How Divorce Affects Retirement Benefits

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I agree wholeheartly with Edith Moore of VA. Our government is totally out of control. As she mentioned, the true American citizen has worked hard for this country paying all sorts of taxes, federal, state, county, utilities, etc. (whereever they can think to put a tax)and now all these immigrants are given dollars they never paid into. I only wish our congress would sit back and remember who built this country, it wasn't a bunch of lawyers turned politicians but the middle class who worked hard and proud to be an AMERICAN. One thing I would really like to stress is that the American citizens should demand that all Congressmen and Senator's should have a term just like the President that why they can't continue lining their pockets with free bee's. Let' demand this NOW!

Jackie Hall of IN 1:11PM May 21, 2010

Tax the politicians and take away their tremendous retirement plan that they voted in without our consent. Cut there pay by 50% or until SS is back in the place. It's very obvious that since they do nothing about the high price of gasolene or the oil spill in the Gulf that they are making more than enough from kickbacks from the oil companies where they should be Ok with no retirement and less pay. To me that is really amazing!!
You know the senior citizens have clot and we must get together and use it!!

Joe of VA 12:36PM May 21, 2010

Why are they taking away all our benefits. We as senior citizens have work hard all our life and we have put a lot into the SS system. It is not fair to us. We do not have any way to make extra money to cover all our expenses. (Such as our high cost of medicines, electric bills ,food and so forth) If they stop putting our SS money into "other things" there would be enough. Why should people from other countries tap into our SS benefits. They have not added any money to it. Need to make a lot of changes in Washington, and other places. All of them are looking out for themselves and not worrying about the senior citizens of this country.A lot of laws need changing.

Edith Moore of VA 12:08PM May 21, 2010

Question: I am quite a bit older then my my wife and am retired. WE have been
married for 5 years. If I should pass away before we have been married 10 years. When she reaches retirement age, will she be able to draw my benifit I was receiving at my death??

Gene Edwar4ds of FL 12:01PM May 21, 2010

The whole problem with the deficit in social security is caused by our government dipping into the funds. Social Security was not set up to be used by the government at will. They should have thought about this when they stated using it for their own gain. The best way to fix the problem is to pay all the monies back. This could be done if our government would stop wasting our tax dollars and then never to touch s.s. again.

Juanita Christensen of WA 12:01PM May 21, 2010

They need to stop giving social security benefits to the illegal aliens.That would help They did'nt pay into ,so why should they ge any of it .

Duane WILL of ID 11:30AM May 21, 2010

My benefits without much past work record are about 700...I think the max benefit for a person who made a great salary is about 1,400, so it would do almost NO ONE any good to get the x's half SS..aint that a shame! I base this on disability SS With SSI so I get the maximum disability without enough income for more than the basic allotment. He on the other hand will only get around 1,400, for huge income because it is approximately the cieling for SS?
I base this on hearsay. Anyone have other information on the cieling as the max SS?? I'd like to know as he will soon be 62 and able to retire.
Thx

Luah Marie of FL 11:29AM May 21, 2010

The author writes, " I have slowed down divorces to ride out that eligibility time."
My marriage (6 yrs) lasted less than the separation (12 years) because the ex's crazy lawyers stalled & stalled...so that he could avail himself of my social security benefits.
This benefit was written into law so that stay-at-home mom's (the "housewife" of our parents/grandparents days) would have SOMEthing if the husband ran off with a younger model. It was *not* written so that a lazy non-job-seeking husband could mooch off his wife ... but that's what has happened.

Linda of PA 11:03AM May 21, 2010

If husband dies while married to spouse #2 and she has minor aged children; she can collect family survivor benefits. If no children, she would not be eligible. A spouse of at least 10 years can collect retirement benefits at retirement age.

Lois of MN 10:05AM May 21, 2010