Survivor benefits after remarriage at 60 - can I keep my late husband's Social Security?

I'm fairly certain that if you remarry before age 60, you cannot collect survivors benefits on your prior deceased spouse's record. BUT I think you're right that there's a special rule if you remarry after turning 60! My aunt went through something similar. She waited till 60 to file for survivors benefits and then remarried at 62 and kept collecting her first husband's SS with no problem.

You can 100% remarry after age 60 and keep getting survivor benefits from your deceased spouse. This is directly from the SSA rules. My sister did this 2 years ago - remarried at 61 and kept receiving her late husband's SS with no problems at all.

Let me help clarify the rules here regarding survivor benefits and remarriage: 1. If you remarry BEFORE age 60, you generally cannot receive survivor benefits on your deceased spouse's record (with some exceptions for disability). 2. If you remarry AFTER age 60, you CAN continue receiving survivor benefits based on your deceased spouse's earnings record. 3. When you reach your own full retirement age (FRA), you might want to switch to your own retirement benefit if it would be higher than the survivor benefit. 4. If your new spouse is also collecting Social Security, you might be eligible for spousal benefits on their record if that amount would be higher than either your survivor benefits or your own retirement benefit. So yes, your plan to claim survivor benefits at 60 and then possibly remarry after 60 is sound - you would not lose those survivor benefits upon remarriage.

i went thru this exact same thing!!! waited til 60 to get my late husbands ss then got married again at 62. you dont lose the benefits but you MUST report the marriage to ssa within 10 days or they will say you committed fraud. theres a form you fill out to report the change but the payments keep coming

I work with a lot of widows and widowers navigating Social Security. The remarriage after 60 rule is one of the few bright spots in the survivor benefit regulations. One thing to consider: If you're eligible for retirement benefits on your own record, you might want to take those at your FRA (or even delay until 70 if they'd be higher), while taking survivor benefits at 60. Or vice versa - take reduced retirement at 62 and switch to survivors at your FRA for the maximum amount. It's one of the few remaining opportunities to switch between benefit types. Be aware that taking survivor benefits at 60 means taking them early - you'll get about 71.5% of what you would get if you waited until your full retirement age. This reduction is permanent.

Just wanted to say I'm so sorry for your loss. I lost my husband 3 years ago and know how hard it is. The Social Security rules are so complicated that I spent hours trying to figure it all out while grieving. It's just not fair that we have to deal with this financial stress on top of everything else.

I had the WORST time trying to get through to Social Security when I was applying for survivor benefits last year. Spent weeks calling and getting busy signals or being on hold for hours only to get disconnected. Finally found a service called Claimyr that got me through to an actual SSA agent in under 10 minutes. Was a total lifesaver for confirming all these remarriage rules we're discussing. Their site is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Once I got through, the agent confirmed that remarriage after 60 doesn't affect survivor benefits. They also helped me understand how my own retirement benefits compared to the survivor benefits so I could choose the best option.

btw you should also look into whether your husband had a pension from work that might affect your benefits. my friend found out her husbands company pension reduced her SS survivors benefit because of some offset rule

Can I just say how crazy it is that if you remarry at 59 years and 364 days, you lose benefits, but if you wait ONE DAY and remarry at age 60, you're fine??? These Social Security rules make NO sense sometimes. Why should remarriage matter AT ALL for benefits you earned through your deceased spouse??

To address your follow-up question - yes, you should still notify SSA of your remarriage even though it won't affect your eligibility for survivor benefits. The reason is that your marital status is part of your SSA record and needs to be kept up-to-date. You can report this change by: 1. Calling SSA directly at 1-800-772-1213 2. Visiting your local SSA office 3. In some cases, updating your information through your my Social Security online account Additionally, your new marital status might actually open up new benefit options (like spousal benefits on your new husband's record if that would be higher than your survivor benefit).

I'm so glad you found this community and asked this question! As someone who went through the survivor benefits process myself, I want to emphasize how important it is to get accurate information. You're absolutely right that there's a lot of conflicting advice out there. The key point everyone has correctly mentioned is that remarrying after age 60 will NOT affect your survivor benefits. This is a firm rule in the Social Security system. However, I'd also suggest considering the timing of when you apply for benefits versus when you remarry. Since you're 58 now and planning to apply at 60, you have about 2 years to get everything sorted out. I'd recommend applying for the survivor benefits first, getting that process completed, and then proceeding with your remarriage plans. This way there's no confusion or complications during the application process. Also, make sure you have all your husband's employment records and Social Security information ready when you apply. The process can take some time, so starting early is always better. Wishing you the best as you navigate both this new chapter in your life and the benefits process!

I just wanted to chime in as someone who works at a local SSA office - you've gotten some great advice here! The remarriage after age 60 rule is indeed correct, and it's one of the most commonly asked questions we get from widows and widowers. A few additional tips from what I see at the office: - When you do apply at 60, bring your marriage certificate (to your deceased husband), his death certificate, and his Social Security card if you have it - If you can't find his Social Security card, don't worry - we can look up his records with other identifying information - The application process typically takes 2-3 months, so factor that into your timeline - You can actually apply up to 4 months before you want benefits to start And yes, definitely report your remarriage when it happens! We appreciate when people are proactive about reporting changes - it makes everything smoother for everyone involved. Good luck with both your benefits application and your future happiness!

I'm so sorry for your loss, and I think it's wonderful that you're finding love again. As someone who recently went through the survivor benefits application process myself, I can confirm what others have shared - you absolutely CAN remarry after age 60 and keep your survivor benefits from your first husband. I was in a similar situation about 6 months ago (I'm 63 now). I applied for survivor benefits at 60 and remarried at 62. The key things I learned: 1. The age 60 rule is firm - remarry before 60 and you lose benefits, remarry at 60 or after and you keep them 2. You must notify SSA within 10 days of remarrying (I used their online portal which was super easy) 3. Consider the timing - I'd suggest getting your survivor benefits established first, then remarrying once that's all sorted One thing I wish someone had told me earlier: if your new partner is also receiving Social Security, you might eventually be able to switch to spousal benefits on their record if it would be higher than your survivor benefit. It's worth discussing with an SSA representative when you apply. The whole process was much less scary than I expected, and it sounds like you're asking all the right questions. Best wishes for both your benefits application and your future happiness!

I'm new to this community but wanted to share something that might help with your situation. My mother-in-law went through almost the exact same thing about 5 years ago. She was widowed at 62, waited until she turned 60 to apply for survivor benefits (even though she was already past 60 when she applied), and then remarried at 65. One thing she learned that I haven't seen mentioned here is that when you're collecting survivor benefits and then remarry, SSA will actually review your case to see if you might be eligible for higher benefits. In her case, her new husband had a much higher earnings record, so after they'd been married for a year, she was able to switch to spousal benefits on his record which gave her about $300 more per month. Also, she mentioned that having all her paperwork organized made the whole process much smoother. She created a folder with copies of everything - marriage certificate, death certificate, tax returns, etc. - and brought copies to leave with SSA while keeping the originals at home. The peace of mind you'll have knowing you can remarry without losing those benefits is worth so much. Wishing you all the best as you navigate this new chapter!