Will Remarrying Affect My Social Security Benefits?
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: October 14, 2021
Whether it’s a morning ceremony or an evening gala, excitement’s in the air. You’re getting remarried! Social Security is with you throughout life’s journey and we are here to help you on any Social Security related questions, after your special day!
If you’re getting remarried, you may have some questions about changing the name on your Social Security card. Also, if you’re remarrying, you may wonder how that affects your Social Security benefits.
Remarrying may affect your benefits if you receive any of the following benefits:
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments — your SSI payment amount may change as a result of your new spouse’s income and resources. If you and your spouse both get SSI, your payment amount will change from an individual rate to a couple’s rate.
- Widow/widower, or divorced widow/widower payments—
-
- If you remarry before age 50 — you won’t be entitled to survivor’s or disability benefits unless you divorce.
-
- If you remarry between the ages of 50 and 59 — you can’t get benefits. Note: If you remarry before you turn 60 and that marriage ends, you may become entitled or re-entitled to benefits on your prior deceased spouse’s earnings record. Your benefits begin the first month in which the subsequent marriage ended if all entitlement requirements are met.
-
- If you remarry after age 60 — you may still become entitled to benefits on your prior deceased spouse’s Social Security earnings record.
- Divorced spouse’s benefits — Generally, if you remarry, benefits paid to you from your prior spouse’s account stop. Check out if you are divorced for more information.
- Children’s benefits (under age 18 or student ages 18 or 19) — Children’s benefits end once the child marries. You can find more information in our Benefits for Children page.
Visit our Benefits page for more information. Please share this information with family and friends – and post it on social media.
Did you find this Information helpful?
Tags: Children, social security, Social Security benefits, Social Security card, SSA, supplemental security income, survivors benefits
See CommentsAbout the Author
Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications
Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications
Comments
Comments are closed.
Ruth M.
I am 74 and I receive retirement benefits. Do I need to change my last name? I have already changed my social security card.
Luis A.
Hi Ruth. If you already changed your name on your Social Security number card, then we already have your new name. There is nothing else you need to do. We hope this helps.
Richard R.
I am 63 yrs old. If I get married will my new wife be able to get my spousal social security. She is a retired teacher and only get $90.00 a month from Social Security because her school district did not pay into Social Security, so she is pay the penalty.
Ann C.
Hi, Richard. Thanks for your question. Generally, you must be married for one year before an individual can get spouse’s benefits. Additionally, it sounds like your new wife is eligible for a pension that is not covered by Social Security. A pension based on work that is not covered by Social Security (for example, Federal civil service and some State or local government agencies, such as police officers and some teachers) may cause the amount of her Social Security benefit to be reduced. Her benefit can be reduced based on one of two provisions: The Government Pension Offset and the Windfall Elimination Provision. For specific questions about her potential benefit, she can call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., for assistance. Generally, she will have a shorter wait if she calls later in the day. She can also contact her local Social Security office. We hope this helps.
SS
I am 60 years of age. I receive Survivor benefits from a previous marriage. I was receiving disability benefits before my former retired husband passed. I became eligible for survivor benefits then losing my disability benefit. My question is; if I plan to remarry and my future husband wants to declare me as a dependent on his income taxes; how will that affect my eligibility of benefits; if at all?
Luis A.
Hi. Your question is more complex than what we can answer in this venue. For your security, we do not have access to your personal information in this forum. Please call our toll free number, 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), from Monday through Friday, between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. You may also contact your local Social Security office. We hope this helps.
David G.
My ex wife said that she wants us to remarried so she can get my social security benefits and we was married for 9 years and 9 months so my ?is can we get remarried for 3 months or for 10 years.
Luis A.
Hi David. To meet the 10 year-duration of marriage rule, the remarriage has to occur within one (1) year of the divorce. To be eligible for divorced spouses benefits, you and your ex-spouse would have had to be married for at least 10 years. Also, keep in mind that if your ex-spouse is eligible for a higher benefit on her own record, we have to pay her from her own account first, before we can pay any additional benefits she may be eligible for as an ex-spouse. Here is some information on how to qualify for divorced spouse benefits. If you have any further questions, you may call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). We hope this helps.
Kathryn
I have been divorced but collect nothing from that spouse, nor can because it did not last long enough to collect. I retired and now collect monthly benefits from my lifetime earnings. If I remarry, at age 65, will I still collect my retirement income?
His wife of 25 years passed away but was primarily a homemaker. He is 55. When he retires, will that affect me in any way.
Alfred B.
-+I’m 82, widower, wanting to marry a woman never married, aged 80. will she lose her Social Security benefits upon assuming my name in marriage, or do we both continue to receive our SS?
Luis A.
