Will not reporting my 4 marriages (all under 10 years) affect my Social Security application?

You need to disclose ALL marriages on your Social Security application, regardless of length. The application specifically asks for this information, and providing false or incomplete information could be considered fraud. While you're right that the 10-year mark matters for spousal benefits, the SSA still requires your complete marital history for their records and verification purposes.

omg i went through similar thing, had 3 marriages myself. just list them all honestly. they do check sometimes! my friend tried skipping one and got a letter asking for more info which delayed her benefits by like 2 months

As someone who worked with SSA claims for years, I can tell you that omitting marriages is a common mistake that can cause serious problems. Even though you can't claim spousal benefits from marriages under 10 years, SSA needs this information to properly establish your identity and benefit eligibility. They cross-reference their databases with vital records. If discrepancies are found, your application will be flagged for review, potentially delaying your benefits by weeks or months while they investigate. Always provide complete information - it's not worth the headache of dealing with an investigation.

THEY CHECK EVERYTHING!!! I left off one marriage from 30 years ago (honestly forgot about it, was only married 6 months) and the SSA put my whole application on hold for FOUR MONTHS!!! Had to go through hell trying to find documentation from another state. Just be 100% honest or you'll regret it.

The most efficient approach is to list all marriages with as much detail as you can remember (dates, locations, former spouses' names and DOBs if you know them). You don't necessarily need to have all certificates in hand when you initially apply, but having them will speed up the process if they request verification. If you're missing documentation, explain that to SSA - they can often help locate records through their systems. Remember to include marriages that were annulled too, not just divorces. The key is transparency with SSA - they're not judging your relationship history, they just need accurate records.

I tried calling SSA about a similar situation (had to report 2 past marriages) and spent 3 days trying to get through to someone. So frustrating! Finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an agent in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. The agent I spoke with confirmed I needed to report ALL marriages regardless of length, and said having the marriage/divorce dates was most important, even if I didn't have all certificates on hand.

My cousin went through this last year. She has been married 3 times and they ended up requesting her marriage certificate from her first marriage from 1982! Took her forever to track it down. Better to be honest upfront.

One additional note - when you list your marriages on the application, you'll need to provide information about how each marriage ended (divorce, annulment, death). For divorces, they'll want the date and place. Don't worry if you don't remember exact dates - estimating the month and year is usually sufficient, though having the divorce decrees on hand is ideal. If you're applying online, you can scan and upload any documents you have, or bring them to a local SSA office if you're applying in person.

Just wanted to add that if you're having trouble locating old marriage or divorce records, many states now have online databases where you can request certified copies. VitalChek is a common service that works with most state vital records offices - you can often get documents mailed to you within a week or two for a fee. Also, some county clerk offices have digitized their older records and you can search online. It's worth checking before assuming you'll have to make phone calls or visit offices in person. Having been through this process myself, I found that being proactive about gathering documents made the whole SSA application much smoother.