Question About Divorce and Social Security

I live in California and my husband is disabled and on Social Security. He will very likely be on S.S. permanently because in addition to his physical disabilities he has recently been diagnosed with bi-polar disorder. We are separated as of about a week ago and I want to proceed with a divorce. He gets about $2000 per month from S.S., $660 of that is paid to my children and I. I work about 15 hours per week and am going to school for my Master's degree. I would rather be working full time but after 18 months of attempting to find a full time job I had to settle for my current situation. My question is this : If we legally separate or divorce what kind of S.S. benefits will I be entitled to. I have no problem looking for full time work again but with the economic situation in my state there is no telling when I might find something and I cant support my kids on the $1200 a month that would come from my job and the S.S. benefit they and I currently receive. I don't have a lawyer and I will be doing this as much as I can on my own and with the help of a free legal service at the local courthouse for people of low income so any help or advice is much appreciated.Thank you in advance to anyone who answers.

gonnafixit said:

I live in California and my husband is disabled and on Social Security. He will very likely be on S.S. permanently because in addition to his physical disabilities he has recently been diagnosed with bi-polar disorder. We are separated as of about a week ago and I want to proceed with a divorce. He gets about $2000 per month from S.S., $660 of that is paid to my children and I. I work about 15 hours per week and am going to school for my Master's degree. I would rather be working full time but after 18 months of attempting to find a full time job I had to settle for my current situation. My question is this : If we legally separate or divorce what kind of S.S. benefits will I be entitled to. I have no problem looking for full time work again but with the economic situation in my state there is no telling when I might find something and I cant support my kids on the $1200 a month that would come from my job and the S.S. benefit they and I currently receive. I don't have a lawyer and I will be doing this as much as I can on my own and with the help of a free legal service at the local courthouse for people of low income so any help or advice is much appreciated.Thank you in advance to anyone who answers.

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You won't get any more SS benefits than the $660.00 that you currently receive for your children.

You may need to take out more student loans to help with living expenses.

LdiJ said:

You won't get any more SS benefits than the $660.00 that you currently receive for your children.

You may need to take out more student loans to help with living expenses.

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Either that or leave school until a more stable time, and look for a second part-time job.

Antigone*of*Greece said:

Either that or leave school until a more stable time, and look for a second part-time job.

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That's an option, but a Master's is a one year program if you are a full time student, therefore I would bite the bullet and take out more student loans...so that I could get back into the workplace in a career as quickly as possible.

LdiJ said:

That's an option, but a Master's is a one year program if you are a full time student

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It is? Since when?

SOME Master's programs are 1 year, but many are 2 years. Some are even 3 years.

Please stop making blanket statements that reflect only a tiny portion of reality.

Or, if the seperation is your choice, deal with it and share a household until you CAN afford to contribute more.

mistoffolees said:

It is? Since when?

SOME Master's programs are 1 year, but many are 2 years. Some are even 3 years.

Please stop making blanket statements that reflect only a tiny portion of reality.

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Misto...Please name a Master's program that is 3 years long...or even two years long.

A law degree is not a master's program...so rule that one out. A medical degree is not a master's program, so rule that out too.

You are claiming that "many" masters programs are two years long and some are three years long, and that 1 year programs are only a tiny portion of reality so please back that up.

LdiJ said:

Misto...Please name a Master's program that is 3 years long...or even two years long.

A law degree is not a master's program...so rule that one out. A medical degree is not a master's program, so rule that out too.

You are claiming that "many" masters programs are two years long and some are three years long, and that 1 year programs are only a tiny portion of reality so please back that up.

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Masters in Chemistry - which I have. 3 years.

MBA (Masters of Business Administration). Possibly the most common Masters program. Typically 2 years, although can sometimes be accomplished in 1 year.

How about this site:
http://www.happyschoolsblog.com/can-i-get-masters-degree-from-us-in-1-year/

It states that to complete a masters in 1 year, you have to take MORE than full time course load. It also points out that an MBA is typically 2-2.5 years.

Please stop babbling about things you obviously don't know anything about.

mistoffolees said:

Masters in Chemistry - which I have. 3 years.

MBA (Masters of Business Administration). Possibly the most common Masters program. Typically 2 years, although can sometimes be accomplished in 1 year.

How about this site:
Can I get Masters Degree from US in 1 Year?

It states that to complete a masters in 1 year, you have to take MORE than full time course load. It also points out that an MBA is typically 2-2.5 years.

Please stop babbling about things you obviously don't know anything about.

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Well, Misto no wonder you're a hellova bartender. How about one of those mayan things. I need an extra strong drink now. You see for a few seconds I was in hog heaven believing my masters in finance & acct was only going to take me a year.

Now that I know the truth, I want to cry

LdiJ said:

That's an option, but a Master's is a one year program if you are a full time student,

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Really? Which Master's Program because BOTH of the ones that I am considering are 2 year programs... and I don't know of ANY 1 year (not saying they don't exist)

MBA and MPA Programs are both 2 years, full time. You could MAYBE do it in 18 months if you had nothing else in life to do...

MAYBE

Some of the more common master's degree titles are:

Master of Architecture (M.Arch) (usually a 2-3 year professional degree);

Master of Arts (M.A.) (usually, but not always, awarded for research studies in a wide variety of subjects);

Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) (generally a one-year professional degree);

Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) (nearly always a 2 year professional degree in management);

Master of Education (M.Ed.) (awarded for both professional and research studies in education subjects);

Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) (a 2-3 year professional degree in studio, applied, or performing arts that is often considered a terminal degree);

Master of Library Science (M.L.S.) (a 2-year professional degree);

Master of Music (M.M.) (a 2-3 year degree in music that is usually professional (performance) but may sometimes be a research award);

Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) (usually a 2-year professional degree);

Master of Science (M.S.) (awarded for both research and professional studies in a wide variety of subjects);

Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) (usually a professional degree but also awarded for research);

Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) (usually a 2-year professional degree); and

Master of Theology (Th.M.) (generally a research degree but may also be professional).

Article excerpted from the U.S. Network for Education Information.

Great... so if I want to be real skilled at Art, I can get that done in a year, huh?

Depends how long it takes you to do your research.

The majority of times that *I* have seen a Master's take a year is when the student is in a PhD trac and the MA/MS is an interim degree.

Antigone*of*Greece said:

Well, Misto no wonder you're a hellova bartender. How about one of those mayan things.

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Not Mayan - Malayan Fog Cutter. By far the best mixed drink EVER concocted. Sold at my favorite bar of all time - The Rongovian Embassy to the United States. It's really cool. They have a map of Rongovia on the wall with all of the 'historical' sites marked - "Here in 1347, so-and-so first landed in Rongovia", etc.