Can my mom collect ex-husband's Social Security survivor benefits after he remarried and passed away?

Yes, your mom likely qualifies for divorced widow's benefits! The rules are pretty straightforward for this situation: 1. She was married to him for more than 10 years (you said 25, which easily qualifies) 2. She's over 60 (at 62, she qualifies) 3. She hasn't remarried before age 60 (you mentioned she never remarried) His remarriage doesn't affect her eligibility at all. Both his widow AND your mom as his divorced widow can potentially collect survivor benefits. Your mom should contact SSA immediately as there's only a 6-month limit on retroactive benefits from when she applies. She'll get somewhere between 71.5%-100% of his full benefit amount depending on her exact age when she starts collecting.

my aunt went thru something JUST like this!! the social security office was actually super helpful for her. she got benefits even tho my uncle had been remarried for like 8 yrs when he died. they did ask for her marriage certificate and divorce papers tho so tell your mom to find those!!!

I'm going through almost the same situation right now! My ex passed away in January and I'm trying to claim survivor benefits. The frustrating part is GETTING THROUGH to someone at Social Security. I've called over 15 times in the past two weeks and either get disconnected or told the wait time is over 3 hours. Once you do finally reach someone, they'll likely tell you that your mom needs to schedule an appointment for an interview (can be phone or in person). But even getting to that point has been nearly impossible for me. It's so stressful when you're already dealing with the emotional aspects of everything.

There's some misinformation in this thread that needs to be cleared up. I worked as a claims specialist at SSA for 15 years. 1. Yes, your mother qualifies for divorced widow's benefits based on what you've shared. 2. The 10-year marriage duration requirement is correct. 3. IMPORTANT: There's NO 6-month limit on retroactive survivor benefits as someone mentioned. Survivor benefits can actually be paid up to 6 months retroactively from application date (not limited to 6 months total). 4. Her benefit amount will depend on: - Her age when she applies (the reduction is 0.396% per month before her FRA) - Whether she's working (earnings limit applies until FRA) - The amount of her own retirement benefit if she's eligible for that 5. Documents needed: marriage certificate, divorce decree, ex-husband's death certificate, her birth certificate, and possibly her SSN card. I recommend applying immediately. The soonest benefits could begin is the month of his death.

Sorry for your family's loss. The SSA system is TERRIBLE at explaining these situations clearly. I got the runaround for MONTHS after my ex died. The website is useless and calling is a nightmare. My advice - GO IN PERSON to your local SSA office if at all possible. Bring ALL documentation (marriage certificate, divorce papers, death certificate, birth certificate, etc.). Otherwise they'll just make you come back again and again. And be prepared for them to possibly give you incorrect information the first time. I had to speak to 3 different people before getting the right answers about my situation. And start documenting EVERYTHING - dates you called, who you spoke with, what they told you. The SSA is a bureaucratic mess and you might need this info later if they make mistakes (which they often do).

To answer your follow-up question - yes, your mom's work income will reduce her survivor benefits if she claims before her Full Retirement Age (FRA). For 2025, she can earn up to $23,360 without reduction. Above that amount, $1 in benefits is withheld for every $2 she earns. Since you mentioned she makes about $20,000/year, she should be under that threshold so no reduction would apply. However, if she gets any bonuses or picks up extra hours that push her over that amount, it would affect her benefits. Regarding waiting until FRA - it depends on her financial needs. If she claims at 62, she'll get about 71.5% of what she'd get at FRA. Each year she waits, that percentage increases. Unlike retirement benefits though, survivor benefits don't increase after FRA - so there's no benefit to waiting beyond her FRA.

my neighbor was in this exact situation!!! she got benefits from her ex even tho he was married to someone else when he died. but the crazy thing is the new wife tried to like BLOCK her from getting anything!! said it wasn't fair that they both got money. but SSA told her to buzz off basically lolol. both ladies got their benefits in the end.

One other thing to consider - your mother should look into whether she should claim her own retirement benefit or the survivor benefit first. This depends on her own work history. If her own retirement benefit at her FRA would be LOWER than the survivor benefit, she might want to: 1. Take the reduced survivor benefit now at 62 2. Switch to her own retirement benefit at 70 when it will have maximized with delayed retirement credits If her own benefit would be HIGHER than the survivor benefit, she might want to: 1. Take her reduced retirement benefit now 2. Switch to the survivor benefit at her FRA when it wouldn't be reduced This is complex territory and very specific to her situation. I strongly recommend she schedule an appointment with SSA to discuss these options.