Ask Larry

Does It Sound Like I Will Receive My Widow's Benefits?

Have a appt social security for widow benefits was married 1998 to 2008 marriage 1o 4 1998 divorce 1 8 2008 girl told me all I'll need for my appt is marriage certificate and touting number for my bank when they call next month have all needed info on all they asked for does it sound like I will receive my widow's benrfit

Hi. There isn't enough information in your question for me to be able to tell you whether or not you qualify for benefits. It does sound like you meet the 10 year duration of marriage requirement for surviving divorced spousal benefits, though.

Since you were apparently divorced prior to your ex-husband's death you'll need to prove to Social Security that you were married for at least 10 years. So, in addition to proof of your marriage you'll almost certainly need a certified copy of your divorce decree. Sometimes you are also required to submit proof of age (e.g. birth certificate), but only if there's an age discrepancy in your records. If you're filing by phone, the representative to whom you speak will let you know exactly what evidence is needed in your case.

Depending on your circumstances, you may want to consider using our software (https://maximizemysocialsecurity.com/purchase) to fully analyze the options available to you in order to make sure that you choose the best strategy for maximizing your benefits.

Best, Jerry

Posted: 
Mar 19 2021 - 6:06pm
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