--- title: Will Divorce Affect My Social Security Benefits? | TIME description: It all depends on when and how long you've been divorced. canonical: https://time.com/video/sDqnOyeD/ og:title: Will Divorce Affect My Social Security Benefits? og:description: It all depends on when and how long you've been divorced. og:url: https://time.com/video/sDqnOyeD/ og:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/sDqnOyeD/poster.jpg?width=720 og:type: video.other twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Will Divorce Affect My Social Security Benefits? twitter:description: It all depends on when and how long you've been divorced. twitter:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/sDqnOyeD/poster.jpg?width=720 --- # Will Divorce Affect My Social Security Benefits? > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. 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They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription. ## Video: Will Divorce Affect My Social Security Benefits? [Watch (HLS stream): Will Divorce Affect My Social Security Benefits?](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/sDqnOyeD.m3u8) (1:28)  _Published 2016-08-22. It all depends on when and how long you've been divorced._ --- Jul 27, 2023 8:39 PM UTC --- ## More From This Series [All Videos](https://time.com/video/) [Social Security If You're Divorced](/video/J8wRFbZN/) ### Social Security If You're Divorced [The Cost of Divorce](/video/lkPVJBM3/) ### The Cost of Divorce ['You've Been Trumped' - Theatrical Trailer](/video/cPYXgBnk/) ### 'You've Been Trumped' - Theatrical Trailer --- ## Transcript [ MUSIC ] Divorce is traumatic and can blow a hole in retirement savings but luckily for those who have to endure the pain of a split- up, the Social Security System can provide some relief. While many married spouses know that one spouses can claim on 1 / 2 of the other social security retirement benefit. Many divorced couples are unaware that woes could apply to them. If you were married to your ex for at least 10 years, you can access 1 / 2 of his / her social security benefit. In addition to those 10 years Both spouses need to be at least 62, and the claimant must be unmarried. If you do remarry and that later marriage ends, whether by death, divorce or annulment, you can then collect on the first ex- spouse's record. For those who are not on great terms with the ex, Don't fret, you don't need to contact your former spouse to inquire as to when or if he or she has began to receive that magical monthly check. The rule is that if your ex- spouse has not applied for retirement benefit but can qualify for them, you can receive benefits on his or her record, provided that you've been divorced for at least two years. 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