When Can You Draw Medicare & Social Security Benefits From a New Spouse?
Spoiler Alert: It isn’t after 10 years like most people believe
Most people know very little about Medicare and Social Security, but one fact that people do feel they know is that you MUST be married at least 10 years to qualify for these benefits off a spouse. That is incorrect.
I’m getting married in June of 2022. After only one year, we are eligible to draw federal benefits off of each other’s work record.
This is important information that many retired people, especially women, need to know. Many people refuse to remarry and instead have long term, live in partnerships. These relationships confer no Social Security or Medicare benefits. I’m often recommending marriage to my elderly clients so the lower earner can get up to 50% of her spouse’s Social Security — and up to 100% if he passes away.
Once you remarry, you close the door on your ability to draw Social Security off a prior spouse. But if your next marriage also ends in divorce or death, you will be single again. If you are single, you are again eligible to draw Social Security off of any former spouse to whom you were married at least 10 years.
Many elderly couples that co-habitate are purposefully not marrying because they are trying to preserve their ability to draw benefits off a former spouse.
Couples need to do the math before deciding not to remarry. Remarriage may confer a great retirement benefit that drawing off a prior ex. The misconception that couples will need to be married 10 years before qualifying for benefits off a new spouse, keep many retirees from claiming higher retirement amounts.
