Q: Mr. H. asks: “I started drawing disability at 57. I am 65. When I die, what percent of my Social Security will my wife draw? She is now 63 and draws a lot less than I do.”
A: If you were to die and your wife was 66 years old, she would be entitled to 100 percent of your benefit amount. If your wife was under 66 at the time of your death, she would be subject to a reduced benefit amount based on her age at the time.
Q: “Can you keep your ex-spouse from filing on your record? If he owes you back child support, can you collect this from his Social Security benefits?”
A: No, if you are divorced (even if you have remarried), your ex-spouse may qualify for benefits on your record if you are 62 or older. In some situations, he or she may get benefits even if you are not receiving them. To qualify on your record, your ex-spouse must have been married to you for at least 10 years; have been divorced at least two years; be at least 62; be unmarried and not be eligible for an equal or higher benefit on his or her own work or someone else’s work.
To answer the second part of your question, there are a number of circumstances in which the federal government can garnish Social Security benefits, one of which is to enforce child support or alimony obligations under Section 459 of the Social Security Act.
Note: Social Security offices will be closed on Nov. 11 in celebration of Veteran’s Day.
Get answers to your Social Security questions each Thursday from the Social Security District Director Martin Coffey. Submit questions by writing to Business Editor John Vass Jr., Chattanooga Times Free Press, P.O. Box 1447, Chattanooga, TN 37401-1447, or by e-mailing him at jvass@timesfreepress.com.