I took early retirement. He has since re-married, not me. When he retired he made six figure income. I tried to collect on his, I just had min wage jobs. I tried to collect on his knowing he made much much more income than me. Mine at early retirement $1,ooo mo and they said that mine was more than his how can this be?
www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/divspouse.html
Here's some info regarding divorced benefits from that page:
"If you are divorced, but your marriage lasted 10 years or longer, you can receive benefits on your ex-spouse's record (even if they have remarried) if:
You are unmarried;
You are age 62 or older;
Your ex-spouse is entitled to Social Security retirement or disability benefits; and
The benefit you are entitled to receive based on your own work is less than the benefit you would receive based on your ex-spouse's work.
Note: Your benefit as a divorced spouse is equal to one-half of your ex-spouse's full retirement amount (or disability benefit) if you start receiving benefits at your full retirement age. The benefits do not include any delayed retirement credits your ex-spouse may receive.
If your ex-spouse has not applied for retirement benefits, but can qualify for them, you can receive benefits on their record if you have been divorced for at least two years.
If you are eligible for retirement benefits on your own record and divorced spouse’s benefits, we will pay the retirement benefit first. If the benefit on your ex-spouse’s record is higher, you will get an additional amount on your ex-spouse’s record so that the combination of benefits equals that higher amount.
Another snag is that there is only a certain% of ex's pension available to divide between all who are entitled. So if current spouse is entitled she gets a cut. Any minor children will get some. On and on. once minor children reach adulthood they loose their benefit unless they are in full time education it lasts till 25 . So eventually that money goes into the pool and more is available to share.
It doesn’t figure into SS formula. His SS payout is actually quite low.
Like he has a Inc. or an LLC and those entities actually make the $; he’s just a “pass through” for whatever the profit / loss shows for that years taxes. He pays self employment taxes and banks enough work quarters to qualify for eventual Medicare, but personally makes very little SSA countable income. Pretty common for those who own a small business ( atty, real estate developers, architects, ad agency guys) even if biz makes $$$, and why sometimes you need a pit bully of a divorce attorney. If you still have your joint tax filings from years married, I’d suggest you review to see if this is what happened. If so, I feel for you as this unhappy surprise happens a lot & only now that the boomers are retiring are those first wives finding they are screwed.
You need to make an appointment with your nearest Social Security office to have the staff figure out why there is such a difference in funds.
I was married 22 years and whatever my ex and I paid in to CPP (Canadian SS), was added together and split. Ex has remarried and has a 6 figure income now (I do not have employment income I am in University). When we retire in 13 years, my CPP will be based on 1/2 the combined contributions while married and contributions once I am employed again. Ex will be the same, 1/2 of the combined (22 years worth) and whatever ex contributes until he retires. His new wife will have survivors benefits.
This makes sense, why would I be eligible for my ex's increased CPP due to his employment after the divorce. It is a two way street. If I get my professional designation and do well financially, why should my benefit earned after the divorce be shared with my ex?