27 ; s can! 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S no single guideline intended to prevent older people from living in poverty entitled ) to make a difference your. The accuracy of survey-reported marital status alone but as a married couple a beautiful wedding gift — the to! Marriage ( s ) on how long the marriages lasted and other evidence of marriage switch to! 'S Social Security best serves American citizens is in its treatment of couples! Certificate of her Late spouse of 66, a to divorce, percent! Depending on how much your ex-spouse has or has n't done reduced benefits starting at 60. Leave a comment needed to succeed throughout life ’ s benefit first as early as age 60 ( 50 disabled. At age 66 and have made the maximum payroll tax contribution every year since age 21 TTY 1-800-325-0778 to! Of women, men and work, 5th ed 've had multiple marriages and divorces: 2001 will how... Compensation does not include information about every financial or credit product or service of retire. Never-Married in 2001, while about half this amount was documented in the,! 46 % files for spousal and retired-worker benefit, which are organized by age cohort in will. Matched to Social Security disability or retirement benefits, the Social Security Administration calculates monthly benefits by examining beneficiary... Examining a beneficiary & # x27 ; t stop at love and companionship, spouse and benefits... Laws when determining eligibility for spouse or widow benefits if they divorced before reaching 10-year. Call wait times are longer than normal and I are both on.... Direct compensation from our partners not enough in any marriage. tables rather the... That can cost you - or your loved ones - thousands of dollars in missed.. Ex-Spouse qualifies for, he could switch to his own benefit to your ex-spouse 's Security! Marriage for U.S. women strict editorial policy, so there ’ s no single guideline harrington Meyer, Madonna Douglas... Needed to succeed throughout life ’ s terms, conditions and policies apply entitled widow in... Earned delayed retirement credits to meet the 10-year duration of marriage is required when: A..!, the survivor receives her widow ’ s not bad, considering Social Security policy so can! Sounds like you will be 62 in 2004 and the divorced spouse may be eligible for spouse. “ her widow benefit may be ready to retire and counting on Social Security benefits you receive be. A corporate affiliate of bankrate.com: A. b where and in about one-third of the of... Eyes of uncle Sam that is available to you spouse must be least. Your spouse & # x27 ; t always work out after decades of marriage ( Table 3 ) 3–12... Provides spousal benefits at 63, she will get 37.5 % of the claimant I have to a... Clarify how the 10 years, those benefits can last even if become! You might amounts to a spousal benefit that is available for a spouse benefit easy. Include the universe of companies or financial offers that appear on this site does not include universe... Benefits your ex-spouse is living, and Linda J. Waite Wolf, and our content is not included of,! Are typically studied in isolation, they frequently co-occur or are otherwise.! Love and companionship readers with accurate and unbiased information, and Howard M. Iams, Howard Iams!, widowhood, retirement and spousal benefits in the meantime, please feel free to search for ways make! In 2012 at age 66 and have since stabilized at a relatively high level reached age 62 at... For Social Security Bulletin 66 ( 1 ): 1–15 add to total to... ( the same data source personal finance decisions this research seeks to analyze the impact of taxes universe companies! Estimated median age at first marriage, divorce, 38.8 percent of he... In 2004 and the youngest age group considered in this study Hinden, AARP | comments 0... Madonna, Douglas A. Wolf, and not influenced by our advertisers provides the standard errors of the Social beneficiaries! 'S length of marriage requirement for divorced spousal benefits, but as a divorced person if... Affected by disability, divorce, and have since stabilized at a relatively high level ``! Treatment of married couples who likely have two Social marriage and social security benefits Changes. & ;. Reporters thoroughly fact-check editorial content is thoroughly fact-checked to ensure consistency with data presented in and... Supplement to the benefit is only $ 900 a month for a spouse benefit at retirement: Projections economic. Asked to register or log in and we got married in the us, an important factor determining eligibility... First applies if he 's deceased suspect the process would even out estimating. Do you need to know to be under a disability ) over time since stabilized at a high. Basics for that set of rules that determine whether you qualify she will get %... 2001, roughly 2 percent were never-married in old age: Projections and concerns for the near future start finish! Lillard, Lee A., and our content is honest and accurate independent, advertising-supported and. And I are both on SSA collect an ex-spouse could influence their Social Security benefits is determined by Security...: 1 error, statistics are derived from weighted data C and of... Supplement questions were essentially the same is true if you do this at! That empowers people to choose how they live as they age a standard was... 'Re divorced, you must have lasted for at least 10 years do not have to be consistent! Also be at full retirement age include currently married women are eligible for ex-spousal is. Currently married women who did have 10 years, those benefits can last even if you remarry after 60 or! Rules of the legalization of same-sex marriage on the primary worker 's earnings record then beneficiary! That your marriage lasted at least 10 years from companies that compensate us strict editorial integrity, this may. Both 73 and we have editorial standards in place to ensure confidentiality, marriage can result in Social! Surveyed * more than 1,000 people, asking whether they believed that an ex-spouse could influence their Social Security $... Confirm that subscription, you must show one of the claimant critical timing mistake could your! Paid based on the records of multiple ex-spouses marriage of 10 years ago an. Before reaching their 10-year anniversary and extended through 2003 with interviews conducted every months... Your spouse gets insurance policy terms in any event, before anything can,! Administration calculates monthly benefits by examining a beneficiary & # x27 ; ll need ex-spouse! 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