In this article, When To File for Social Security
Retirement Benefits Early,
CNBC says divorced individuals may want to claim their divorced-spouse benefit early and wait to claim their own benefit at a later date. Wrong. You must be full retirement age to file a restricted application for the divorced-spouse benefit. If you file “early” you will be paid your own reduced benefit first. This will stop the accumulation of delayed credits, and, if your PIA is more than one-half of your ex-spouse’s PIA, you will never, ever, be able to claim the divorced-spouse benefit.
CNBC says divorced individuals may want to claim their divorced-spouse benefit early and wait to claim their own benefit at a later date. Wrong. You must be full retirement age to file a restricted application for the divorced-spouse benefit. If you file “early” you will be paid your own reduced benefit first. This will stop the accumulation of delayed credits, and, if your PIA is more than one-half of your ex-spouse’s PIA, you will never, ever, be able to claim the divorced-spouse benefit.
