Social Security benefits, claiming strategies, and spousal and survivor benefits, explained with the official rules and ages that set your check.
Blog › Social Security How are Social Security Numbers Formulated? In a hurry? Turn a photo into an itemized estimate in about 6 seconds.★★★★★ 4.8 on the App Store SimplyWise Updated October 16, 2026 6 min read DID YOU KNOW?Retirement is 99% easier when your paperwork is organized.Join 250,000+ Americans securely storing their important receipts, […]
Former wives (and all spouses, for that matter) of a worker who dies can receive Social Security divorced spouse benefits, as either spousal or survivor benefits. Moreover, they can receive benefits at the same percentages as widows and widowers), as long as the marriage lasted at least 10 years. That changes if the surviving spouse remarries before age […]
It may seem logical that if you never worked, and therefore never paid into Social Security, that you would not be eligible to receive Social Security benefits. Well, that’s not the case. In fact, there are several different scenarios in which a person can receive Social Security benefits without ever having paid into the system, or even […]
Navigating Social Security can be confusing. If you’re wondering how to apply for Social Security benefits, our Application Checklist breaks down what you need to know, step by step. Application Checklist to Apply for Social Security Benefits #1 Calculate the best age to claim Social Security retirement benefits #2 Pick the right […]
The average Social Security benefit across the country can vary pretty widely, and that variance has as much to do with the types of benefits being received as it does how much or for how long a worker may have worked. Some of the factors that impact a person’s benefits include: Whether they are receiving […]
In all, it is estimated that 64 million Americans received Social Security benefits in 2019. Not only does the program have a wide reach, it is also extremely meaningful to beneficiaries; over half of elderly recipients rely on Social Security for more than 50% of their total income. It comes as no surprise, then, that […]
If you’re thinking about claiming Social Security benefits early given the current economic climate, you may want to consider your other options before deciding. In fact, there are important factors to weigh as you consider your retirement and when to claim. Your monthly benefit from Social Security can considerably vary depending on what age you choose to start your benefits. […]
Full Retirement Age (or “FRA”) is the age at which you can receive the full retirement benefits owed to you by Social Security. If you take your retirement benefit at FRA, you will receive your full Primary Insurance Amount (or “PIA”). (Your PIA is the amount Social Security owes you if you claim at your Full Retirement Age.) If you […]
You started out by filing for your own Social Security benefits that you earned from your own work and payment into the Social Security system. But now you’re wondering whether you can, instead, switch to a benefit as the spouse (or ex-spouse) of someone who made a lot more money than you did. In short, the answer […]
Divorce is often the subject of questions we receive, and it is the subject of some of the costliest and most common Social Security mistakes. The following is one such example: “I am divorced. Can my ex-wife collect on my Social Security benefit and how will this affect the income that I receive?” In order to […]