Getting Married or Divorced in Retirement? It Could Help (or Hurt) Your Social Security Benefit.
Retirement is a major milestone in life, filled with new adventures and experiences. For some older adults, that involves getting married or, perhaps, divorced.
While there are many ways that marriage or divorce can affect your finances, it could also impact your Social Security benefit, in some cases. If you're entitled to spousal or divorce benefits, your marital status could change your monthly payment -- or potentially qualify or disqualify you from benefits altogether.
Spousal and divorce benefits are a special type of Social Security available to those who are currently or previously married. To qualify for spousal benefits, you must currently be married to someone who is entitled to either retirement or disability Social Security. If your marriage ends, you'll lose spousal benefits -- but you could then qualify for divorce benefits.
Source Fool.com