Hi Alfred. Thank you for your question. Please note that your future spouse will not lose her benefits upon taking your last name. As a matter of fact, your future spouse may qualify as a spouse, under your earnings record. If she does qualify for spouse’s benefits under your record, and she is eligible for a higher benefit amount, we will pay her own Social Security benefits first, and then she will get a combination of benefits that equals that higher amount. Please visit our Retirement Planner: Benefits For You As A Spouse for more information. For specific questions, please call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday through Friday, between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., for assistance. Generally, you will have a shorter wait if you call later in the day. We hope this helps.
Becky B.
My boyfriend gets ssd and I get so and want to get married someday would I lose my benefits
Ann C.
Hi, Becky. Thanks for your question. If you receive retirement or Social Security disability insurance (SSDI) benefits, your marriage will not affect your benefit. If you are receiving SSI, widow or widower’s benefits, your marriage may affect your benefit. To learn more about how marriage affects benefits, check out our Frequently Asked Questions. We hope this helps.
steven R.
My wife passed away 5 years ago, I remarried 6/12/2019
Is my new wife entitled to widows survivor income when I pass?
if so
how long must we be married before she is entitled to receive this benefit and how much would she receive?
Luis A.
Hi Steve. An applicant for surviving spouse benefits must meet a 9 month duration-of-marriage requirement. The amount of her widow’s benefit is based on several factors, including: your earnings, when you started receiving your benefits, her age, and the amount of her own retirement benefit. We compare her own benefit with her potential survivor benefit. If her survivor benefit would be higher than her own current retirement benefit, she would be eligible for survivor benefits. For additional information about benefits as a surviving spouse, visit here. We hope this helps.
Mary B.
I want to start collecting my benefits . Can I later collect my deceased husband benefits.? I realize I will lose my benefits, but want to wait till he would’ve turned 70.
Jackie C.
At age 18, 1963, serving in navy, A paternity fraud artist swindled me, bought a marriage license and took 1/2 my navy Pay, after discovering she pulled paternity fraud on other sailors I moved on, she lived with several others guys, other paternity frauds marriages. In 1969, she officially married some guy from Sheboygan Wi. Named Glen Seigl. 1971 I moved to Canada to Canada, married my spouse in 1972, had a child in 1973, developed successful Engineering Design Manufacturing Marketing business. Then in 1994 was illegally deported as a fugitive from justice. The Sheboygan Paternity Fraud artist in cahoots with a texas Bankster who swindled me and my spouse out of lots of cash when we bought a couple of small farms around 1978-1980 when bank interest rates went to more than 20%, then declared his bank bankrupt, whereby our cash and 2 160 acre Farms vanished in the Banksters INTERNATIONAL BANK FRAUD, a crime without statutes of limitations.
Sheboygans judge Bolgert colluded with Quebec, Canada in a crime of treason, that resulted in my deportation, incarceration in a purposeful act of wrongful prosecution that destroyed my family, successful established business..
My appeal was secretly ended before a hearing, I was rearrested again after setting up my business in Arizona and jailed again for another 8 month imprisonment. The VA picked me up from halfway house and I spent the next year in a domiciliary and 6 years of day treatment.
The American Legion investigated and discovered the Sheboygan woman’s paternity fraud, whereby after knowing her for 6 years when she lived with several other men and had more children, she eventually reportedly got a legal divorce from the illegal marriage before the time required for her to take my so-called child support and later on Social Security benefits by altering court records and lying about regarding her paternity fraud and earlier marriages to other sailors while being a polygamist, bigamist OR being married to more than one person at a time.
Wisconsin Innocence Project took my case in the early 2000’s before Governor Tommy Thompson defunded them. They gave me the file and I took it to Mark Vannucci, Wisconsin Family Lawyer who took it to federal Court in Milwaukee under Judge Jones, who subpoenaed judge Bolgert-Sheboygan Wi judge. Judge Bolgert refused to appear in federal court, 5 years later Bolgert awarded the paternity fraud artist 50% of my social security, Nannucci negotiated 25% deduction in return for returning my passport privileges. They have continued to take 25% of my SS for near 2 decades but NO Passport privileges, denying me access to my extensive Canadian industrial assets, or family, friends, associates.
My family moved on, my extensive industrial assets unused, my life’s work, destroyed by a state judge who suppressed clear evidence that would exonerate anyone so charged in a real court of Law.
How do I get back my Social Security distributed to a paternity fraud artist and a State Judge acting outside his legal,venue.
I have absolute Proof to illustrate the wrongful prosecution.
Social Security Laws deny access to my benefits, which should have been detected before awarding the Sheboygan Wisconsin Paternity Fraud artist my Social Security benefits.
I hope and pray social security will help me recover my benefits and reevaluate my benefits because of Canadian income variables likely not shared by the 1994 Parti Québécois , who likely in an act of retribution for my acts as an enemy of the Parti Québécois Illegal provincial government, a gang of election fraud perpetrators who lost power in 1995.