Source: http://socialsecurityinsider.com/2011/08/22/social-security-widows-benefits-for-divorced-spouse/
Timestamp: 2017-02-19 21:03:21
Document Index: 487218296

Matched Legal Cases: ['§404', '§404', '§404', '§404', '§404', '§404', 'art 416']

Social Security Widow's Benefits for Divorced Spouse
Social Security Widow’s Benefits for Divorced Spouse I many marriages there was an unspoken agreement, you bring home the money, I’ll take care of the home. Then divorce hits and you are left wondering how you will ever make ends meet in retirement. This wasn’t the deal!
Can a divorced husband or wife collects Social Security survivor’s benefits (widow’s or widow’s benefits) after a divorce?Yes, in some circumstances, they can. Here is a summary of the requirements:
You had to be married for at least 10 years before the divorce became final.
You are at least 60 years old; or you are at least 50 years old and have a disability.
If you are at least 50 and have a disability, the disability had to start not later than 7 years after the insured died or 7 years after you were last entitled to mother’s or father’s benefits or to widow’s or widower’s benefits based upon a disability, whichever occurred last.
You are not entitled to an old-age benefit that is equal to or larger than the insured person’s primary insurance amount
You are unmarried, unless for benefits for months after 1983 you meet one of the following conditions:
You remarried after you became 60 years old; or
You are now age 60 or older and you remarried after age 50 but before attaining age 60 AND at the time of the remarriage, you were entitled to widow’s or widower’s benefits as a disabled widow or widower; or
You are now at least age 50 but not yet age 60 and you remarried after attaining age 50 AND you are disabled AND your disability began within the specified time of subsection c in the regulation listed below.
Want an even simpler version? Here is a short and sweet version (with the exceptions cut out):
Surviving divorced spouse may be eligible for benefits on the deceased ex-spouses earnings if they were married for 10 years, are at least 60 years old (or at least 50 years old and have a disability), are not entitled to a equal or greater old-age benefits, and are unmarried. Keep in mind that if you do not meet this standard, there are exceptions (summarized above, and in full below).
Now here is the full text of the regulation with all of the requirements:
§404.336 How do I become entitled to widow’s or widower’s benefits as a surviving divorced spouse? I have reformatted it for easier reading.
We will find you entitled to widow’s or widower’s benefits as the surviving divorced wife or the surviving divorced husband of a person who died fully insured if you meet the requirements in paragraphs (a) through (e) of this section:
(a) You are the insured’s surviving divorced wife or surviving divorced husband and you meet both of the conditions in paragraphs (a)(1) and (2) of this section:
(1) You were validly married to the insured under State law as described in §404.345 or are deemed to have been validly married as described in §404.346.
(1) You are entitled to wife’s or husband’s benefits for the month before the month in which the insured dies and you have attained full retirement age (as defined in §404.409) or you are not entitled to old-age or disability benefits.
(2) You are entitled to mother’s or father’s benefits for the month before the month in which you attain full retirement age (as defined in §404.409).
(3) You are entitled to wife’s or husband’s benefits and to either old-age or disability benefits in the month before the month of the insured’s death, you have not attained full retirement age (as defined in §404.409) in the month of death, and you have filed a Certificate of Election in which you elect to receive reduced widow’s or widower’s benefits.
(4) You applied in 1990 for widow’s or widower’s benefits based on disability, and you meet the requirements in both paragraphs (b)(4)(i) and (ii) of this section:
(2) Your disability continued during a waiting period of 5 full consecutive months, unless months beginning with the first month of eligibility for supplemental security income or federally administered State supplementary payments are counted, as explained in the Exception in paragraph (c)(3) of this section. This waiting period may begin no earlier than the 17th month before you applied; the fifth month before the insured died; or if you were previously entitled to mother’s, father’s, widow’s, or widower’s benefits, the 5th month before your previous entitlement to benefits ended. If you were previously entitled to widow’s or widower’s benefits based upon a disability, no waiting period is required.
(3) Exception: For monthly benefits payable for months after December 1990, if you were or have been eligible for supplemental security income or federally administered State supplementary payments, as specified in subparts B and T of part 416 of this chapter, respectively, your disability does not have to have continued through a separate, full 5-month waiting period before you may begin receiving benefits. We will include as months of the 5-month waiting period the months in a period beginning with the first month you received supplemental security income or a federally administered State supplementary payment and continuing through all succeeding months, regardless of whether the months in the period coincide with the months in which your waiting period would have occurred, or whether you continued to be eligible for supplemental security income or a federally administered State supplementary payment after the period began, or whether you met the nondisability requirements for entitlement to widow’s or widower’s benefits. However, we will not pay you benefits under this provision for any month prior to January 1991.
(3) You are now at least age 50 but not yet age 60 and you meet both of the conditions in paragraphs (e)(3)(i) and (ii) of this section:
Filed Under: Social Security Survivor's Benefits Tagged With: Divorce, Survivor's Benefits, Widow/er	Aren't you tired of fighting Social Security for your disability benefits? Get Colorado disability attorney Tomasz Stasiuk on your team!
I was married to my first husband the father of my two kids,June 1975 to Oct.1982.We remarried May 1983 and divorced final in Dec. 12 1988.8 years 1st and 5 years second time. Together over 13 years.He died in 2007. My son thought I should check to see if I qualify, but nothing I find on the internet helps me.
Gwen cannion
I married 1997 my husband die 2005 due cancer I am only 55 and my husband now 67 if he living. I haven’t received any thing from social security yet! What age start getting benefits. I was 46 when my husband die. I am 55 years. Now I be 56 in September this year what can do to receive benefits. Or what age I start receiving benefits of .y husband?