How many years do you need to be married to qualify for Social Security survivor benefits?

The 10-year marriage requirement is for ex-spouse benefits (divorced spouse benefits), not survivor benefits. For survivor benefits, you generally only need to have been married for 9 months at the time of your spouse's death. There are some exceptions to even the 9-month rule for accidents or military service deaths. As a widow, you could be eligible to collect as early as age 60 (or 50 if disabled). The benefit amount depends on a few factors including your age when you claim and whether your husband had started receiving his own benefits.

ur fine with 8 yrs for widows benefits but the 10 yr rule is if u get divorced, thats when u need 10 yrs to claim on their record

I went through this last year when my husband passed. You only need 9 months of marriage for survivor benefits. BUT be careful about when you claim!!! If you take survivor benefits early (before your FRA which is probably 67), they will be permanently reduced! I think it's like 28.5% less if you claim at 60. ALSO, you need to know that you can claim survivor benefits and your own retirement at different times - this is one of the FEW cases where you can still use this strategy!!! This is VERY important to understand.

Just to add some clarity, here's how survivor benefits work for widows/widowers: 1. You need to be married for at least 9 months (with some exceptions) 2. You can claim as early as age 60 (or 50 if disabled) 3. If you claim before your Full Retirement Age (FRA), the benefit is reduced 4. At your FRA, you'd receive 100% of your deceased spouse's benefit amount Importantly, unlike regular retirement benefits, you have flexibility with survivor benefits. You could take reduced survivor benefits at 60 and then switch to your own (unreduced) retirement benefit at your FRA or later. Or take your reduced retirement benefit at 62 and then switch to full survivor benefits at your FRA. This is one of the few remaining claiming strategies that can be optimized after the 2015 budget changes eliminated many others. I'd recommend scheduling an appointment with SSA to discuss your specific situation when the time comes.

When my father died, my mom had only been married to him for 6 years and she still got survivor benefits!!! SSA told her over the phone that she qualified even though it was under 9 months. Wait, now I'm confused... it was definitely more than 9 months but less than 10 years. Maybe there are different rules for different situations? The whole system is SO CONFUSING!!!!

OMG trying to get accurate info from SSA is IMPOSSIBLE!!! I spent 3 weeks calling them daily after my husband passed away last year and either couldn't get through or was given wrong information. They told me I couldn't file for survivor benefits until I was 60 (I'm 57), but then I found out I could have filed for the one-time death benefit of $255. The whole system is broken!

One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet: if you're caring for your husband's child who is under 16 or disabled, you could be eligible for mother's/father's benefits regardless of your age. This is different from widow(er)'s benefits and has different rules. Just mentioning in case it applies to your situation.

KEEP IN MIND that if you work while collecting survivor benefits before your FRA, you'll be subject to the earnings test!!! In 2023 you could only earn $21,240 before they start taking $1 for every $2 you earn above that limit. They don't tell you this stuff upfront!!! I learned the hard way when they reduced my checks because I was still working.

also look into if ur eligible for that $255 death benefit payment, its not much but its something

I'm so sorry you're going through this difficult time with your husband's health diagnosis. The good news is that with 8 years of marriage, you're well above the 9-month minimum requirement for survivor benefits. Many people get confused because there are different rules for different types of Social Security benefits - the 10-year rule applies to divorced spouse benefits, not widow benefits. One thing I'd suggest is creating a my Social Security account online if you haven't already. You can view both your and your husband's earnings records and get benefit estimates. This will help you plan the optimal claiming strategy when the time comes. Also, consider speaking with a fee-only financial advisor who specializes in Social Security planning - they can run scenarios to show you the best approach for your specific situation. Take care of yourself during this stressful time. Having a plan can provide some peace of mind even when facing uncertainty.

I'm really sorry to hear about your husband's diagnosis - that must be incredibly stressful for both of you. The community has given you excellent information here. Just to reinforce what others have said: you're definitely eligible for survivor benefits with 8 years of marriage (the 9-month minimum only applies in very specific circumstances like accidental death). One additional point that might help with your planning - if your husband hasn't filed for his own Social Security yet, you might want to discuss whether it makes sense for him to file now or wait, as this could affect your eventual survivor benefit amount. If he delays past his full retirement age, his benefit (and therefore your potential survivor benefit) increases by 8% per year until age 70. Also, don't forget that you'll be eligible for Medicare at 65 even if you're not yet collecting Social Security benefits - that's one less thing to worry about for your future financial planning. Wishing you both strength during this difficult time. Having a plan really does help provide some peace of mind.

