| For millions of Americans, a divorce offers a new, | | | | Social Security. This allows people approaching |
| healthier start for both spouses. Like any legal | | | | retirement age the opportunity to receive |
| agreement between two people, however, | | | | retirement assistance for the years they spent |
| terminating a marriage contract can have | | | | contributing to the system during a former |
| long-term legal consequences. Aside from the | | | | marriage, without jeopardizing the benefits of their |
| usual shorter-term issues of property division and | | | | former spouse or their benefactors. |
| custody, getting a divorce can also affect your | | | | Survivors |
| retirement benefits later in life. | | | | The Social Security Administration also offers |
| Retirement & Requirements | | | | survivors' benefits to people whose spouses have |
| If you and your spouse are considering a divorce | | | | died recently. If your marriage lasted for at least |
| and have been married for at least 10 years, | | | | 10 years, you may be able to collect survivors' |
| each of you may be eligible to collect retirement | | | | benefits from an ex-spouse, just like with |
| benefits on your spouse's Social Security if you | | | | retirement. Likewise, remarrying will usually make |
| meet certain conditions. You must both be over | | | | you ineligible to collect these benefits, unless your |
| age 62 when you begin collecting, and you must | | | | later marriage has also ended. |
| not have remarried since the divorce. If you did | | | | If you are considering a divorce, taking these |
| remarry, but that marriage has ended, you may | | | | factors into consideration can help you and your |
| still be able to collect. And, of course, the spouse | | | | spouse plan for the future. It's never too early to |
| whose benefits you wish to claim must be eligible | | | | begin planning for your retirement. The retirement |
| to receive it as well. | | | | aid provided by the Social Security Administration |
| In most cases, collecting retirement on a former | | | | should factor into these plans. |
| spouse's Social Security does not affect the | | | | Contact Us |
| amount paid to the former spouse or his or her | | | | To discuss your case with a skilled California |
| dependents. The income claimed by a former | | | | divorce attorney, call the Oceanside divorce |
| spouse is largely independent of that person's own | | | | lawyers of Fischer & Van Thiel today. |