CDA Social Security & Government Benefits in Divorce 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: To qualify for Social Security benefits on an ex-spouse's record, how long must the marriage have lasted?
- 5 years
- 7 years
- 10 years (Correct answer)
- 15 years
Correct answer: 10 years
The SSA requires the marriage to have lasted at least 10 years for a divorced spouse to claim benefits on the ex-spouse's record.
Question 2: What is the maximum Social Security divorced spouse benefit as a percentage of the ex-spouse's full retirement benefit?
- 25%
- 33%
- 50% (Correct answer)
- 75%
Correct answer: 50%
A divorced spouse can receive up to 50% of the ex-spouse's full retirement benefit when claimed at the divorced spouse's own full retirement age.
Question 3: If the ex-spouse has not yet filed for Social Security, how long must the divorce have been final before the divorced spouse can independently claim benefits?
- 1 year
- 2 years (Correct answer)
- 3 years
- 5 years
Correct answer: 2 years
If the ex-spouse has not filed for benefits, the divorced spouse must have been divorced for at least 2 years before claiming independently.
Question 4: How does a divorced spouse collecting benefits on an ex-spouse's Social Security record affect the ex-spouse's own benefit?
- Reduces it by the amount paid to the divorced spouse
- Reduces it by 50%
- Does not affect it at all (Correct answer)
- Suspends it temporarily
Correct answer: Does not affect it at all
Social Security benefits paid to a divorced spouse do not reduce or affect the ex-spouse's own benefit in any way.
Question 5: At what age can a divorced spouse first receive reduced Social Security benefits based on an ex-spouse's record?
- 60
- 62 (Correct answer)
- 65
- 67
Correct answer: 62
A divorced spouse can begin receiving reduced benefits as early as age 62, with the amount reduced for each month claimed before full retirement age.
Question 6: If a divorced spouse remarries, what generally happens to their eligibility for Social Security benefits on the former spouse's record?
- Benefits continue unchanged
- Benefits are reduced by 25%
- Eligibility is terminated (Correct answer)
- Benefits are split between the new and former spouse
Correct answer: Eligibility is terminated
Remarriage generally terminates a divorced spouse's eligibility to collect benefits on the former spouse's Social Security record.
Question 7: Which of the following is NOT a requirement for a divorced spouse to collect Social Security on an ex-spouse's record?
- The ex-spouse must be at least 62 years old
- The claimant must be currently unmarried
- The ex-spouse must have filed for their own benefits (Correct answer)
- The marriage must have lasted at least 10 years
Correct answer: The ex-spouse must have filed for their own benefits
After a 2-year post-divorce waiting period, a divorced spouse can claim independently even if the ex-spouse has not yet filed, so ex-spouse filing is not required.
CDA Social Security & Government Benefits in Divorce 1
To qualify for Social Security benefits on an ex-spouse's record, how long must the marriage have lasted?