Will I Be Eligible For Social Security Survivor’s Benefits?

Will Social Security Survivor Benefits Really Be Available After Less Than 10 Years Of Marriage?

HI Larry, My husband and I are both on SSA. We’re both 73 and we got married in 2017. I was told by one person that we have to be married for at least 10 years before I'd be able to get a widow's benefit from his record but someone else said it's less than a year that we need to be married. Which is right? Thanks, Karen

Hi Karen, If you're currently married to your husband when he dies, you wouldn't need to have been married for 10 years to potentially qualify for widow's benefits. You only need to have been married for at least nine months to meet the duration of marriage requirement for widow's benefits. The 10 year requirement applies to divorced spousal and divorced survivor's benefits.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/kotlikoff/2021/09/14/ask-larry-are-social-security-survivor-benefits-really-available-with-under-10-years-of-marriage/?sh=26715fc32f2a