Can both ex-wives receive the same deceased ex-husband's full Social Security benefits?

Yes, this is actually possible! Both ex-spouses can receive survivor benefits based on the same worker's record if each marriage lasted at least 10 years. This isn't a loophole - it's how the survivor benefit system is designed. Each eligible ex-spouse can receive up to 100% of the deceased worker's benefit if they claim at their own full retirement age. There's no reduction or splitting of benefits between multiple eligible ex-spouses. The SSA pays each qualified person their full entitled amount.

Wait i'm confused about this... are u sure both exes get 100%??? I thought survivor benefits were like only for current spouses or maybe 1 ex-spouse. How can the system afford to pay everyone the full amount? Doesn't seem right.

My uncle was in this EXACT situation!!! He passed away 2 years ago and both his exes get his SS checks now. My mom (his sister) was shocked when she found out. The whole family thought it was some kind of mistake but nope - totally legit according to SS rules. Neither ex even knows about the other one getting benefits lol

This is correct information. I'm a retired financial planner who specialized in Social Security strategies. Each eligible ex-spouse can receive full survivor benefits without affecting the other. The 10-year marriage duration requirement is key. Also, if either ex-spouse remarried before age 60, they would lose eligibility (unless that marriage also ended). If they remarried after 60, they maintain eligibility for the ex-spouse survivor benefit. If the deceased had been married at death, his current widow AND both ex-wives could potentially ALL receive full survivor benefits. This is one area where Social Security doesn't reduce benefits proportionally among multiple claimants.

SSA doesn't automatically notify eligible ex-spouses about survivor benefits when someone dies. Each ex-spouse needs to apply on their own. They should contact Social Security directly and be prepared with marriage/divorce documents proving the 10+ year marriage duration. The sooner they apply after the death, the better, as benefits are only retroactive for up to 6 months.

I had to contact SSA last month after my ex passed away (we were married 15 years) and it was IMPOSSIBLE to get through on the phone. Spent 4 days trying, waiting on hold for hours each time before getting disconnected. Finally I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual SSA agent in 20 minutes! They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU - totally worth it instead of wasting days trying to get through. The agent confirmed I was eligible for survivor benefits even though we'd been divorced for 12 years.

I worked for SSA for 32 years before retiring. This multiple ex-spouse scenario comes up fairly often. THE KEY THING TO REMEMBER is that all eligible parties receive the FULL benefit amount they're entitled to - no splitting or sharing. But each ex-spouse needs to APPLY for these benefits. We don't have a system that automatically notifies ex-spouses when a former spouse dies. Also important: if the deceased worker had dependent children under 16 or disabled, they may qualify for benefits too, which is separate from any spousal benefits.

This thread has been so educational! I've been wondering about a similar situation with my parents. My mother was my father's third wife (married 18 years before divorcing). He had two previous marriages of 12+ years each. He's 72 now with health issues, and I've been trying to understand what benefits my mother might be eligible for if something happens to him. Sounds like she would qualify for full survivor benefits despite the divorces and the existence of other ex-wives. The Social Security system is much more complex than most people realize!

This is fascinating! I had no idea that Social Security survivor benefits worked this way. I'm a recent widow myself (my husband passed 8 months ago) and I've been receiving his full survivor benefit. But reading this thread makes me wonder - he was married once before for about 14 years before we met. Does this mean his ex-wife could also be collecting survivor benefits on his record? We never kept in touch after the divorce, so I have no idea if she even knows he passed away. It's strange to think that Social Security might be paying out benefits to both of us without either of us knowing about the other. The system really is more generous than I expected, but also seems like it could lead to some awkward situations if people found out about each other!

This has been such an eye-opening discussion! I'm new to understanding Social Security benefits and had always assumed that only one person could collect on someone's record at a time. The fact that multiple ex-spouses can each receive 100% of the deceased worker's benefit amount is incredible - and honestly makes me wonder how sustainable this system is financially. It seems like someone who was married multiple times for 10+ years each could potentially generate benefits for several people simultaneously. I'm curious - is there any cap on how many ex-spouses can collect, or could theoretically 5+ people all receive full benefits from one worker's record? Also, does this same principle apply to other Social Security benefits beyond survivor benefits?

