Eligibility for Widow Benefits After Remarriage at Age 61

I have a couple who married when the woman, Diana, was age 61.  She is age 64 and looking at retiring at the end of the year. Can she file for widow benefits since she married after age 61 or is the rule such that she needed to be receiving widow benefits before remarrying?

Remarriage after age 60 does not affect eligibility to survivor benefits.   There is no requirement she be receiving the widow’s benefit when she remarries for eligibility to continue. Diana can file for widow benefits even though she remarried after age 61. Here’s how it works:

1. Remarriage After Age 60:

   • Eligibility Unaffected: Remarriage after age 60 does not affect Diana's eligibility for Social Security widow benefits. She remains eligible to claim these benefits even though she married after that age.

2. No Requirement to Receive Widow Benefits Before Remarrying:

   • Timing of Benefits: There is no requirement that Diana had to be receiving widow benefits before she remarried. The key factor is that she remarried after age 60, which means her eligibility for survivor benefits continues.

3. Next Steps:

   • Filing for Benefits: Diana can proceed with filing for widow benefits as she approaches retirement. The Social Security Administration’s survivor benefits page provides additional details and guidance, which can be found here.

In summary, Diana’s remarriage after age 60 does not disqualify her from receiving Social Security widow benefits. She can file for these benefits as she plans her retirement, without concern about the timing of her remarriage.

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