I'm 61 And Divorced. We Split $1.2 Million Evenly — Then, A Heart Attack Forced Me To Consider Social Security At 62

I'm 61 And Divorced. We Split $1.2 Million Evenly — Then, A Heart Attack Forced Me To Consider Social Security At 62

Casey B. Renner

Mon, January 26, 2026 at 6:31 PM EST

3 min read

I divorced at 60 after decades of marriage. The separation was amicable, and we split our retirement savings evenly, leaving me with about $600,000 from roughly $1.2 million saved.

Let's say the numbers appeared workable at the time. Retirement was planned at 65, and it seemed possible to stay on a similar timeline on my own. We sold our home and separated our finances earlier than expected, which reshaped how my expenses were handled.

The divorce pushed several financial decisions forward. Costs that had once been shared became my responsibility. Flexibility narrowed, and the retirement plan I relied on assumed steady income, predictable expenses, and good health.

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I focused on maintaining that plan rather than revisiting major decisions, and retirement still felt manageable, even if it no longer looked the way I had originally imagined.

Planning For The Unexpected

Now assume I suffered a heart attack the following year that required hospitalization. Recovery disrupted my ability to work consistently and made future income less certain.

Before that, I planned to delay claiming Social Security to receive a higher monthly benefit. After the heart attack, I had to reconsider that plan. Claiming at 62 would permanently reduce payments, while delaying depended on health and income I could no longer count on. The focus shifted from long-term optimization to short-term financial stability.

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Even when a divorce is fair and amicable, retirement can unfold very differently than planned. Health events can arise quickly and force financial decisions sooner than expected. It is difficult to plan for every eventuality, particularly later in life, when timing and flexibility matter more.

For older adults approaching retirement after divorce, there are practical considerations that can help reduce surprises:

Schedule a full health review. Identifying risks early can help inform financial decisions and reduce unexpected costs.
Reevaluate insurance coverage. Premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket costs often rise in your 60s, and a single medical event can significantly increase expenses.
Preserve liquidity. Keeping some savings accessible can help manage medical costs or income changes without forcing early withdrawals.
Think carefully about housing choices. A home that works today may not support future needs, and moving later can be costly.

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Continue working if possible. Ongoing income and benefits can help protect savings and provide flexibility around retirement timing.
Stress-test retirement assumptions. Plans should account for scenarios where income drops or expenses increase unexpectedly.
Review Social Security timing. What works under ideal conditions may change after a health or income shock.

When retirement decisions involve overlapping factors such as divorce, health, and income timing, an outside perspective can help clarify what is realistic and what may need to change.Domain Money offers free strategy sessions with CFP professionals and focuses on personalized financial planning for U.S. households earning $100,000 or more.

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This article I'm 61 And Divorced. We Split $1.2 Million Evenly — Then, A Heart Attack Forced Me To Consider Social Security At 62 originally appeared on Benzinga.com

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