Can I claim Social Security benefits from ex-spouse's record while on SSDI at 61?

You definitely have some options here, but it's a bit complex. Since you were married to your second husband for more than 10 years before divorcing, you could potentially qualify for divorced spouse benefits on his record. However, because you're receiving SSDI, there are special considerations. SSA will pay you whichever benefit is higher - your own disability benefit or the spousal/divorced spouse benefit. They won't pay both. If your ex-husband's benefit would give you more than your current SSDI, you could receive a combination that equals the higher amount. As for survivor benefits from your first husband, you generally can't receive those if you remarried before age 60, unless that marriage ended (by death or divorce). Since your second marriage ended and you're over 60 now, you might be eligible for survivor benefits from your first husband if that would be higher than your current benefit. I recommend creating a my Social Security account online and checking your benefit estimates, then scheduling an appointment with SSA to review all your options.

I was in a somewhat similar situation last year. Divorced after 11 years, on SSDI, and trying to figure out if I could get higher benefits from my ex's record. Let me save you HOURS of frustration - try Claimyr (claimyr.com). It's a service that gets you connected to a real SSA agent without the endless wait. I watched their demo video (https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU) and decided to try it. They got me through to SSA in about 20 minutes when I had been trying for weeks on my own. The agent I spoke with was able to run calculations on all my potential benefits and tell me exactly what I qualified for. Turns out I was eligible for a small increase by claiming on my ex's record.

To answer your specific question - yes, the 12-year marriage duration matters and it works in your favor since it's over 10 years. Being on disability doesn't disqualify you from ex-spouse benefits, but as mentioned above, you'll only get the higher of the two benefits, not both combined.

I WENT THRU THIS EXACT THING and let me tell you the SSA is USELESS trying to explain your options!!! I was on disability and divorced after 22 yrs of marriage. My ex made WAY more than me so I got an extra $300/month on top of my disability payment. They call it the "excess spousal benefit" or something like that. You definitely need to check this out because they DON'T automatically give it to you!! You have to apply!

wait I'm confused... can she get benefits from BOTH husbands? Or just pick whichever one gives her more money?

Not to make this more complicated but don't forget about the remarriage rules for widow benefits! Since you're now divorced AND over 60, you CAN claim survivor benefits from your first husband if those would be higher. A lot of SSA reps don't explain this clearly.

I tried figuring this out on my own last year and ended up leaving money on the table for 6 MONTHS because the first SSA rep I talked to gave me wrong information. When I finally got through to someone who knew what they were talking about, they explained I was eligible for additional benefits but they could only pay 6 months retroactively. Get to someone knowledgeable ASAP! Also, to answer your original question - yes, being on SSDI does affect things. Unlike regular retirement benefits where you can choose when to apply for different benefits, disability can complicate the timing. They should consider all benefits you're eligible for when you apply, but often they don't unless you specifically ask.

After you talk with SSA, come back and let us know what you found out! Your situation is complicated enough that I'm curious what they'll say is your best option.