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.
Roy K.
my friend & i are both widowed, receiving our spouses social security benefits. if we marry, will we revert back to what were were receiving, before our spouses died ? we are both 70 years of age
Vonda V.
Hi Roy, thank you for the question. Widow(er)s that remarry after age 60 (age 50 if disabled), may continue to qualify for benefits on their deceased spouse’s Social Security record. If your new spouse is a Social Security beneficiary, you may want to apply for spouse’s benefits on that record. If that amount is higher, you may be entitled to the higher amount, based on both records. Generally, you must be married for one year before you can get spouse’s benefits. Please visit our Frequently Asked Questions web page to see how marriage can affect Social Security benefits. We hope this helps!
Linda C.
Question-if I remarried and divorced before my ex husband died will that affect survivors/widows benefit??
Eldeen L.
I have been a widow for 4 years. If I remarry will it affect the ss I’m getting?
Mary r.
I’m still confused I am a Widow
I got a benefit increase when my x husband died
I now want to remarry
Will i still keep the amount im getting now
Vonda V.
Hi Mary, thank you for the question. Widows/divorced widows that remarry after age 60 (age 50 if disabled), may continue to qualify for benefits on their deceased spouse/ex-spouse’s Social Security record. If your new spouse is a Social Security beneficiary, you may want to apply for spouse’s benefits on that record. If that amount is higher, you may be entitled to the higher amount, based on both records. Generally, you must be married for one year before you can get spouse’s benefits. Please visit our Frequently Asked Questions web page to see how marriage can affect Social Security benefits. We hope this helps!
Christine
My husband passed a few years ago so we applied for his benefits for my son instead of myself since I am still working. The checks come in my name since he is a minor but they are for his care until he turns 18. If I remarry does he lose those benefits?
Vonda V.
Hello Christina, thanks for using our blog. It is the marital status of the child that will determine eligibility. Your marital status does not affect the child; however, if you are receiving benefits for having a child in your care, it could affect those benefits. See “If I get married, will it affect my benefits” for more information. Thanks!
james c.
i draw disability benefits (permanent) and thinking of getting married next year,will this affect my beneifits and/or her income? she is a teacher and will retire in about 5 years
Vonda V.
Hello James. Thanks for using our blog. If you get Social Security disability or retirement benefits and you marry, your benefit will stay the same. See “If I get married, will it affect my benefits” for more information. Thanks!
Larry D.
How many years do a couple need to be married in order for the wife to be eligible to receive SS benefits if spouse passes away? I am doing a living trust and my lawyer said that a couple needs to be married for 10 years in order to be able to receive the spouses benefits. I hope to live a lot longer and stay married a lot more than 10 more years but one never knows and we really would like to know how this works.
june m.
if a person is collecting her dead husbands ss and remarries does she lose his ss and go back to collecting her own. she is over 70
Ann C.
Hi, June. If an individual receives retirement or Social Security disability insurance (SSDI) benefits, marriage will not affect their benefit. If they are receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI), widow or widower’s benefits, marriage may affect their benefit. To learn more about how marriage affects benefits, visit our Frequently Asked Questions. We hope this helps.
Philip J.
Friend of mine n I are having disagreements over how long do u have to be married to your deceased spouse before collecting benefits. I looked up online n it says 10 years. He says it doesn’t apply
Ann C.
Hi, Philip. If the marriage lasted for at least 10 years, an individual may be eligible for surviving divorced spouse benefits based on an ex-spouse’s earnings. Generally, a surviving spouse or widow meets this requirement, if the marriage took place no later than 9 months immediately preceding the day on which the worker died. To learn more , visit our Survivors Planner. We hope this helps.
George M.
I’m 72 widower 2000 soc sec. Remarry widow 67 who is receiving 1200 soc sec. Is 1200 recalculated after 1 yr. of marriage and the widow would also get 2000 Soc Sec?
Vonda V.
Hi George, thanks for using our blog. Typically, a widow or widower at full (survivors) retirement age or older generally receives 100% of the deceased worker’s amount, a widow or widower under full retirement age receives about 71 to 99 percent of the worker’s benefit amount, and a widow or widower with a child younger than age 16 receives 75 percent of the worker’s benefit amount. For more information about how much your benefit would be, visit our Survivors Planner.