Will remarrying at 68 terminate my SS survivor benefits from first husband?

You're in luck! Since you're over 60 (actually, the specific age is 60), you can remarry and still keep your survivor benefits from your first husband. This is a common misconception that remarriage at any age causes you to lose survivor benefits, but the SSA has specific rules about this. If you remarry after age 60, you can continue receiving benefits on your former spouse's record. This is different from the rules that apply to divorced spouse benefits, which do typically end upon remarriage regardless of age. That might be where some of the confusion comes from among your friends. Congratulations on your upcoming marriage!

my aunt got remaried at 66 and they took away her checks from her first husband so i dont think what the other person said is right. better call ssa to make sure!

You DEFINITELY need to notify SSA when you get married!!! They don't automatically know these things and if you don't report it and they find out later (which they WILL), they could say you committed fraud even if it was just an honest mistake. Go to your local office with your marriage certificate within 10 days after the wedding. I went through something similar last year when I remarried at 70. I was getting survivor benefits from my husband who passed in 2018. I remarried and kept my benefits just like the first commenter said, but I had to report the change. It was actually pretty simple - I just had to fill out a change form.

Since you're over 60, you're protected by the "remarriage rule" for survivor benefits. The exact language from SSA is: "If you remarry after you reach age 60 (age 50 if disabled), the remarriage will not affect your eligibility for survivors benefits." The official page on the SSA website that confirms this is: https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/survivors/ifyou.html As others mentioned, you DO need to report your marriage to SSA. This can be done by calling them, visiting a local office, or in some cases through your my Social Security account online. Keep in mind that while your survivor benefits are protected, the marriage might affect other benefits like SSI (if you receive that) or potentially Medicare premium amounts depending on your combined income.

I tried calling SSA for WEEKS about changing my direct deposit info and could never get through!! So frustrating. I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to a real SSA agent in about 20 minutes instead of waiting for hours. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Might be worth trying since you need a definite answer before your wedding. Congrats by the way!

my mom lost her ss when she remarried but she was only 58 so maybe thats why?? the age thing makes sense now that i think about it

Update: I used that Claimyr service someone suggested and actually got through to SSA! The representative confirmed that I will keep my survivor benefits after remarriage since I'm over 60. She also told me I need to report the marriage within 10 days by bringing my marriage certificate to the local office or mailing a certified copy. Just wanted to thank everyone for their help! Wedding planning can continue without financial stress now. ❤️

That's such wonderful news, Ana! I'm so happy you got the official confirmation and can move forward with your wedding plans without worrying about your benefits. It's always nerve-wracking when you're dealing with SSA and there's so much misinformation floating around. Your story is going to be really helpful for other community members who might be in similar situations. The fact that you took the time to update us with the official answer you received shows what a thoughtful person you are. Congratulations on your upcoming marriage! It sounds like you've found someone wonderful, and at 68, you deserve all the happiness in the world. Best wishes for your new chapter together! 💕

Ana, what a heartwarming story! I'm so thrilled that you got the official confirmation from SSA and can now plan your wedding with complete peace of mind. It's wonderful to see how this community came together to help you navigate this situation. As someone who works with seniors on benefit questions, I want to add one small detail that might be helpful for you and others: if your new spouse also receives Social Security benefits, make sure to ask SSA about any potential changes to Medicare premiums based on your combined household income. This usually only affects higher-income couples, but it's worth asking about just to be thorough. Congratulations on finding love again at this beautiful stage of life! Your story reminds us all that it's never too late for new beginnings. Wishing you and your fiancé a lifetime of happiness together! 💖