Social Security

If you are the widow or widower of a person who worked long enough under Social Security, you can:

• receive full benefits at full retirement age for survivors or reduced benefits as early as age 60.

• begin receiving benefits as early as age 50 if you are disabled AND the disability started before or within seven years of the worker's death.

  Note: If a widow or widower who is caring for the worker's children receives Social Security benefits, he or she is still eligible if their disability starts before those payments end or within seven years after they end.

  A widow, widower or surviving divorced spouse cannot apply online for survivors benefits. However, you can get the process started by completing an Adult Disability Report before you contact us.

  We use the same definition of disability for widows and widowers as we do for workers.

• receive survivors benefits at any age if you take care of the deceased worker's child who is under age 16 or is disabled and receives benefits on the worker's record.

If you remarry, after you reach age 60 (age 50 if disabled), your remarriage will not affect your eligibility for survivors benefits. 

Select one of the links below to get additional information about

• Benefits If You're The Surviving Divorced Spouse;
• Benefits If You're The Worker's Minor Or Disabled Child; and
• How Much Your Benefit Would Be