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Myths About Divorced Women and Social Security

Whether a divorced person is remarried, their age, and their income all affect whether they will receive social security benefits from their ex.
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Myths About Divorced Women and Social Security
Not fully understanding social security can be stressful. fizkes/Shutterstock
Tom Margenau
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I guess not all marriages are made in heaven! I say that because of the surprising number of questions I get from divorced women about Social Security. Or from divorced men asking questions about benefits potentially due to their ex-wives. I’ve gone over this topic in more than a few past columns. But the frequency of questions I continually get about this issue tells me it’s time to review. This time, I will do it in the form of presenting the top 8 myths about divorced women and Social Security.

And as I usually do when it comes to these gender-specific topics, let me point out that divorced men are potentially due the same benefits as divorced women. But because 95 percent of the benefits currently paid to divorcees go to women, I am addressing them today. However, if you are a divorced man who made less money than your ex did, meaning she has a higher Social Security benefit than you, then simply reverse genders as you read the rest of this column.

Tom Margenau
Tom Margenau
Author
Tom Margenau worked for 32 years in a variety of positions for the Social Security Administration before retiring in 2005. He has served as the director of SSA’s public information office, the chief editor of more than 100 SSA publications, a deputy press officer and spokesman, and a speechwriter for the commissioner of Social Security. For 12 years, he also wrote Social Security columns for local newspapers, and recently published the book “Social Security: Simple and Smart.” If you have a Social Security question, contact him at [email protected]