Aside from the alimony a divorced man might pay his ex-wife, there's another way a woman stands to benefit from her ex-husband's earnings: his Social Security.

A person can collect Social Security benefits based on his or her own earning history, or 50 percent of the former spouse's benefit if it's a higher number, and 100 percent if that spouse has died. Although the rules apply to both men and women, this benefit typically favors women, who tend to earn less over a lifetime of working. Therefore, they typically collect lower benefits than they might be eligible for through their husbands' earnings.

In the case of divorced couples, the marriage must have lasted at least 10 years, and the person seeking her ex's benefit must currently be unmarried, unless she married after age 60. Fortunately for estranged exes, it doesn't matter whether the ex-husband has remarried or is out of touch. Even if a woman collects on his earnings, it won't affect the benefit of his current spouse or his other exes. In fact, he doesn't even have to know you're collecting. The Social Security Administration has all the information it needs about his earning history, and whether he's still alive.

The lower-earning spouse also doesn't have to wait until retirement age to collect benefits. He or she can start collecting a reduced benefit at age 62 as long as the ex is 62 or older and the divorce took place at least two years prior. When she reaches retirement age she can switch to her own benefit, if it's a higher amount.

For widows or widowers who earned less than their ex-spouse, a reduced widow/divorced widow benefit is available at age 60. Again, she can switch to her own benefit at full retirement age if it amounts to more.

The Social Security Administration lists more information on benefits for exes and widows on its website, and encourages people to learn more -- that includes beneficiaries, their family members, accountants or financial planners. These benefits are not a loophole; they're a legitimate way for people nearing or past retirement age to take advantage of a benefit originally intended to help them through the financial hurdles many of us face later in life.

Source: Yahoo Finance, "Boosting Mom's Social Security Payments," Ellen E. Schultz, Jan. 17, 2012