Pension advice for divorced people

Frugaldom

As a divorcee, I gave up all rights to any future claim on ex's pensions. I'm self-employed and pay Class 2 NI contributions as normal and am aware that my contributions were credited during the years of staying home to raise children. However, I have been told that if I ever remarry (can't see it, but never say never), I will lose the years credited to my state pension during childcare. Does this mean the ex's new wife benefits from my having quit working and stayed home to bring up a family? Can anyone enlighten me?

Newly_retired

I wonder who told you that? I have just got my state pension and part of the calculations involved looking at the possibility of Home Responsibilities Protection. I have been divorced and re-married, so remarriage does not rule this out. I suggest you ring the Pension Service. They are very helpful especially if you are in the middle of a claim.

margaretclare

Remarrying after divorce doesn't affect your entitlement to a pension earned in your own right i.e. from your own NI contributions. It doesn't therefore affect your Home Responsibilities Protection, because you must have been paying full NI contributions to qualify for HRP. Those married women who paid the former 'small stamp' didn't qualify for HRP.

However, if you're claiming state retirement pension on your ex-husband's contributions then that will cease if you remarry. If you haven't got enough contributions of your own even with HRP, then you'll need to claim from your new husband's contributions.

There is an anomalous situation at present in that a man can have been divorced more than once and be in a current marriage - all those women can in theory claim against his contribution record, the ex-wives if they didn't remarry, and the current wife if she has no entitlement of her own.

HTH

Margaret

CIS

There is an anomalous situation at present in that a man can have been divorced more than once and be in a current marriage - all those women can in theory claim against his contribution record, the ex-wives if they didn't remarry, and the current wife if she has no entitlement of her own.

come 2010 they plan to equalise this situation and put men and women on the same level.

As a divorcee, I gave up all rights to any future claim on ex's pensions. I'm self-employed and pay Class 2 NI contributions as normal and am aware that my contributions were credited during the years of staying home to raise children. However, I have been told that if I ever remarry (can't see it, but never say never), I will lose the years credited to my state pension during childcare. Does this mean the ex's new wife benefits from my having quit working and stayed home to bring up a family? Can anyone enlighten me?

Whatever happens you will retain your own pension entitlement - including any Home Responsibilities Protection accrued whilst you have children.

If you re-marry then you claim a pension on your new husbands record or your own, whichever is highest.

If you dont re-marry then you can claim either your own pension or as as divorcee which will look at whatever pension your ex-husband accrued prior to your divorce.

mrbnewc1

Something else to bear in mind is that if you reach pension age after April 2010, the HRP you have built up prior to April 2010 will be converted into qualifying years rather than just coming off the years you need to get the full basic pension.