Social Security Benefits and Divorce
Most divorcing and divorced couples are unaware of the benefits that are available to them through social security. For example, did you know that if a couple has been married for more than 10 years and the lower earning spouse has not remarried, that person is entitled to at least one-half of the benefit paid to higher-earning spouse? Did you also know that this same, unmarried, former spouse would receive 100% of the benefit paid to the higher wage earner if that person dies before the recipient? This is true even if the deceased, higher-earning, spouse has remarried.
Moreover, the higher-earning spouse’s benefit is not reduced whatsoever if the lower-earning spouse receives the 50% spousal benefit. It doesn’t matter whether the lower-earning spouse ever worked or contributed to Social Security.
For more detail about this topic, and additional information click on this link or copy and paste it into your browser URL : http://www.socialsecurity.gov/retire2/yourdivspouse.htm