Survivor SS Benefits from Ex-Spouse??

[MI-Roger]

Originally Posted by Nightengale212

Just curious what happened to husband #1 ?

Husband #1 remarried immediately after their divorce ~50 years ago. He has since died but only after retiring. His survivor benefits are most likely going to his wife #2 - assuming she is still alive.

[MadManofBethesda]

Originally Posted by MI-Roger

Husband #1 remarried immediately after their divorce ~50 years ago. He has since died but only after retiring. His survivor benefits are most likely going to his wife #2 - assuming she is still alive.

That's not how SS works. What one surviving spouse receives has no effect on what a surviving ex-spouse can receive.

[mathjak107]

yep , survivor benefits follow a whole different set of rules than retirement ss ..

lots of additional factors as well as how many spouses you have is not a factor in either

[Nightengale212]

Originally Posted by MI-Roger

Husband #1 remarried immediately after their divorce ~50 years ago. He has since died but only after retiring. His survivor benefits are most likely going to his wife #2 - assuming she is still alive.

The following is copied from the Social Security web site.

The Effects of Remarriage

The marital status of your ex-spouse at the time of his or her death has no effect on your ability to receive surviving ex-spouse disability or retirement benefits. But if you remarry before the age of 60, or before the age 50 if you are disabled, you won't be able to receive benefits as a surviving ex-spouse. However, if that marriage later ends due to divorce, death, or annulment before the death of your ex-spouse, you would be able to receive surviving ex-spouse benefits as though you never remarried. If you remarry after you reach 60 years old, or 50 years old if you are disabled, it will have no effect on your ability to receive surviving ex-spouse benefits.