I'm so sorry to hear about your husband's diagnosis, Zainab. This must be an incredibly difficult time for you both. The good news is that everyone here has given you accurate information - with 8 years of marriage, you're absolutely eligible for survivor benefits since the requirement is only 9 months (not 10 years). One thing I'd add that might help with your planning: consider getting a Social Security statement for both you and your husband to compare your projected benefits. Sometimes people are surprised to find their own benefit might be higher than the survivor benefit, which would affect your claiming strategy. Also, if you haven't already, you might want to speak with an elder law attorney or financial planner who specializes in Social Security. They can help you understand all your options and create a comprehensive plan that considers taxes, healthcare costs, and other factors beyond just the Social Security benefits. Take care of yourself during this stressful time. Knowledge is power, and you're doing the right thing by getting informed about your options.

I'm so sorry to hear about your husband's diagnosis, Zainab. Going through this kind of uncertainty is incredibly difficult. I wanted to add one more practical point that might help with your planning - if your husband is receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) due to his health condition, those benefits automatically convert to regular retirement benefits at his full retirement age without any reduction. This could potentially affect the timing decisions others have mentioned about when he should claim benefits. Also, if you're not already familiar with it, the Social Security Administration has a publication called "What Every Woman Should Know" (Publication No. 05-10127) that specifically addresses widow benefits and claiming strategies. It's available on their website and might help clarify some of the details you're trying to understand. You're being so smart to research this now while you can make informed decisions together. Having this knowledge ahead of time, even though we hope you won't need it for many years, will give you both peace of mind.

I'm so sorry to hear about your husband's diagnosis, Zainab. This must be an incredibly stressful time for you both. I want to reassure you that with 8 years of marriage, you're well above the minimum requirement for survivor benefits. The confusion you mentioned is very common - the 9-month rule applies to survivor benefits, while the 10-year rule is specifically for divorced spouse benefits. One thing that might help ease your mind is knowing that you have time to learn about all your options. Since you're 58 now, you won't be eligible to claim survivor benefits until age 60 at the earliest (or 50 if you become disabled). This gives you time to understand the claiming strategies others have mentioned, like potentially taking one benefit early and switching to the other later. I'd also suggest reaching out to your local Social Security office or calling their national number to get personalized information about your specific situation. While it can be frustrating to get through sometimes, having official documentation of your eligibility and benefit estimates can be really valuable for your financial planning. Take care of yourself during this difficult time, and remember that you're being proactive by learning about these benefits now rather than waiting until you might need them.

You have probably already answered this, but I was married to my ex-husband for 35 years. We divorced, didn't marry anyone else, and then remarried each other again 3 years later. I was 57 when we remarried. We have been remarried for 8 years. When he dies, will I be able to claim widow's benefits on him as second marriage, even though we remarried before I was 60?

I'm so sorry you're dealing with your husband's health diagnosis - that must be incredibly overwhelming on top of trying to understand all these benefit rules. The good news is everyone here has confirmed you're absolutely eligible for survivor benefits with 8 years of marriage. The 9-month requirement is the minimum, so you're well covered there. I wanted to add one practical tip that might help: if your husband is still able to participate in financial planning discussions, this could be a good time to gather all his Social Security information, work history, and benefit estimates. Having everything organized now will make things much easier for you later. You can both create accounts on the SSA website to access your benefit statements and projections. Also, while the claiming strategies others mentioned are important to understand eventually, don't feel like you need to master all of that right now. Focus on getting through this difficult health situation first - you'll have time to work out the optimal benefit timing when you're closer to age 60. Sending you strength during this challenging time. You're doing the right thing by getting informed, but please don't let the complexity of Social Security rules add unnecessary stress to what you're already going through.

I'm so sorry to hear about your husband's diagnosis, Zainab. What a difficult and scary situation to navigate. The community has given you excellent information - you're absolutely eligible for survivor benefits with 8 years of marriage since the requirement is only 9 months, not 10 years. I wanted to add one perspective that might be helpful: consider whether your husband has any military service history, as there are additional VA survivor benefits that might be available to you beyond Social Security. Also, if he has any pension plans through work, now would be a good time to understand what survivor options those might provide. The most important thing right now is that you have confirmed eligibility for Social Security survivor benefits, which provides a foundation of financial security. The optimization strategies can be figured out later - you have time to learn about the best claiming approach for your situation. Take things one step at a time and don't hesitate to lean on this community for support and information as you navigate this challenging journey.

