If your spouse dies, you can receive spousal Social Security Survivor’s Benefit. A surviving spouse’s benefit is sometimes referred to as a widower's benefit. There are two main eligibility requirements for this benefit:
A couple must have been married for at least nine months (unless the death of the spouse was accidental or unexpected), and
If the couple were the parents of a child under the age of 18. The surviving spouse must be age 60 or over (if the spouse is disabled the requirement is decreased to 50).
The surviving spouse will receive a reduced benefit if a surviving spouse claims survivor benefits prior to reaching full retirement age.
A divorced surviving spouse may be eligible for Social Security benefits based if the following conditions are met:
They were married for over 10 years,
The divorced surviving spouse is 60 or over, and
Unmarried.
