Full question: Married in 1977 but had a simple divorce in 1983 but thought it was a mistake and kept living together until 2007 as husband and wife and had children during that time. In 2007 we had an agreement to go our separate ways. Can any one of us claim ex-spouse benefits for being together for 30 years non stop?

Hi there,

A “simple divorce” is an uncontested divorce, so if it was finalized, then you were only legally married for six years, and you would not be eligible for ex-spousal or survivor benefits.

If your divorce was not legal in 1983, but you did divorce in 2007, then you are most likely eligible for those benefits.

For personalized support, you can work with an RSSA here.

Take care,
Martha

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