Do I lose widow's benefits if I remarry?
Asked by: Ms. Melody Gaylord | Last update: August 15, 2025Score: 4.9/5 (14 votes)
If you're not disabled and you remarry before age 60, you lose your eligibility for survivor benefits, but you may be able to claim again when that marriage ends. Your payouts may start in the first month when the remarriage ends, and all entitlement requirements are met.
Can I keep my deceased husband's Social Security if I remarry?
That is, a widow who remarries before age 60 has no claim to the widow benefits (so long as the remarriage remains intact) and therefore faces a marriage penalty. However, a widow who remarries after reaching age 60 retains full claim on these benefits.
What happens if a widow remarries?
If a widow or widower remarries before the age of 60 (age 50 if you have a disability), you cannot receive benefits as a surviving spouse while you are married. If you remarry after age 60 (age 50 if you have a disability), you will continue to qualify for benefits on your deceased spouse's Social Security record.
What benefits does a military widow lose if she remarries?
Therefore, a surviving spouse who remarries is no longer eligible to receive VA benefits. Exceptions: If a surviving spouse remarries after age 55, he/she may retain eligibility for certain VA benefits under Public Law (PL) 107-330.
Who gets survivor benefits, first or second wife?
Answer: Both your current spouse and your ex could be entitled to survivor benefits based on your work record. Typically someone must be married nine months to qualify for survivor benefits on a current spouse's record. If the spouses divorced, the marriage must have lasted 10 years.
Do I Lose Survivor Benefits If I Remarry? - CreditGuide360.com
Do you lose widows pension if you remarry?
You'll get any State Pension based on your husband, wife or civil partner's National Insurance contribution when you claim your own pension. You will not get it if you remarry or form a new civil partnership before you reach State Pension age.
Will I lose my survivor benefits if I get married?
If you remarry before age 50 – You won't be eligible for survivors or disability benefits as a surviving spouse unless your later marriage ends by divorce or annulment.
How does remarriage affect my survivors benefit plan?
If the former spouse remarries before age 55, SBP payments will be suspended. This suspension remains in effect throughout the remarriage. However, if the subsequent marriage ends due to divorce or the death of the new spouse, the former spouse may have the SBP payments reinstated.
How long does a spouse get survivors benefits?
Spouse Remarriage
Your surviving spouse may remarry after age 55 and continue to receive SBP payments for life. If your surviving spouse remarries before age 55, SBP payments will stop, but may be resumed if the marriage later ends due to death or divorce.
Does the second wife of a veteran get benefits?
Under 38 CFR 3.50, in order to qualify as a surviving spouse for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) purposes, a person must be unmarried. Therefore, a surviving spouse who remarries is no longer eligible to receive VA benefits.
What are the disadvantages of widow remarriage?
You may be getting pension by the government if you are a widow. However, this pension will be cut-off if you decide to get re-married. Hence, this will be a serious consideration for many people. They may not be willing for the pension funds to be cut-off, thus, losing their second chance to be happy again.
What are the Social Security benefits for widows over 65?
Surviving spouse, at full retirement age or older, generally gets 100% of the worker's basic benefit amount. Surviving spouse, age 60 or older, but under full retirement age, gets between 71% and 99% of the worker's basic benefit amount.
What do you call a widow that remarries?
Once that person remarries, he or she is no longer a widow or a widower. They're a wife. They're a husband to their new spouse, to their new partner, and they shouldn't use the term widow or widower to describe themselves. Life is best living in the present and looking forward instead of looking backwards.
Does a widow get her deceased husband's Social Security and her own?
If your spouse dies, do you get both Social Security benefits? You cannot claim your deceased spouse's benefits in addition to your own retirement benefits. Social Security only will pay one—survivor or retirement. If you qualify for both survivor and retirement benefits, you will receive whichever amount is higher.
What benefits will I lose if I get married?
If you get Social Security disability or retirement benefits and you marry, your benefit will stay the same. However, other benefits such as SSI, Survivors, Divorced Spouses, and Child's benefits may be affected.
What not to do when your spouse dies?
- Not Obtaining Multiple Copies of the Death Certificate.
- 2- Delaying Notification of Death.
- 3- Not Knowing About a Preplan for Funeral Expenses.
- 4- Not Understanding the Crucial Role a Funeral Director Plays.
- 5- Letting Others Pressure You Into Bad Decisions.
Can a widow remarry and still receive survivor benefits?
The final rule change was passed in January 1984. This allowed remarried surviving divorced spouses to claim the full survivor benefits as long as: they were married for at least 10 years before divorcing. they waited until age 60 or later to remarry.
What disqualifies you from Social Security survivor benefits?
If you remarry before you turn 60, your remarriage will affect the benefits you receive. After the age of 60, remarriage will no longer affect eligibility. The SSA compares survivor benefits to a life insurance policy that workers contribute to throughout their careers.
What is the widow's penalty?
The "penalty" is when the surviving spouse pays more tax on less income after the death of their partner. This occurs when the surviving spouse begins filing as a single filer the year after the death of their spouse.
What benefits do I lose if I remarry?
If you're receiving spousal benefits based on your former spouse's work record, those benefits will generally end upon your getting remarried, but you may be able to receive benefits based on your new spouse's work record, or on your own.
What is the difference between survivor benefits and widow benefits?
Spousal benefits are capped at 50 percent of the worker's benefit. Survivor benefits are set at 100 percent of the deceased worker's benefit.
Do I lose my ex husband's Social Security benefits if I remarry?
If you have since remarried, you can't collect benefits on your former spouse's record unless your later marriage ended by annulment, divorce, or death. Also, if you're entitled to benefits on your own record, your benefit amount must be less than you would receive based on your ex-spouse's work.
Can you lose widows benefits?
How long does a widow receive survivor benefits? Social Security benefits are payable to you for life unless you collect a retirement benefit that is greater than the survivor benefit. You can see complete details about survivor's Social Security government benefits on the SSA website.
Do I lose my survivor pension if I remarry?
Your pension will continue even if you remarry.
How long does a widow receive survivor benefits?
These benefits are payable for life unless the spouse begins collecting a retirement benefit that is greater than the survivor benefit. Beneficiaries entitled to two types of Social Security payments receive the higher of the two amounts.