Will I still qualify for widow benefits if I remarry after 60 but lose my SSDI?

congrats on ur engagement! i think ur ok since ur marrying after 60 but dont quote me on that lol. my mom remarried at 62 and still got her dead husbands ss check.

You're asking a good question about your benefits. Here's how it works: Once you turn 60, you can remarry and still qualify for survivor benefits based on your deceased ex-spouse's record. This eligibility continues even if you later lose your SSDI status. The key requirements are that your marriage to your ex lasted at least 10 years, and that you didn't remarry before age 60. So yes, even if your medical condition improves and you lose SSDI, you would still be eligible for widow's benefits. However, be aware that your benefit amount might change, as you'd transition from receiving disability benefits plus survivor benefits to just the survivor benefits.

My situation was kinda similar. I got remarried at 61 after my husband died. Been on his survivor benefits for years. One thing nobody mentioned yet - you might actually get MORE if you wait until your Full Retirement Age to apply for just the widow benefits instead of taking them early at 60. There's a reduction if you take widow benefits before your FRA. Just something to think about with your timing.

I went through something similar last year when I was considering remarriage. I spent WEEKS trying to get accurate information from SSA. Called every day, got disconnected constantly, finally got someone who gave me wrong information. I was so frustrated I almost called off the wedding! Then I found this service called Claimyr that got me through to a real SSA agent in about 20 minutes. They basically call SSA for you and then connect you when they reach an agent. Saved me hours of hold time. Check out their site at claimyr.com - they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. Totally worth it to get the official answer about how remarriage would affect my benefits.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet - if your new spouse has a higher earnings record than either your own or your deceased ex-spouse, you might eventually be eligible for higher spousal benefits based on your new marriage. This wouldn't happen immediately, but it could be relevant as you plan for the long term. The general rule is that SSA pays the highest benefit you're entitled to. So if you remarry after 60, you maintain eligibility for your deceased ex-spouse's record, but you can also become eligible for benefits on your new spouse's record after one year of marriage. It's worth mapping out all these scenarios with exact benefit amounts before making decisions.

I don't trust ANYTHING the SSA tells you about widow benefits!!! When my husband died in 2020, they told me THREE different things about what I could get. Then they UNDERPAID me for 6 months and I had to fight to get backpay!!! And don't even get me started on their website - NOTHING makes sense and the rules change depending who you talk to!!! Make sure you GET EVERYTHING IN WRITING!!!

Just to clarify something important: With your current SSDI, you're likely receiving your own disability benefit, possibly with an added amount if the survivor benefit is higher than your SSDI amount. If you were to lose SSDI eligibility and switch to widow-only benefits, the calculation would be different. As others mentioned, taking widow benefits before your Full Retirement Age reduces the amount. At exactly age 60, it would be about 71.5% of your deceased ex-spouse's full benefit amount. One strategy to consider: If you do lose SSDI eligibility after marriage, you might want to delay claiming widow benefits until closer to your FRA to receive a higher amount, if you have other income sources in the meantime. This is especially true if your ex-spouse had a substantial earnings record.

just wondering did ur ex know u were getting his benefits? my uncle remarried 3 times and his last wife gets his ss now even tho they were only married 10 yrs and 1 day lol she planned it