As someone who works in estate planning, I can confirm everything that's been shared here is accurate. One additional point worth mentioning: the timing of when ex-spouses apply can be crucial. Survivor benefits can only be paid retroactively for up to 6 months from the application date, so if there's a significant delay in applying after the death, some benefits could be permanently lost. I always advise clients to inform their ex-spouses about potential eligibility when updating their estate plans, even if the relationships are strained. It's also worth noting that remarriage rules are different for survivor benefits versus regular spousal benefits - for survivors, remarrying after age 60 doesn't disqualify you, but before 60 it does (unless that subsequent marriage also ends). The complexity of these rules means many people miss out on benefits they're entitled to simply because they don't know to apply.

Wow, this whole discussion has blown my mind! I'm 45 and going through a divorce right now after 16 years of marriage. My husband has always been pretty secretive about his finances and Social Security stuff, but now I'm realizing I need to understand these benefits better for my own future planning. Reading about all these ex-wives getting full survivor benefits makes me feel a bit better about my financial security down the road - I had no idea I might be eligible for benefits based on his record even after we're divorced. Does anyone know if there are any good resources for understanding all the different Social Security rules? The SSA website is so confusing and full of legal jargon. I feel like I need a crash course in Social Security 101!

I'm a newcomer here and this thread has been incredibly enlightening! I had absolutely no clue that multiple ex-spouses could each receive 100% survivor benefits from the same person's Social Security record. This seems almost too generous to believe, but with so many people confirming it with real examples, I'm convinced it's true. As someone who's never been married but is thinking about it, this makes me wonder about the long-term implications. If I get married and it doesn't work out after 10+ years, at least I'd have some financial security knowing I could potentially receive survivor benefits later in life. On the flip side, it's a bit concerning to think that if I marry someone who's been married before, my future survivor benefits might be "shared" with unknown ex-spouses (even though I now understand they wouldn't actually be reduced). Social Security is definitely more complex than I ever imagined! Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge and experiences - this is exactly the kind of practical information that should be taught in high school finance classes.

This has been such an educational thread! As someone who's been paying into Social Security for over 20 years but never really understood how survivor benefits work, I'm amazed by how generous this system is for ex-spouses. The fact that each qualified ex-spouse gets 100% of the deceased worker's benefit without any reduction is incredible - and honestly makes me feel better about my own situation. I was married for 13 years before divorcing 8 years ago, and I had no idea I might be eligible for survivor benefits on my ex-husband's record someday. It's reassuring to know there's that potential safety net, especially since I'm not currently remarried. I really appreciate everyone sharing their real-world experiences and expertise here - this is the kind of practical Social Security knowledge that's so hard to find anywhere else!

As someone new to this community and Social Security planning in general, I'm absolutely stunned by what I've learned in this thread! I had always assumed that Social Security benefits were much more limited - like only one person could collect on someone's record at a time. The idea that multiple ex-spouses can each receive 100% survivor benefits simultaneously seems almost too good to be true, but with so many real examples and expert confirmation here, I'm convinced it's legitimate. This makes me realize how little most people (myself included) actually understand about the Social Security system we've been paying into our whole working lives. I'm definitely going to be doing more research into these benefits and rules - thank you all for such an enlightening discussion!

This entire discussion has been absolutely fascinating! As a newcomer to this community, I had no idea that Social Security survivor benefits could work this way. The fact that multiple ex-spouses can each receive 100% of a deceased worker's benefits simultaneously is incredible - and honestly something I think more people should know about. I've been divorced for 6 years after a 14-year marriage, and reading this thread makes me realize I might have future benefit options I never even considered. It's both reassuring and a bit overwhelming to discover how complex the Social Security system really is. I really appreciate everyone sharing their real-world experiences and expertise here - this is exactly the kind of practical information that's so hard to find elsewhere. Thank you for such an educational thread!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm absolutely amazed by what I've learned in this thread! I had no idea that Social Security survivor benefits worked this way - the concept that multiple ex-spouses can each receive 100% of the deceased worker's benefit amount simultaneously is incredible. I always assumed benefits would be split or that only one person could claim on someone's record at a time. Reading all these real-world examples and expert explanations has been so eye-opening. It makes me realize how much I don't understand about the Social Security system I've been paying into for years. This is exactly the kind of practical, real-world information that should be more widely known but seems to be hidden in complex government regulations. Thank you to everyone who shared their knowledge and experiences - this has been incredibly educational!