Otherwise, your earnings may not be properly recorded, and you may not get all the Social Security credit you're entitled to. If you choose to have your employer keep your maiden name on all records after marriage, you don't have to do anything. If you interrupt your career, any Social Security credits you have already earned stay on your record. You can always go back to work later and earn enough credits to retire. But keep in mind that your years of no or low earnings may mean that your benefits will be lower than if you had worked continuously.
Widows ordinarily lose their widows' benefits when they remarry.
If your ex-husband dies, you may also get payments, provided you are 60 or older and were married 10 years or more, or you have young children. You can also get disability benefits provided that you have worked long enough under Social Security. Your unmarried children, including stepchildren and legally adopted children, would get benefits, too. When you die, both your widower and your dependent children may get monthly survivors' benefits. And, if you have dependent parents 62 or older, they may also be eligible for payments.