I'm so sorry to hear about your husband's diagnosis, Zainab. That must be incredibly frightening and overwhelming for both of you. The good news is that everyone here has given you accurate information - with 8 years of marriage, you're definitely eligible for survivor benefits since the requirement is only 9 months, not 10 years like some websites incorrectly state. I went through something similar with my late husband, and one thing I wish I had known earlier is that you might want to consider having a conversation with your husband about his Social Security claiming timeline while he's still able to participate in these decisions. If he hasn't filed yet and was planning to delay until age 70, his diagnosis might change that strategy since survivor benefits are based on what he would have received. Also, please don't feel like you need to become an expert on all the claiming strategies right now. The most important thing is knowing you'll have that financial foundation - the optimization details can be figured out when you're closer to needing them. Focus on taking care of yourself and your husband during this difficult time. This community will be here when you have more questions later. You're being so smart to plan ahead, and I hope your husband's treatment goes better than expected. ❤️

I'm so sorry to hear about your husband's diagnosis, Zainab. This must be an incredibly stressful and frightening time for both of you. The good news is that everyone here has confirmed what you need to know - with 8 years of marriage, you're absolutely eligible for survivor benefits since the requirement is only 9 months, not the 10 years that applies to divorced spouse benefits. As someone new to understanding Social Security benefits, I've found it helpful to know that there are actually several different types of benefits with different rules, which is why the information online can be so confusing. The 9-month rule for survivor benefits vs. the 10-year rule for divorced spouse benefits is just one example of how these programs have different eligibility requirements. One thing that might give you some peace of mind is that you have time to learn about the claiming strategies others have mentioned. Since you won't be eligible to claim survivor benefits until age 60, you don't need to make any immediate decisions about timing or optimization. Right now, the most important thing is knowing you'll have that financial foundation when you need it. Please take care of yourself during this difficult time. You're being incredibly thoughtful by planning ahead, and this community seems like a wonderful resource for when you have more questions down the road. Wishing you and your husband strength as you navigate his treatment and recovery. 💙

I'm so sorry to hear about your husband's diagnosis, Zainab. This must be an incredibly difficult and scary time for both of you. I wanted to reach out as someone who has been learning about Social Security benefits myself recently. The community here has given you such comprehensive and accurate information - you're absolutely eligible for survivor benefits with 8 years of marriage since the requirement is only 9 months, not 10 years. I can understand why you were confused since there's so much conflicting information online about different types of Social Security benefits. One thing that struck me from reading through all the responses is how important it is to have this knowledge before you actually need it. You're being so wise to research this now while you and your husband can still plan together. From what others have shared, it sounds like there are several strategies to consider, but the most important thing right now is that you have that foundation of security knowing you'll be eligible. I hope your husband's treatment goes better than expected, and please know that this community seems like a wonderful resource for any future questions you might have. You're not alone in navigating this challenging situation, and the expertise and compassion shown here is truly remarkable. Take care of yourself and your husband during this difficult time. 💙

I'm so sorry to hear about your husband's diagnosis, Zainab. What you're going through must be incredibly overwhelming, and I can only imagine how scared you must feel about the future. Please know that you're not alone in this journey, and seeking out this information now shows incredible strength and foresight. The community here has provided you with excellent, accurate information - you're absolutely eligible for survivor benefits with your 8 years of marriage since the requirement is only 9 months. I think many of us have experienced that same confusion you felt when trying to research Social Security online, because there are so many different programs with different rules all mixed together in search results. What really stands out to me from reading through this entire discussion is not just the wealth of practical knowledge everyone has shared, but the genuine care and support you've received. It's clear this community understands that behind every Social Security question is a real person facing real challenges and fears. While you're processing all this information about survivor benefits, claiming strategies, and timing decisions, please remember to be gentle with yourself. You don't need to become an expert overnight. The most important thing - knowing you'll have that financial foundation - has been confirmed. Everything else can be learned when you need it. Focus on supporting each other through his treatment, and know that this community will be here when you have more questions. Wishing you both courage and hope during this difficult time. ❤️

I'm so sorry to hear about your husband's diagnosis, Zainab. This must be an incredibly frightening and overwhelming time for both of you. I can't imagine the stress you're feeling trying to plan for an uncertain future while also supporting him through his health challenges. The wonderful news is that everyone here has confirmed you're absolutely eligible for survivor benefits with your 8 years of marriage - the 9-month requirement is what applies, not the confusing 10-year rule you were seeing online (which is only for divorced spouse benefits). Reading through all these responses, I'm struck by how much valuable information and genuine support this community has provided you. As someone who has watched family members navigate similar situations, I want to echo what others have said about not putting pressure on yourself to master every detail right now. You've gotten the most important answer - you will have that financial safety net when you need it. The claiming strategies and timing decisions can be learned later when you're closer to age 60. For now, focus on what matters most: supporting each other through his treatment and taking care of your own emotional well-being during this difficult journey. You've shown incredible wisdom by planning ahead, and this community will clearly be here to help guide you through any future questions. Sending you both strength and hoping for the best possible outcome with his treatment. You're not facing this alone. ❤️