Can I claim ex-spouse survivor benefits if we were married 14 years but divorced in '95? Cancer survivor confused about Social Security rules

Yes! You absolutely can claim survivor benefits from an ex-spouse as long as you were married at least 10 years, which you were at 14 years. And the fact that neither of you remarried works in your favor too. When he passes, you'd be entitled to 100% of what he was receiving IF it's higher than your current benefit. There's no "twice the amount" requirement - you're probably confusing that with something else. I hope your recovery continues and you get stronger every day. Cancer treatment is brutal.

The previous commenter is correct, but let me add some important details. Since you were married more than 10 years and neither of you remarried, you meet the basic eligibility requirements for ex-spouse survivor benefits. When he passes away, you would be eligible to receive the higher of either your own benefit or his full benefit amount - not both combined. The confusion about "twice the amount" might be related to the rules for spousal benefits while both are alive (where you can get up to 50% of their amount). But survivor benefits are different - you can get up to 100% of the deceased's benefit. Also, given your health situation, it's worth noting that there's no reduction in survivor benefits if you're at full retirement age when you claim them.

I went through something SIMILAR with my ex-wife!!! We were married 11 years and I found out I could claim on her record when she passed. BUT you have to APPLY for it - they don't automatically switch you!!! The SSA doesn't tell you this stuff unless you ASK!!! You have to go in and SPECIFICALLY request the survivor benefit when the time comes. They won't just give it to you! Also be prepared to provide marriage and divorce documents. They made me jump through HOOPS to prove everything.

Adding to what others have said, I wanted to clarify one thing: divorced spouse survivor benefits work differently from divorced spouse benefits while your ex is alive. While your ex is alive: You can get up to 50% of his PIA (Primary Insurance Amount) if that's higher than your own benefit After your ex passes: You can get up to 100% of what he was receiving if that's higher than your own benefit There's no "twice the amount" requirement in either scenario. I think you might be confusing this with the fact that spousal benefits while both are alive max out at 50% (which is half/twice). Wishing you a complete recovery from your cancer treatments.

my ex died and i got survivor benefits even though we were divorced for 20 years. they dont tell u this stuff. call them and ask. hope u feel better soon

I spent THREE HOURS on hold with Social Security last week trying to ask a similar question about my mom's benefits. Kept getting disconnected. Someone told me about this service called Claimyr that gets you through to a real person at SSA without the wait. I tried it (claimyr.com) and got through in 20 minutes! They have a video showing how it works too: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Might be worth trying if you need specific answers about your situation since those benefit calculators online are confusing when you have a complicated situation like divorce.

is this only for ppl who never remarried? bc my aunt was married to her first husband for 25 yrs, divorced, then married for 5 yrs to second husband who died. can she still get anything from first husband?

Since you mentioned cancer recovery - don't forget that the SSA has compassionate allowances and expedited processing for serious medical conditions. If your condition worsens or you need to apply for disability, make sure to mention your cancer diagnosis as it might qualify you for faster processing. Sending healing thoughts your way.

its so confusing my sister got more from her ex husband than her second husband when he died but they told me different rules when i called????????