Retirement delayed and broke anyway

[Johnny2X2X]

53. Those special accounts

Would probably be blended funds that are tied to your age and divest from equities as you approach your 60s.

At least you have something, and hopefully it's not ebbing and flowing with the stock markets.

But yeah, you didn't work for 18 years, your well being was tied to your spouse providing for you and so is your retirment now.

And yeah, some people die before they collect any social security, it stays in the general fund to pay for people who outlive what was expected for them to be collecting social security. There's still a minimum social security amount you'd receive too.

At 64, I'd still try to work if I were you, saving even a little can make a big difference. 18 years without working is not going to paint a good retirement picture, sorry that hapened to you.