Can I choose which deceased husband's Social Security survivor benefits to claim at 60?

Yes, you can choose which deceased spouse's record to collect survivor benefits from when you turn 60. The key factor is that both marriages meet the duration requirements for eligibility. For survivor benefits, you generally need to have been married for at least 9 months (with some exceptions like accidental death). Since your first marriage was 32 years, that clearly qualifies. Your second marriage of 22 days would normally not qualify unless there's an exception that applies (like accidental death or military service death). Assuming both marriages qualify, you should compare the benefit amounts from each deceased spouse's record. The higher earner would likely provide you with a larger survivor benefit. Remember that taking survivor benefits at 60 means a reduction - you'll get only about 71.5% of the full survivor benefit you would get at your full retirement age.

Wait I thought u only need to be married 9 months for widow benefits?? My aunt got benefits from her 2nd husband who died after 10 months of marriage. Did the rules change??

I went through something similar but with only one deceased spouse. When I called SSA to discuss my options, I was on hold for almost 2 HOURS and then got disconnected! After three more attempts with the same result, I found a service called Claimyr that got me connected to an SSA agent in under 20 minutes. They basically call SSA for you and hold your place in line, then call you when an agent is available. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU or go to claimyr.com. Saved me so much frustration when I was trying to understand my survivor benefit options.

This is EXACTLY why the Social Security system is so frustrating!!! The arbitrary 9-month rule is ridiculous - your second husband paid into the system his ENTIRE WORKING LIFE but because you were only married 22 days (through no fault of your own!!), you can't access those benefits??? It's THEFT of his contributions as far as I'm concerned. Call your congressional representative and complain about this injustice. The whole system needs an overhaul.

Since your second marriage doesn't meet the 9-month duration requirement, you'll only be eligible for survivor benefits from your first husband unless an exception applies. However, here's something important to consider: If you wait until your Full Retirement Age (probably 67 if you're currently 58), you could apply for your own retirement benefits if they're higher than your survivor benefits from your first husband. Another strategy to consider: You could take reduced survivor benefits at 60 based on your first husband's record, then switch to your own retirement benefits at 70 if they would be higher. This would allow your own retirement benefit to grow with delayed retirement credits. I'd recommend creating a my Social Security account at ssa.gov to see estimates of all your potential benefits before making any decisions.

sorry but quick question - does remarrying affect widow benefits? my mom is widowed and thinking about getting remarried but worried about losing her checks

My condolences on your losses. I went thru something similar. My first husband passed after 18 yrs of marriage then my second after only 8 months. I was able to collect on my first husband bc the second marriage didn't meet requirements. When I applied they told me I needed death certificates for both husbands even tho I only qualified on the first one's record. Make sure you have all documentation ready when you apply to avoid delays. Good luck!

To address your question about exceptions to the 9-month marriage rule: There are specific exceptions, but unfortunately, a natural death from heart attack typically wouldn't qualify. The main exceptions are: 1. Death was accidental 2. Death occurred in the line of duty as an active member of the uniformed services 3. You had a previous marriage to the same person that would satisfy the 9-month requirement 4. You were previously eligible for certain benefits on the deceased's record However, it's always worth discussing your specific case with SSA. Sometimes there are nuances to individual situations that might affect eligibility. This is definitely a conversation worth having directly with a Social Security representative.

my sister took widow benefits at 60 and the amount was pretty small just fyi. if u can wait till ur full retirement age u get alot more. but i guess it depends on ur financial situation if u need the money now or can wait