Is my spouse entitled to my retirement after divorce?
John Hall
Updated on April 03, 2026
If you have not applied for retirement benefits, but can qualify for them, your ex-spouse can receive benefits on your record if you have been divorced for at least two continuous years. If your ex-spouse is eligible for retirement benefits on their own record, we will pay that amount first.
How much of my retirement is my ex wife entitled to?
In terms of how much either spouse is entitled to, the general rule is to divide pension benefits earned during the course of the marriage right down the middle. While that means your spouse would be able to lay claim to half, they are limited to what was earned during the course of the marriage.
Can ex husband claim my pension years after divorce?
A pension earned during marriage is generally considered to be a joint asset of both spouses. Most retirement plans will pay pension benefits directly to divorced spouses if the domestic relations order meets certain requirements.
Can I collect half of my ex husband’s Social Security at 62?
You are eligible to collect spousal benefits on a living former wife’s or husband’s earnings record as long as: The marriage lasted at least 10 years. You have not remarried. You are at least 62 years of age.
Can my ex husband take half my pension?
The pension can be split if your ex-spouse was on a personal pension scheme. The pension can be split if your ex-spouse had a current or past workplace pension. The pension can be split if your ex-spouse had additional state pension in place.
Is it easier for seniors to get a divorce?
Experts say the trend makes sense. When seniors divorce, it tends to be less acrimonious, and, with people living longer, they don’t want to spend their retirement years in an unhappy union. “It’s certainly easier when there are no kids or custody issues involved.
Is it possible to retire at age 70?
In your own life, retirement won?t happen at 65, and probably not at 70 either. But 75 or 80 will hardly be out of the question. That gives you 15-20 years to prepare from where you are now!
Can you get a divorce after 20 years of marriage?
But divorce is still divorce, and splitting up after decades has its own set of complications. “All of a sudden, you’re in a 4,000-square-foot house by yourself, the AC isn’t working, and for 20 years you’ve relied on this guy to take care of it,” says Biordi.
When did my husband and his wife divorce?
They reconnected more than 40 years later — after his wife died, and she had divorced after a long and troubled marriage to an emotionally abusive alcoholic. A year after rediscovering each other, they married and recently celebrated their seventh wedding anniversary.