Social Security survivor benefits after remarriage and divorce - can I claim from first husband now?

You're actually in luck! According to SSA rules, if your second marriage ends (whether by death, divorce, or annulment), you CAN become entitled to benefits on your first husband's record. Since your first marriage lasted more than 10 years and your second marriage is ending, you'll be eligible for survivor benefits from your first husband once your divorce is finalized. There's no 2-year waiting period for survivor benefits after a divorce - that rule applies to spousal benefits from an ex-spouse, not survivor benefits. Just bring your divorce decree to SSA when it's finalized.

my sister had this EXACT situation!!! she remarried at 58 and it ended after 4 yrs. she got survivors benefits from 1st husband right away after divorce, no waiting. its confusing bc the rules for divorced spouse benefits and survivor benefits are different!!

The rules about this are so confusing!! I thought once you remarried before 60 you permanently lost survivor benefits. Are you SURE about this? I've been avoiding remarriage specifically because I don't want to lose my late husband's benefits. Does anyone have the specific SSA regulation about this?

Just wanted to add that once your eligible for survivor benefits, you should think about when to claim them. You can get reduced benefits starting at 60 (or full survivor benefits at your FRA). Since you're almost 64, and FRA for survivor benefits is likely 66 for you, waiting until 66 would get you 100% of what your first husband was entitled to.

I went thru something kinda like this. Got remarried at 58, divorced at 62, then applied for my 1st husbands SS. There ws NO waiting period for me!!! But gettin thru to Social Security was a NIGHTMARE. Took me 3 weeks of calling and getting disconnected.

Yes, the earnings limit would definitely apply if you claim survivor benefits before your FRA. For 2025, the limit is around $22,750, and they deduct $1 for every $2 you earn above that. But once you reach your FRA, there's no earnings limit at all.

One more important point: You mentioned you worked part-time most of your life. Don't forget to compare THREE possible benefit amounts: 1) Your own retirement benefit, 2) Survivor benefits from your first husband, and 3) Spousal benefits from your second husband (if you were married at least 10 years). You'll want to claim the highest benefit you're entitled to. And remember, you can switch between benefits in some situations - for example, claim reduced retirement on your own record at 64 and then switch to full survivor benefits at your FRA.

wait im still confused about something - does this mean if i remarry NOW (im 63) and then later get divorced, i could still get my deceased husbands benefits?? or is 60 still a cutoff age for the remarriage itself?

This is such valuable information for everyone! I'm a newcomer here but wanted to share that I just went through a similar situation last year. I was widowed at 55, remarried at 58, and divorced at 62. I was terrified I'd lost my first husband's survivor benefits forever, but SSA confirmed I could claim them immediately after my divorce was finalized. The key thing I learned is that the SSA representatives themselves sometimes give conflicting information, so it's worth speaking to multiple people or asking to speak with a supervisor if you get pushback. Also, bring ALL your documentation - both marriage certificates, death certificate, and divorce decree. Good luck Amy, you're going to be fine!

As a newcomer to this community, I just wanted to say how helpful this entire discussion has been! I'm in a somewhat similar situation - widowed at 52, remarried at 56, and now considering divorce at 61. I had completely given up hope on ever being able to claim my late husband's survivor benefits because I thought remarrying before 60 meant I was permanently disqualified. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly enlightening and gives me hope for my financial future. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and knowledge - it's amazing how complex these Social Security rules can be, and having real people explain them in plain language makes such a difference!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to thank everyone for this incredibly informative discussion! I'm currently 58 and was widowed two years ago after a 22-year marriage. I've been hesitant to start dating seriously because I was under the impression that remarrying before 60 would permanently cost me my late husband's survivor benefits. Reading through all these responses has completely changed my understanding of the rules. It's such a relief to know that if I do remarry and it doesn't work out, I wouldn't be permanently locked out of those benefits. The distinction between temporary suspension and permanent loss is crucial information that I wish was more clearly communicated by SSA. This thread should be required reading for anyone navigating widowhood and considering remarriage!

