04 Mar What happens to my benefit if my ex gets my Social Security?

Q. It is my understanding that my ex may be eligible to receive Social Security benefits based on my record. Will that reduce the amount of my monthly benefit? We were married 21 years. She is 64 1/2 and I am 63 1/2.
— Divorced

A. You don’t have to worry.

If your ex-spouse draws on your Social Security benefits, this will have no impact on your own Social Security benefits, said Marnie Hards, a certified financial planner with Aznar Financial Advisors in Morris Plains.

“If your full benefit is $2,500 and she is eligible for $1,250 as your ex-spouse, you will continue to receive the full $2,500 per month,” Hards said. “When she starts taking benefits, there will be no change to your benefit.”

You can learn more about how benefits work for former spouses on the Social Security website.

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This story was originally published on May 4, 2021.

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