One of the most significant irrevocable mistakes that retirees make is around claiming Social Security benefits. The Social Security claiming strategies are loaded with rules, exceptions and limitations that can be complicated to navigate. The rules become even more convoluted when it comes to divorced spouses claiming benefits on their ex-spouse’s work record. For example, the ex-spouse making the claim will get 50% of their ex-spouse’s Full Retirement Age benefit. When an ex-spouse claims spousal benefits, it does not have any impact on the benefits for their ex-spouse. Even if the ex-spouse passes away before Full Retirement Age, the claimant can still benefit from their ex-spouse’s record and in some situations collect an even greater survivor/widow benefit.
At Brandywine Oak, we help our clients understand these complex issues by providing wisdom on how to maximize lifetime Social Security benefits. To learn more about this topic, please read Think Advisor’s https://lnkd.in/gVAm_hh.