As a newcomer to this community, I just want to echo what everyone else has said about how valuable this discussion has been! I'm currently 59 and was widowed three years ago after a 28-year marriage. I've been so afraid to even consider remarriage because I thought it would mean losing my late husband's survivor benefits forever. Reading through all these responses has been eye-opening - the fact that remarriage before 60 only temporarily suspends benefits rather than permanently eliminating them is information I've never seen clearly explained anywhere. It's amazing how many of us have been making major life decisions based on incomplete understanding of these rules. I'm grateful to everyone who shared their personal experiences and expertise here. This is exactly the kind of real-world guidance that's so hard to find elsewhere. Thank you all for creating such a supportive and informative community!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm amazed by how comprehensive and helpful this entire discussion has been! I'm currently 55 and was widowed just six months ago after a 20-year marriage. I've been completely overwhelmed trying to understand my Social Security options and had pretty much accepted that if I ever wanted to remarry, I'd have to wait until 60 or lose my late husband's survivor benefits forever. Reading through everyone's experiences and the detailed explanations here has been incredibly enlightening - I had no idea that remarriage before 60 only temporarily suspends benefits rather than permanently eliminating them. This distinction is huge and honestly should be printed in bold letters on every SSA pamphlet! It's clear that many of us have been operating under misconceptions that could have seriously impacted our life choices. Thank you to everyone who shared their personal stories and expertise - this is exactly the kind of real-world guidance that's impossible to find in official government materials. I feel so much more confident about understanding my options now!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to add my voice to all the others thanking everyone for this incredibly detailed and helpful discussion! I'm currently 62 and was widowed four years ago after a 30-year marriage. I remarried last year at 61, thinking I was safe since I was over 60, but then started panicking when I heard conflicting information about whether my new marriage affected my survivor benefits. Reading through this thread has been such a relief - it's clear that since I remarried AFTER 60, I can continue receiving my late husband's survivor benefits even while married to my current spouse. What really strikes me is how many of us have been operating with incomplete or incorrect information about these crucial rules. The SSA website is so technical and hard to navigate, and it seems like even their own representatives sometimes give conflicting advice. This kind of peer-to-peer sharing of real experiences is invaluable. I've bookmarked this entire discussion to reference later, and I'll definitely be sharing it with other widows in my support group who are facing similar decisions. Thank you all for creating such a supportive and informative space!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm incredibly grateful to have found this discussion! I'm currently 57 and was widowed eight months ago after a 24-year marriage. I've been so confused about the Social Security survivor benefit rules, especially around remarriage, and this thread has cleared up so much misinformation I'd been carrying around. Like many others here, I thought remarrying before 60 would permanently eliminate my eligibility for my late husband's benefits, which was honestly making me hesitant to even consider dating again. Learning that it's only a temporary suspension that can be reversed if the second marriage ends is life-changing information. What really stands out to me is how this community has created such a comprehensive guide covering virtually every scenario - it's honestly more helpful than any official SSA resource I've found. The personal experiences shared here, especially from people like Lim Wong who went through the exact same situation, are invaluable. I'm also impressed by how everyone has been so supportive and informative. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and experiences - this discussion has given me hope and confidence about my future options!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to thank everyone for this incredibly thorough and enlightening discussion! I'm currently 56 and was widowed two years ago after a 26-year marriage. Like so many others here, I've been operating under the assumption that remarrying before 60 would permanently cost me my late husband's survivor benefits. This thread has completely transformed my understanding of these rules - learning that remarriage before 60 only temporarily suspends benefits rather than eliminating them forever is absolutely game-changing information. What strikes me most is how many of us have been making major life decisions based on incomplete or incorrect information. I've actually turned down a serious relationship partly because I thought I'd be giving up financial security permanently. Now I realize I have much more flexibility in my choices. The personal stories shared here, especially from people who've actually navigated these exact situations, are worth their weight in gold. This is the kind of real-world guidance you simply cannot find in official SSA materials. I'll definitely be bookmarking this discussion and sharing it with other widows in my community who are facing similar decisions. Thank you all for creating such a supportive, informative space where people can get honest answers to these life-altering questions!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm absolutely blown away by the depth and quality of this discussion! I'm currently 58 and was widowed 18 months ago after a 32-year marriage. Like virtually everyone else who's shared their story here, I had completely misunderstood the Social Security survivor benefit rules around remarriage. I genuinely believed that remarrying before 60 would permanently eliminate my eligibility for my late husband's benefits, which has been weighing heavily on my mind as I've started to consider the possibility of finding companionship again. Reading through all these personal experiences and expert explanations has been incredibly eye-opening - the distinction between temporary suspension and permanent loss is absolutely crucial information that seems to be poorly communicated everywhere else. What really strikes me is how this single thread has probably changed the life trajectories of dozens of people who were making major decisions based on incomplete information. The combination of technical expertise, real-world experiences, and genuine community support here is remarkable. I'm particularly grateful to members like Alice Pierce, Elin Robinson, and Lim Wong who've shared both their knowledge and personal experiences. This discussion should honestly be turned into an official resource guide - it's more comprehensive and useful than anything I've found on the SSA website. Thank you all for creating such an invaluable resource and supportive community!