‘Today is my 61st birthday’: I have my ex-spouse’s Social Security benefits. Should I retire at 65 and travel?
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“When my former husband passes, I will qualify for widow’s benefits.”
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2 min read
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investment
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July 5, 2025
03:48 PM
MarketWatch
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Advanced ➔ Results The Moneyist‘Today is my 61st birthday’: I have my ex-spouse’s Social Security benefits
Should I retire at 65 and travel. ‘When my former husband passes, I will qualify for widow’s benefits’Last d: July 5, 2025 at 11:48 a
ETFirst Published: July 3, 2025 at 6:44 a
ETResizeListen(10 min)“I struggled financially for 10 years. ” (Photo subject is a model. ) Photo: Getty Images/iStockphotoDear Quentin,Today is my 61st birthday, which has me thinking hard retirement
Eleven years ago, I divorced after 23 years of marriage
I had been a stay-at- mother for more than 10 years and was starting from nothing after my marriage
I used my split of my ex-husband’s 401(k) to put a sizable down payment on my house
The Author Quentin FottrellQuentin Fottrell is MarketWatch's Managing Editor-Advice and The Moneyist columnist
You can him on Twitter @quantanamo
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