If you are divorced, the recent changes to the Social Security law may mean that you will not be able to collect as much from Social Security as you had thought. That is because the Budget Act of 2015 eliminated the option for anyone born after 1953 to file what is called a restricted application.
A restricted application allowed you to begin collecting a Social Security retirement benefit from your ex-husband at your full retirement age and then switch to receiving benefits based on your work history at age 70. This made sense for many divorced women because for every month you delay starting your Social Security benefits, the amount of your monthly benefits increases. A restricted application would allow you to get paid based on your ex-husband’s Social Security benefits while waiting for your benefits to grow larger.
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