Can benefits be paid to divorced spouses?

Benefits can indeed be paid to divorced spouses under specific conditions, emphasizing the importance of the length of the marriage as well as the eligibility of the individual applying for benefits. If a marriage lasted at least 10 years, a divorced individual can receive benefits on their ex-spouse's record provided they meet the necessary eligibility requirements themselves, such as age and work credits.

This provision allows divorced individuals the opportunity to access Social Security benefits that might be of greater value than their own earned benefits, which is especially significant if the ex-spouse's earnings history was substantially higher. The eligibility to claim these benefits does not require the ex-spouse to have remarried or for the divorce to have been amicable; it solely hinges on the duration of the marriage and the divorced spouse’s own qualification status. Therefore, in this context, option B accurately reflects the conditions under which divorced spouses can access benefits.