If your divorced spouse is eligible for Social Security disability or retirement benefits, you may qualify for up to about 50% of his or her benefit amount. You must be at least 62 years-of-age and have been married to your former spouse for at least ten years. If remarried, you usually cannot claim benefits on your former spouse’s Social Security record unless the later marriage ends by death, divorce, or annulment.

If your ex-spouse dies, you may be eligible for widow or widower survivors benefits as long as the marriage lasted for at least ten years. However if you remarry before the age of 60 years, you cannot claim survivors benefits on your ex-spouse’s Social Security record unless your later marriage ends by death, divorce, or annulment. If you remarry after age 60--or after age 50 if you are disabled--you can still claim survivors benefits on your former spouse’s record.

At age 62 years or older you may choose to receive your own retirement benefits, if you are eligible, or receive benefits on your new spouse’s record, if this entitles you to a higher benefit. Often, if you begin receiving retirement benefits at age 62, you can switch to your current or former spouse’s record when you reach full retirement age, if this affords you a higher benefit amount.

If you were born before 1938, your full retirement age is 65 years. If you were born between the years of 1943 and 1954, your full retirement age is 66. If you were born in 1960 or later, your full retirement age is 67. You can learn more about Social Security spousal benefits at the U.S. Social Security Administration’s Web site at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/.