If you are a widow or widower, and you meet certain requirements, you may be eligible for monthly Social Security benefits. And, even if you are a surviving divorced spouse, you may also be eligible for monthly Social Security benefits. Social Security’s explanation of widow’s benefits is below.
If you are the widow or widower of a person who worked long enough under Social Security, you can:
- Receive full benefits at full retirement age for survivors or reduced benefits as early as age 60.
- Begin receiving benefits as early as age 50 if you are disabled and the disability started before or within seven years of the worker’s death.
- Receive survivors benefits at any age, if you have not remarried and you take care of the deceased worker’s child who is under age 16 or is disabled and receives benefits on the worker’s record.
If you remarry after you reach age 60 (age 50 if disabled), your remarriage will not affect your eligibility for survivors benefits.
Surviving Divorced Spouses
If you are the divorced spouse of a worker who dies, you could get benefits the same as a widow or widower, provided that your marriage lasted 10 years or more. Benefits paid to you as a surviving divorced spouse won’t affect the benefit amount for other survivors getting benefits on the worker’s record. If you remarry after you reach age 60 (age 50 if disabled), the remarriage will not affect your eligibility for survivors benefits. If you are caring for a child under age 16 or disabled and gets benefits on the record of your former spouse, you would not have to meet the length-of-marriage rule. The child must be your former spouse’s natural or legally adopted child.
Unfortunately you cannot apply for these types of benefits online and must contact Social Security to begin the application process.
