Social security and divorce.
SS is a federal program, so things can change from state to state.
SS is taxed by the government.
There are 12 states that do tax SS
Divorce is a state law issue.
SS is not supposed to be considered in the division of property.
A great resource to go to is https://www.ssa.gov to see your work history and the anticipated SS benefit amount you will receive.
If you were married for over ten years, you are allowed to collect on your ex-spouse’s benefits. But, if you do get remarried before the age of 65 those benefits go away.
If you want to see if you would qualify for your ex-spouses SS you will need their social security or their birthdate and place of birth. You can also find the SS number on a tax return.
If you qualify for a pension benefit, that benefit is outside the scope of SS, for instance, a teacher or firefighter, where they are not paying into SS and they do get a pension.
Ex-spouses who have died may be able to get a widows/widowers benefit.
When taking SS based on the ex-spouse, the ex-spouses SS is not impacted. They don’t even have to know that you are taking SS. Even if a new spouse and ex-spouse is taking SS, no one is impacted by these payments.
Go to the SS website and review the information on SS retirement benefits for women. There have been a lot of changes.
The house and divorce.
This is a tough decision in divorce due to the emotional issues of the home, as well as the school district, location, and children. It is important to look at the best financial aspects of this decision. It is best to have the cleanest break possible, which can be to sell the house or refinance to get one spouse off the mortgage.
Children with special needs.
If you have a disabled child where ability for self-support is compromised, in Illinois, you can get support for non-minor children with a disability. Every state has different ways of handling this issue. Always work with an expert to review all of the nuances in your own situation.
